Lotus Maintenance

[Noahsnana]

I was reading about lotus because I lost a few this year and began searching. One thing the stuck out like a sore thumb is the I may have had too much water over the tubers. Perry Slocum only alows 3 ins in his pots when planting for water. Lotus is a bog plant and not a deep water plant. It needs 75-85 degree temps for growth and to produce blooms.

I dumped some of the water out of my pots leaving only 3-6in of water and noticed a quick difference in the response of the lotus. They began throwing up more shoots, I am seeing some buds... they just look happier. * Lotus Smiling*

The ones I lost may have died from not getting enough heat sunlight. I had also placed some duckweed and azolla (sp) in the tops of some thinking it would help with algae, but I think it just helped keep the water cooler. Learning as I go.


"Maintenance
During the growing season
Once a lotus bloom drops it's petals, dead heading (removing the spent flowers and stems) of most varieties of lotus will prompt it to re-bloom.

Fertilize monthly, but don't over fertilize.
Remove aging leaves, being careful to cut the stem above the water line.
Ensure a constantly moist growing condition, but never more than 6 inches of water over the soil where the lotus is planted."

[saltiery]

If you deadhead the stems the seeds won't mature...I guess ya just leave the last bloom or two for next year?

[Noahsnana]

you can deadhead flowers or leaves as long as the stem is over water level... when they shrivel and get mushy you can remove by a gentle tug. The pods can be left on but if cut will encourage new blooms.

You lotus will bloom next year from the tubers. There was a tutorial here on dividing lotus.

Seeds can be finicky. He suggests shallow water for seeds also

[LynnT]

I do eveything wrong and mine are still alive. Go figure. I do keep the water lever low but I put lots of other things in the pot with them to look pretty on the patio. The one in the pond is just in the pond about 5 or 6" under the surface on a stand. I pick off all the dead and yellow pads even though some people say NO! I just pinch them off above the water level. I think the biggest thing I learned with having lotus is what heavy feeders they are. I do keep them fertilized.

[PHPong]

I have over 50 tubs of lotus and about 32 or more are in rope tubs and half barrels and full of water to the top. I have no problems with the deeper water here.

[Noahsnana]

I have over 50 tubs of lotus and about 32 or more are in rope tubs and half barrels and full of water to the top. I have no problems with the deeper water here.

I remember Lawanna saying that to add more water as they grow. I think some of my problem with some I lost was they didn't get enough heat.

What are your Spring temps like? and are any new starts? I am sure you know more than I, just looking to grow the best way I can.

[PHPong]

Right now it is 101*. But mostly in 80's and 90's in the summers. It gets hot and I have mine next to each other. They help shade each other and deeper water keeps them cooler in the heat.

[Noahsnana]

Are some varieties just finicky?

I lost Peaches w/Raindrops I divided and both Green Maiden (2) I purchased this year. All turned black w/ no development.

I only have 10 pots growing

[PHPong]

My fried sent me 12 new lotus here this yr and I have lost maybe 3 or 4. It happens. This was bowl lotus. they were samll starts. Now my others grow like weeds.

[hdavid]

I have just built a garden with two ponds and waterfalls in Connecticut. I would welcome any advice about Lotus selection and placement, koi selection and sources as well as ideas as to oxygenation plants for good water balance.

Location is sunny. Ponds total 6000 gallons.

Would appreciate information about good local koi sources and to hear from pond lovers in CT.

[PondmaninFL]

Putting submerged plants in a koi pond is just giving them a salad. Lotus, in my opinion, should be placed toward the back of the pond as a background plant. The variety depends on what grows best in your climate.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[Pondman]

I have various Lotus plants growing from seeds now. They definitely prefer shallower water. However, I got hold of a few tubers a few months ago and I planted one about 1.4m deep. That plant grew the most vigerous and produced the most and biggest flowers. Once I measured the growth of a bud-stem - 27cm in 24 hours!

[Bubbatex0]

[richdeer3]

Here is a great link on potting lotus and water lilies. http://ciwga.org/photos/divisions/homepage.htm

You might also want to check out the water gardeners international link as well.
http://www.watergardenersinternational.org/
Enjoy the flowers and fish, Gail

[drrich2]

I'm probably the upteenth person to note this, but that first link Richdeer3 gave shows a slide-show like sequence of pics where they refer to the plant being divided as 'water hyacinth.' That looks a lot like the pond lily (not water lily; there's a difference) rhizome/tuber/whatever it's called I've seen before, so I'm thinking it's probably a water lily tube (that's gotten very large & long), but it is definitely not water hyacinth.

Richard.

[beckesj]

I have just built a garden with two ponds and waterfalls in Connecticut. I would welcome any advice about Lotus selection and placement, koi selection and sources as well as ideas as to oxygenation plants for good water balance.

Location is sunny. Ponds total 6000 gallons.

Would appreciate information about good local koi sources and to hear from pond lovers in CT.

If you haven't already heard koi and water garden plants don't go well together. Last year we had a pond full of goldfish and 50+ flowering water lilies, flowering water hyacinth, lotus, all beautiful. This spring decided to replace goldfish with gorgeous koi. Now we have gorgeous koi and NO flowering plants, they tore apart everything we put in there. I purchased 100 floating hyacinth over the entire summer and not one survived, I had to pull the lotus out of the pond and put it in a big round patio tub with a few others. Put water lilies back in pond in deep pots, tubers surrounded by fist size rocks so the koi couldn't move them and as soon as a stem grew they ate it off. I wish you tons of good luck with koi and nice water garden plants, I know I'll keep trying new things until I win.

[koifish1950]

I have 2 in my pond the had 5 blooms on each so far this year, i put 3 lagua spike in each on , that all i do.