No Soil Needed: The Stunning Flower You Can Grow In A Bowl Of Water On Your Porch

Have you ever walked past a water feature and spotted a lovely pink water lily and wished you could grow them in your yard, but you don't have a pond? There is something magical about water lilies floating on a pond; they conjure images of fairy-filled forests, idyllic scenes, and magical gardens. The good news is that you can grow water lilies without a pond – you can even grow them in a bowl on your porch. Of course, we're talking about a dwarf variety of water lily (Nymphaea) that doesn't need the expansive space of a pond.

Water lilies are aquatic plants that grow from the bottom of ponds with that very identifiable large, multi-petaled flower among many lily pads. They are an iconic part of any pond or edge of a lake. Each flower and lily pad is attached to the pond floor by a large stalk that helps them stay afloat on the surface of the water. 

Some perfectly suited varieties to choose for your porch water lily containers are the 'Aurora', 'Ellisiana', 'Perry's Baby Red', or the 'Pygmaea Helvola'. These smaller, more compact varieties don't get as big as their full-sized counterparts, have smaller blooms and pads, and they require less room to spread out. You can grow them without any soil as long as you take a few steps when setting them up. Using some substrate like aquarium gravel to hold the plant's rhizome in place works extremely well. It's the perfect option for those that might find it too expensive to put a pond in their yard just so they can plant water lilies.

There are some things to know and do before planting water lilies. The first thing to do when deciding to grow water lilies on your porch is to choose your favorite dwarf or miniature variety. Dwarf and miniature hardy water lilies will thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 11. Next, choose a container and a good location. Water lilies of all varieties prefer full sun – find a location on your porch that has six hours of full sun a day. Your chosen container should be up to 40 inches wide, and 18 inches deep as water lilies like to spread out over the top of the water.

The traditional method to plant water lilies involves planting them in a pot with loamy or sandy soil and gradually lowering them to the bottom of your pond container before adding the water. With the soilless method, you can use a mesh pond planting basket with small gravel or aquarium rocks to weigh the water lily rhizomes down so they stay in place while growing. You should prop your water lily on rocks or bricks just below the surface of the water until they begin to grow. As they get taller, you can lower them completely into the water. It's ideal for them to have at least 5 inches of water above their rhizome. Once you begin to see lily pads on the surface, your blooms are not far behind. Unlike landscaped ponds that need pump maintenance, your mini pond water lilies prefer still water and won't require a pump.