We just got our first water lily last week. Should we fertilize now or wait until next year?

What is the best fertilizer?

Thanks, Nilli

What zone do you live in as this will make a difference in if its to late in the year to fertilize. I use jobbs tomatoe spikes in my water lilies as I don't like spending a lot of money of fertilizer that is just for water plants

Yes, fertilize now. When I get new lilies, I put fertilize in the pot when I pot it up. In MD, I fertilize my lilies every 4 weeks from late April through early September or so. I use PondTabbs, one per gallon. They are made by a local company but I order them from AquaMart in Florida.

Hi Robyn and Bill, thanks, I will fertilize now.
And Robyn, I see that Maryland is Zone 6/7. I didnt know what zone but saw it on your signature.

Nilli

Just be sure to push the tabs deep into the pots and cover the whole over with dirt or the phosphorus will leach into the water and most likely contribute to algae problems.

Nilli, I'm in Zone 6/7 (literally on the line of Zone 6 and Zone 7) because I'm in Central MD at a higher elevation. Most of MD is Zone 7. Western MD is Zone 6.

Jobe's tomatoe spikes works the best for me! I was using those tab before and late this year started using the spikes and there is no comparion for me. My lily leaves are almost twice as big as before.
Tia

I just read this and am staying away from them! My "Attraction" waterlily takes up my entire 50G Pond! The comanche, fabiola, and albata (If it's still alive?) all need some though.

Kenny, my leaves are twice as big now so I know exactly what you mean. They are starting to take over my pond and my pond is smaller than yours.
Another thing that I did (stupidly) is that I added 2 spikes per plant and I have 3 lilies. Oh and I also put 1 in the Parrot Feather just for good measure. So I bet you can guess what happened right? ALGAE!! So did I figure it out the first time you ask? NO. I put them in and things were growing like gang busters! Lilies were happy. I was happy. A week later I see algae. I think where did that come from? Oh maybe it's the sun. Then 2-3 weeks after the first application I noticed the water was clearing but wait, it's time to add more spikes. Now the lilies are real happy and I am real happy. The leaves are bigger than ever! Yahoo!! Then.... the water is turning green AGAIN about a week later! I am out looking at the pond thinking those hyacinths are looking pretty good and I haven't put them in the fertilizer bath for a few weeks now. Well about 4:00 am the next morning I woke up and was trying to figure out WHY my pond is green. Then the light comes on. It's the SPIKES! My pond is to small for all those spikes. What a dummy I am! I should be banned from having a pond. I have had to do some water changing to clear things back up and I am sure my fish are mad at me.
Tia

Really, Tia the plant spikes may not be the problem causing the algae bloom. If when you added the spikes you pushed them deep into the pots and covered the hole up with the clay, the nutrients should not leak out. Did you check your phosphate and nitrate levels before the water change? If the phosphates show high it came from the spikes. If the nitrates are high then too much feeding and or fish poo or decomposing plant matter will fule algae. Hope you stay green free!

Lol! I hope your algea clears up soon. Green water only needs to happen to kk! Joking, kk!

I happened to stumble across Jobe's Aquatic Fertilizer the other day at our local garden center. I was there looking for the coveted tomato spikes. The Jobes aquatic fertilizer is also 8-24-8 (same as the tomato spikes) and the cost for 18 of them was only $2.99, so we ended up buying those out of desparation because we can't find the tomato spikes any where locally and I wasn't willing to wait for mail order.

I'm not sure how they'll work in comparison althought the fertilizer ingredients are the same. But that could be an option for fertilizing

It should be the same as, since they are for aquatics and Dr Foster and Smiths sells them. I know one time I tried to use plant food spikes and it practicaly melted in the water before I could bury it.
Not good!

Uhhhh, Gasp!!!!!!!!!! Why do I deserve green water, this is my first time without the dreaded beastly stuff

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Aquatic Plant Food is always a good product to give your plants the nutrients they need to bloom fully.