dividing water lilies

[Tink]

Whould it be ok to lift and divide my hardy water lilies in the next month or should I really wait till spring,if so which month .They have been stunning this year but need dividing and I wish to give some away to friends.

[Homemade]

I usually do it in the spring, and I think that would be the best time, but if you need to clean the pond now I expect they'll be ok as it is forcast to be pretty mild weather for a while yet.

[Tink]

ok many thanks

[Maggie1]

Hope this is helpful
How to propagate
Before the flowering season in spring or early summer, lift the basket of water lilies out of the water and rest it on some plastic sheeting by the side of the pond. Then, gently pull the plant out of its container from the base of the stem.
Using a large bread knife carefully cut through the roots. It's important to make sure there are small growing tips visible on each cutting. Aim to get as many cuttings as you can from each rootball.

Line the bottom and sides of the new basket or pot with hessian. This will prevent the compost from draining away.
Put a shallow layer of specialist aquatic soil over the hessian and carefully place the new plant into the middle of the pot.
Holding the water lily with one hand, fill the pot with the remaining soil, making sure to leave the emerging green shoots at ground level.
Avoid using garden soil to repot aquatic plants as the nutrients will encourage the growth of green algae.
Fold the remaining hessian over the top of the soil and add some grit to the surface which will prevent the plant from floating away.
Carefully place it into shallow water. The water lilies will grow best in a sunny, open position.