.Please note that there are currently 4 pages of price/photos of Tropicals. As you click on Tropical Price list, notice that the other page (2, 3 and 4) icons will slide out. This is not an all inclusive list. I often have other varieties not listed.
Attention...the past year I have done a large purge on my inventory. I am in the process of growing new varieties. I will be back strong on my Tropicals in 2021. I do have tropicals but not necessarily the ones listed. I will update as it becomes more clear as to what I want to offer.
Attention...the past year I have done a large purge on my inventory. I am in the process of growing new varieties. I will be back strong on my Tropicals in 2021. I do have tropicals but not necessarily the ones listed. I will update as it becomes more clear as to what I want to offer.
We are pleased to offer Tropical Water Lilies to discriminating gardeners in the Ark-La-Tex. Please see price list on subsequent pages.
All Lilies will be growing (and most blooming or nearly so) in a 1 gallon or larger pot at the time of sale.
In Shreveport, free delivery is available Saturdays at the Farmers Market in downtown Shreveport 7 AM to 12 PM.
You are always welcome to come out to the farm anytime, just call prior to make certain we will be there.
Other deliveries can be arranged depending on minimum purchase ect. I will work with you!
Tropical Water Lilies are easy! Many people simply assume that you must have a full-blown fish pond etc. in order to enjoy these beauties. Nothing could be further from the truth. Simply re-think the concept of water gardening- it is simply that, a garden that happens to be based in water. Rather than a tub full of soil, you will have a tub full of water. This even eliminates the need for daily watering; this type of gardening is about as easy as it gets. You will need to do just a few things to ensure your total success.
First...Sun. You will need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight. If less, your plant will still grow but much more slowly and the flower display will be rather anemic. Have that hot, sunny corner on your deck? There you go...
Second...water (of course). The depth needed is approximately 6 (minimum) inches from the TOP OF THE POT (not the total depth of the tub). You can go much, much deeper if needed. No matter how big your tub is, your Lily will cover the surface. Many tropicals can cover a 12 ft. surface!
Third...fertilizer. There isn't any wiggle-room on this issue. You must (!) do this. Guess what? It is super easy. Fertilizing consists of nothing more than pushing a couple tablets into the pot as far as your finger will go. This is about a once a month event. These aquatic fertilizer tabs are easily had and not expensive. You can get them from me, online, most home improvement stores and. If you fail to fertilize, you will be remarkably unhappy with the performance of your Water Lily. It is amazing how fast they respond every time you insert new tabs into the soil!
What can you expect if you decided to purchase a Tropical Water Lily? A lot! Once the weather has warmed up for the season, providing you have met the requirements listed above, it is pretty much a non-stop flower show. Rarely will there be a day that goes by that you do not have several flowers in full bloom- right up to the first hard freeze. Here in the deep South, that's a lot of flowers! Many people are turned off by the idea that Tropical Water Lilies are not cold hardy and will expire once freezing weather sets in. Is this any different than many (if not most) flowers that you purchase each spring at your local garden center? Everyone knows when they buy that lovely Hibiscus that it will put on a show all Summer until frost knocks it down. Same thing- your Tropical Water Lilly will give you a major bang for your buck. Most people, at the end of fall, simply dump their tub and start over next spring. This gives them the opportunity to grow a different color each year. Now, if you ARE the sort that likes the challenges of keeping tropical plants from year to year, it is most surely possible to do this. At this point, I will not go into the procedure but it is not terribly difficult. In fact, it is very easy. At anytime you are welcome to contact me and I will go over this with you.
One thing you will find remarkable about your Tropical Water Lily is the fact that they make stunning cut flowers! Unlike hardy Water Lilies that simply float on the surface of the water, your Tropical will send its blossoms soaring out of the water. You will not have to get down on your hands and knees to smell their amazing fragrance. Once a blossom is cut, it continues to open and close each day though it were still on the plant. Nothing comes close to Tropical Water Lily cut flowers; with the intense color and powerful fragrance, most other cut flowers simply pale in comparison.
Most Tropical Water Lilies are day blooming- the flower will close up in the evening. For those of you who work in the day, guess what? Some varieties are night blooming! The blossoms start to open about 6 pm and stay open through about 11 am the following day. There isn't the range of colors available in the night blooming class- white, pinks and reds- but the flowers are every bit as remarkable as their day blooming counterparts. Typically, night bloomers are a bit bigger in every way(including the flowers) as compared to day bloomers. A (much) larger tub will probably be in order.
When you purchase a Water Lily from me, it will most likely be growing in a 1 gallon nursery pot. It can remain in this container all season or, if you wish, you can shift it up to a larger pot. Everything you ever learned about repotting plants and what to use can pretty much be tossed out the window! Instead of that nice, fluffy potting soil required for a normal plant, you use the worst, most mucky clay you can find. Here in East Texas and N.W. Louisiana, we are blessed (sigh) with plenty of that. Being that these plants grow naturally in heavy lake bottom soil that does not have any air space, that is what you need to plant them in...thick old, crummy clay! If you try to use potting soil, you will have a mess in your pond/tub. That stuff will just float to the surface. Trust me...nasty old yard dirt. That's what they like and need. As for the actual pot, you can use about anything. Since it is submerged, it is not visible to you- old buckets, an old plastic tub you might normally use for storage..pretty much whatever you have sitting around that will suit the needs of your plants root ball. Drain holes are not needed- the whole thing is under water so the concept of drain holes is, well, pointless. Yes, you can buy fancy pots made for Water Lilies- if you want to waste your money. You may also, particularly if your tub is not super large, just shovel a bunch of dirt right into the tub and plant your Lily directly into it. Your Lily will love 'ya. As I mentioned prior, fertilizing is NOT an option. This is even more important if you are confining you plant to a smaller pot. It takes a lot for your plant to produce all those blooms and leaves. They are HEAVY feeders. Do not starve them- you will be sorry.
One question that comes up a lot- a good question at that- what about Mosquitos? Well, if you chose to do nothing, your plant will not mind one bit. You, however, will probably not like a high production Mosquito farm on your back deck. This an easily solved problem. There are several products on the market that work outstandingly well. They are terrific because they do NOT use an synthetic insecticide. Instead, a strain of bacteria has been isolated that is lethal to the larva of Mosquitos but harmless to all other creatures. You could (if you wanted to) take a big old drink of this stuff. Perhaps your breath might smell a bit funny but other than that, you will be fine. For your typical tub or small pond, the product you will be looking for is "Mosquito Dunks". These look like a small disc and are just tossed into the water 1X a month. It will slowly dissolve, releasing the bacteria into the water. For larger ponds and natural bodies of water, the product is then called "Mosquito Bits" Whatever type you choose, it is the kiss of death to Mosquito larva. It works fast too! Overnight I have seen a badly infested tub go larva free. This product is easily found at most garden centers, home improvement stores and online.
FISH... ok, I love fish, I am a big Koi nut BUT (!) not with my Lilies. Why you ask? Well, fish add an element to water gardening that complicates the whole thing. In fact, I consider the whole fish keeping aspect nearly another hobby in its self. I tend to like the idea of Lilies as a "pot" feature on my deck; fish, as a rule, require quite a bit more space to thrive than typically needed to simply grow your Lilies. Yes, the sight of a well tended pond with Koi and lilies is breathtaking- but the two together can be a challenge.
Koi tend to be somewhat destructive to aquatic plants- not always- but often this is the case. There are ways around this but that is another chapter, lol.
At this point in time, I do not keep ANY fish in my retail tubs. The primary reason for this is not what you would think. The actual reason is because people spend a lot of money on Koi and Goldfish for their ponds. I do not want to ever risk introducing any disease into their systems. They only want to purchase a plant from me- not a pathogen.
As a rule, Goldfish (not Koi) are well behaved in a water feature- they mind their own business and are not terribly destructive to water plants. I encourage people to drop a couple Gold Fish into their tubs- they will eat the Mosquito larva and whatever other bug decides to take up residence. When I say a "couple" I mean 1 or 2. Remember, the water temps often get very high in a tub (as opposed to a traditional pond) and oxygen levels drop quickly in high temperatures. Koi, on the other hand, are inquisitive and will root around non-stop, much to the dismay of Lily keepers.
Let me just sum this up for you. If you have never tried growing a Tropical Water Lily, I can almost promise you that you will never be without one every year after the first. They are so easy and the "WOW" factor that all of us gardeners crave is so very simple to achieve.
Aside from that, I am always here to help you with questions. No worries.
All Lilies will be growing (and most blooming or nearly so) in a 1 gallon or larger pot at the time of sale.
In Shreveport, free delivery is available Saturdays at the Farmers Market in downtown Shreveport 7 AM to 12 PM.
You are always welcome to come out to the farm anytime, just call prior to make certain we will be there.
Other deliveries can be arranged depending on minimum purchase ect. I will work with you!
Tropical Water Lilies are easy! Many people simply assume that you must have a full-blown fish pond etc. in order to enjoy these beauties. Nothing could be further from the truth. Simply re-think the concept of water gardening- it is simply that, a garden that happens to be based in water. Rather than a tub full of soil, you will have a tub full of water. This even eliminates the need for daily watering; this type of gardening is about as easy as it gets. You will need to do just a few things to ensure your total success.
First...Sun. You will need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight. If less, your plant will still grow but much more slowly and the flower display will be rather anemic. Have that hot, sunny corner on your deck? There you go...
Second...water (of course). The depth needed is approximately 6 (minimum) inches from the TOP OF THE POT (not the total depth of the tub). You can go much, much deeper if needed. No matter how big your tub is, your Lily will cover the surface. Many tropicals can cover a 12 ft. surface!
Third...fertilizer. There isn't any wiggle-room on this issue. You must (!) do this. Guess what? It is super easy. Fertilizing consists of nothing more than pushing a couple tablets into the pot as far as your finger will go. This is about a once a month event. These aquatic fertilizer tabs are easily had and not expensive. You can get them from me, online, most home improvement stores and. If you fail to fertilize, you will be remarkably unhappy with the performance of your Water Lily. It is amazing how fast they respond every time you insert new tabs into the soil!
What can you expect if you decided to purchase a Tropical Water Lily? A lot! Once the weather has warmed up for the season, providing you have met the requirements listed above, it is pretty much a non-stop flower show. Rarely will there be a day that goes by that you do not have several flowers in full bloom- right up to the first hard freeze. Here in the deep South, that's a lot of flowers! Many people are turned off by the idea that Tropical Water Lilies are not cold hardy and will expire once freezing weather sets in. Is this any different than many (if not most) flowers that you purchase each spring at your local garden center? Everyone knows when they buy that lovely Hibiscus that it will put on a show all Summer until frost knocks it down. Same thing- your Tropical Water Lilly will give you a major bang for your buck. Most people, at the end of fall, simply dump their tub and start over next spring. This gives them the opportunity to grow a different color each year. Now, if you ARE the sort that likes the challenges of keeping tropical plants from year to year, it is most surely possible to do this. At this point, I will not go into the procedure but it is not terribly difficult. In fact, it is very easy. At anytime you are welcome to contact me and I will go over this with you.
One thing you will find remarkable about your Tropical Water Lily is the fact that they make stunning cut flowers! Unlike hardy Water Lilies that simply float on the surface of the water, your Tropical will send its blossoms soaring out of the water. You will not have to get down on your hands and knees to smell their amazing fragrance. Once a blossom is cut, it continues to open and close each day though it were still on the plant. Nothing comes close to Tropical Water Lily cut flowers; with the intense color and powerful fragrance, most other cut flowers simply pale in comparison.
Most Tropical Water Lilies are day blooming- the flower will close up in the evening. For those of you who work in the day, guess what? Some varieties are night blooming! The blossoms start to open about 6 pm and stay open through about 11 am the following day. There isn't the range of colors available in the night blooming class- white, pinks and reds- but the flowers are every bit as remarkable as their day blooming counterparts. Typically, night bloomers are a bit bigger in every way(including the flowers) as compared to day bloomers. A (much) larger tub will probably be in order.
When you purchase a Water Lily from me, it will most likely be growing in a 1 gallon nursery pot. It can remain in this container all season or, if you wish, you can shift it up to a larger pot. Everything you ever learned about repotting plants and what to use can pretty much be tossed out the window! Instead of that nice, fluffy potting soil required for a normal plant, you use the worst, most mucky clay you can find. Here in East Texas and N.W. Louisiana, we are blessed (sigh) with plenty of that. Being that these plants grow naturally in heavy lake bottom soil that does not have any air space, that is what you need to plant them in...thick old, crummy clay! If you try to use potting soil, you will have a mess in your pond/tub. That stuff will just float to the surface. Trust me...nasty old yard dirt. That's what they like and need. As for the actual pot, you can use about anything. Since it is submerged, it is not visible to you- old buckets, an old plastic tub you might normally use for storage..pretty much whatever you have sitting around that will suit the needs of your plants root ball. Drain holes are not needed- the whole thing is under water so the concept of drain holes is, well, pointless. Yes, you can buy fancy pots made for Water Lilies- if you want to waste your money. You may also, particularly if your tub is not super large, just shovel a bunch of dirt right into the tub and plant your Lily directly into it. Your Lily will love 'ya. As I mentioned prior, fertilizing is NOT an option. This is even more important if you are confining you plant to a smaller pot. It takes a lot for your plant to produce all those blooms and leaves. They are HEAVY feeders. Do not starve them- you will be sorry.
One question that comes up a lot- a good question at that- what about Mosquitos? Well, if you chose to do nothing, your plant will not mind one bit. You, however, will probably not like a high production Mosquito farm on your back deck. This an easily solved problem. There are several products on the market that work outstandingly well. They are terrific because they do NOT use an synthetic insecticide. Instead, a strain of bacteria has been isolated that is lethal to the larva of Mosquitos but harmless to all other creatures. You could (if you wanted to) take a big old drink of this stuff. Perhaps your breath might smell a bit funny but other than that, you will be fine. For your typical tub or small pond, the product you will be looking for is "Mosquito Dunks". These look like a small disc and are just tossed into the water 1X a month. It will slowly dissolve, releasing the bacteria into the water. For larger ponds and natural bodies of water, the product is then called "Mosquito Bits" Whatever type you choose, it is the kiss of death to Mosquito larva. It works fast too! Overnight I have seen a badly infested tub go larva free. This product is easily found at most garden centers, home improvement stores and online.
FISH... ok, I love fish, I am a big Koi nut BUT (!) not with my Lilies. Why you ask? Well, fish add an element to water gardening that complicates the whole thing. In fact, I consider the whole fish keeping aspect nearly another hobby in its self. I tend to like the idea of Lilies as a "pot" feature on my deck; fish, as a rule, require quite a bit more space to thrive than typically needed to simply grow your Lilies. Yes, the sight of a well tended pond with Koi and lilies is breathtaking- but the two together can be a challenge.
Koi tend to be somewhat destructive to aquatic plants- not always- but often this is the case. There are ways around this but that is another chapter, lol.
At this point in time, I do not keep ANY fish in my retail tubs. The primary reason for this is not what you would think. The actual reason is because people spend a lot of money on Koi and Goldfish for their ponds. I do not want to ever risk introducing any disease into their systems. They only want to purchase a plant from me- not a pathogen.
As a rule, Goldfish (not Koi) are well behaved in a water feature- they mind their own business and are not terribly destructive to water plants. I encourage people to drop a couple Gold Fish into their tubs- they will eat the Mosquito larva and whatever other bug decides to take up residence. When I say a "couple" I mean 1 or 2. Remember, the water temps often get very high in a tub (as opposed to a traditional pond) and oxygen levels drop quickly in high temperatures. Koi, on the other hand, are inquisitive and will root around non-stop, much to the dismay of Lily keepers.
Let me just sum this up for you. If you have never tried growing a Tropical Water Lily, I can almost promise you that you will never be without one every year after the first. They are so easy and the "WOW" factor that all of us gardeners crave is so very simple to achieve.
Aside from that, I am always here to help you with questions. No worries.
