What is wrong with my water lilies?

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sns26
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Location: Cleveland Park, DC

What is wrong with my water lilies?

Post by sns26 »

I have two water lilies that are sending up leaves regularly, but they quickly look like this. I would guess it's a snail problem but the pond is pretty new, and I haven't seen much of a snail population.
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Cristy Keister
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Re: What is wrong with my water lilies?

Post by Cristy Keister »

What kind of soil and fertilizer do they have?
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sns26
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Location: Cleveland Park, DC

Re: What is wrong with my water lilies?

Post by sns26 »

Both lilies are potted in heavy clay soil and each has a commercial lily-specific fertilizer tablet.
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Cristy Keister
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Re: What is wrong with my water lilies?

Post by Cristy Keister »

I use a partially mineralized top soil as well as a clay.
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sns26
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Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:13 pm
Location: Cleveland Park, DC

Re: What is wrong with my water lilies?

Post by sns26 »

By the way, I eventually figured out what the problem was. China moths!

http://www.victoria-adventure.org/water ... page1.html

I found the caterpillars all over the undersides of a few pads. They were doing the initial damage and then the snails were exploiting the damage. I had to trim one lily down to the bare root, and it never recovered.
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