Chris wrote ...
I have three water lilies, recently purchased and planted in pots of
garden soil in deep buckets of water (yes, I know that's absurd, but
the pond won't be ready for several months at least, and at £1.99 each
in Morrison's, I couldn't resist them. In our local GC they're nearly
eight times that price).

They've started growing, but the old stems and new growth of one of
them is covered in a thick 'cloud' of fungus. Is this harmful, and if
so, what should I do about it?

I suspect these poor plants have been kept in plastic bags for some while
and have started to ferment, always a problem with water plants in plastic
bags. Most water lilies should only just be in growth now so if they have
floating leaves they have been forced or are from a hotter climate abroad.
It's why it's always better to go to a proper water garden or water plant
specialist to by your plants fresh, and you also get better plants, better
varieties and more variety too. (I do not mean those separate bits in Garden
Centres!) The test is, are the varieties named? Or just sold as white, red,
pink and yellow?

You will have a waterlilly for life so why get something cheap and ordinary,
pay a good price and get something special. Look at the selection on
http://www.lilieswatergardens.co.uk/...e.asp?cat=A-2B and they have a
great deal more if you visit, like "Peach Glow" and the best yellow there is
"Joey Tomocick".

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK