How to Grow Water Lilies at Home? Tips From Homemaker Who Earns Rs 1 Lakh/Month Selling Them
Viji Abi, a passionate gardener from Thrissur, Kerala, grows a variety of water lilies, earning over Rs 1 lakh monthly. Learning from the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society, she created a hybrid variety.
After finishing her household chores, what Viji Abi eagerly anticipates in her daily routine is caring for her home garden and engaging with her gardening friends worldwide.
Upon entering her garden in Thrissur, Kerala, you’ll be welcomed by a vibrant display of blooming flowers. However, the standout feature of the garden is her water lily pots containing exotic-coloured lilies. As one of India’s few water lily hybridisers, Viji’s garden proudly showcases a hybrid variety she cultivated called Nymphaea Sree.
“Gardening started as a leisure activity but transformed into my passion. I was inquisitive about how lily plants are grown and which variety survives. Now, I earn more than Rs 1 lakh a month by selling lilies during a good season,” she says.
Viji shares the secrets behind her healthy and green garden, and how you too can grow water lilies at home.
Journey to her magic garden
Raised with an affinity for plants and greenery, Viji has been fond of gardening for most of her life. “It must have been decades since I have been tending to a garden. It is my favourite thing to do,” she says.
Before becoming a full-time gardener, she was an accountant. “It sounds like two different worlds, but for me, gardening was always a part of who I was. When my first child was born, my husband and I lived on our own. So one of us had to quit our job to raise the children. That’s when I decided to leave my job,” she adds.
But after putting down her papers, Viji’s mind was not at ease. “I had always wanted to create and leave back something of my own in the world. But, I did not have the direction,” she says.
In 2008, with the birth of her newborn, the young mother started to spend a lot of time in her garden. “Tending the baby and the garden gave me solace,” she says.
Viji’s gardening journey started with growing bougainvillaeas, orchids and roses. She adds that she had a lot of flowers in her garden, and she even shared its seeds with other people. “I went on to Facebook and found a lot of people interested in buying different plants. I also found many growing water plants. I decided to try my hand at that too,” she shares.
In 2018, Viji bought her first water plant. “While it bred flowers, I did not know how to protect the plant from dormancy, and I was also unsure how to re-pot them,” she says. So she turned to the internet and joined various social media groups of planters and gardeners.
As a member of the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society, she says, “It felt as though I had discovered my people. Members of Facebook groups from different countries across the oceans have stayed in touch with me ever since. They would offer guidance through video calls, advising me on whether my actions were right or wrong.”
Recalling the early days when she started growing water flowers, she says, “I bought hardy water lilies, which was a mistake. The kind was not able to survive in the weather of Kerala, and all the plants died. But the whole process motivated me to try again as I was now curious and wanted to learn how they grow.”
Viji not only learned the right way of growing lilies, she mastered it. Presently, she grows more than 100 varieties of lilies in her home garden. But that was also not enough for her; she wanted to hybridise her own variety! This, she thought, was a great way to fulfil her dream of contributing something creative to the world.
“With the help of the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society and my fellow water lily planters on Facebook, I was able to hybridise my own variety. It is vibrant orange in colour and has the perfect number of petals. Nymphaea Sree meets the criteria of the experts, and hence the recognition,” she says.
Viji also learnt about the market demand for lilies. “Initially, I did not know that lily plants fetch very good prices in the market. Later I started to sell my lilies through Facebook to people across the world,” she says.
During a successful season, Viji mentions that she can earn up to Rs 1 lakh per month by selling lilies. “I was sitting at home taking care of my children, and I had a source of income — perfect for a homemaker!” she remarks.
How to grow lilies at home?
1. Choose the right variety
“It is crucial to choose the right variety of water lilies based on the local conditions and your specific environment. For instance, in Kerala, tropical varieties are preferred, while in areas like the western side, hardy varieties can also thrive,” shares Viji.
“It’s important to note that water lilies require a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily, which may pose challenges in colder regions,” she adds.
2. Happy Pot, Happy Plant
The choice of pot depends on the purpose of your planting the seeds. “If you want to bloom them for personal purposes, then big pots with a lot of space for flowers to grow would be perfect. The plants do not go dormant easily and bloom for a long time. However, if you are planting for commercial purposes, then smaller pots would be ideal for you as they’re easier to sell,” she advises.
Lilies can bloom in pots as small as 6 inches and as large as 18 inches.
3. They love the sun!
Viji says that lilies love sunlight and they need sunlight. “Make sure they get at least six hours of sunlight every day. This is one of the reasons why many lily plants become dormant. Place your pots in a sunny place and see your lilies bloom,” she says.
4. Natural fertilisers can go a long way
Besides providing the plants with sunlight and good soil, Viji recommends feeding them with natural fertilisers. “Vermicompost can do wonders for your lilies. You can also use cow dung to give more nutrients to the soil. While you might be tempted to use chemical fertilisers, there is no need. These locally sourced, natural ingredients can go a long way,” she says.
5. Find your gardening friends
“This advice is for all the new gardeners,” she says. “Do not hesitate to connect with people and ask for help. The first time I tried my hand at growing water plants, it was a complete disaster. If I had not gone to Facebook groups and asked for help, I would not be here.” If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change. Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution- By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let’s ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike. Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?
She adds, “There is a chance that your first attempt might lead to dead plants or they might go dormant. There might be some losses but asking for help will always come as a relief to you.”
(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All pictures credit: Viji)
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