Nymphaea Tina

Tropical water lilies love heat and cannot tolerate our winters, they must be protected from the cold. Each 'Tina' water lily rhizome must be planted in a container of 14 to 20 liters, under 20 to 60 cm of water. Choose a lightweight and easy-to-move model (for example, a plastic pot with drainage holes). As soon as the water temperature reaches around 20°C, the container will be moved outside and immersed in a pond, a tub, a barrel... Plant the rhizomes in a loamy soil, rich in clay, sticky, and free of stones (never use horticultural compost, it is too light and promotes algae growth). The use of openwork baskets is strongly discouraged. Fill your container up to 5-8 cm from the edge. Plant your rhizomes by inserting them vertically into the soil up to the collar. Put 2 to 3 Osmocote cones (NPK formula: 10-11-18+2MgO+TE) all around the rhizome, inserting them 5 or 10 cm into the soil. Place a layer of pumice 2-3 cm thick to secure everything. Water everything with the watering can to saturate the substrate. Place the container at the correct depth in the pond or tub. Provide these tropical water lilies with a very sunny location where they will receive at least 6 to 7 hours of full sun per day. Each rhizome must have about 1 m² of water surface to develop properly. Renew the fertilizer supply two to three times between April and August.

To help vegetation start, place the containers against a south-facing wall around April (depending on the region). Then position them in their final location (for the season) as soon as frost is no longer a concern and temperatures reach 20°C. Make sure that the water level remains fairly stable and that the water is neither too acidic nor too alkaline (desirable pH between 6.5 and 7.5).

Overwintering: tropical water lilies must be overwintered if they are not grown year-round indoors in a heated space. Outside, leave them in place as long as real frosts are not announced. The natural drop in water temperature is favorable to the formation of bulblets around the mother rhizome and to the plants entering dormancy. Overwinter your tropical water lilies in their container, which you will place in a container of 100 to 200 liters, ensuring that the water temperature is maintained between 12 and 15°C. Place everything in a bright space such as a cold greenhouse or conservatory. In early March, the rhizomes start to grow. This is the time to divide them and replant them for placement in late April or early May.

You can also remove the rhizome and bulblets from the water in late November, rinse them thoroughly, and store them in sphagnum or blonde peat enclosed in a 'zip' bag. Place everything in a room maintained at 20°C, out of the water. Replant your rhizomes and bulblets in spring when the water temperature reaches 20°C again. Start cultivation in a small volume of water that heats well during the day, for example in a small basin exposed against a south-facing wall. Move them to their final location as soon as growth is well underway.

Never leave Nymphaea rhizomes exposed to the sun or air to prevent them from drying out; plant them upon receipt or purchase.

If you have fish in your pond, it is preferable to spread a thick layer of large gravel on the surface of the planted pot to discourage them from digging into the soil, gnawing on the rhizomes, and thus dirtying the water. During the summer, remove leaves that grow too densely in the centre of the clump, keeping only the most vigorous ones. Also remove yellowed or stained leaves, as well as emergent aquatic weeds from the surface.