Dividing a potbound waterlily

[caroline7758]

Been having a long-overdue clearout of our very small pond today and decided to lift our waterlily. Two problems- with it came loads of black slimey smelly mud- is that agood or a bad sign for the pond? And, since it is very potbound and the roots are about 18" long, how do I divide/rejuvenate it? I've got it out f the pot & put it in a bucket of water while I wait for replies!

[caroline7758]

[Mrs Ava]

The mud in ours was silty and slimy.  I don't think it is a bad thing - if you think what the bottom of a natural pond is like, they are often very silty and slimy.

When mum redid her  waterlilly, she cleaned the rhizome off then using a sharp knife, cut it into sections making sure there was a piece of growth on each section.  Any long, bare, old, or iffy looking bits she used to slice off and bin.  She would then repot in fresh earth, and in a couple of pots rather than one big one.