Just starting a lillie pond and not sure how to plant

by Angela
(Chiang Rai Thailand)

Do I divide the plants out of the pot and place them in the pond? Should I let the pond water sit before placing the lillies in. How many lillies per pond. Say a 4m by 4m pond.

Doug says that we normally do not divide new roots right out of the pot, they are normally placed in the pot and allowed to grow for the first year. After that, you can divide off any new rhizomes.

Pond water sit? I would if it were municipal water and chlorinated. But see this article on water quality.

How many water lilies? It depends on the size of the lily. A dwarf may only take up 1m square while a good sized tropical may take upwards of 3m square after a season of growth. So the number of lilies depends on the plants you're growing.