Water Gardening: Texas waterlilies etc arrived, 1 by TomSG

TomSG wrote:
Lotus tubers like sandy clay soil. Top soil or sandy loam,stay away from dark black soil which makes the tuber rot. The sandier the better I have found. There are large varieties,medium and small or dwarf plants. The dwarf type are sometimes called pot lotus. Any type will grow in containers. The container size depends on the type of tuber or plant you have. I have found that any size will grow in a whisky barrel size planter. I have planted large varieties in a shallow flat wide plastic pot. 6 to 8 inches of soil is amble to grow a Lotus tuber in. I fill the pot with soil then create a trench type indention to place the tuber in making sure the growing tips are pointing up and the body of the tuber is completely covered except the tips.Placing pea gravel over the soil will help keep the tuber anchored down or similar material. After this place this pot in your water container be it a pond or whisky barrel type planter.Gently let the water cover the growing pot. Saturating your growing pot first will also help get the air out before flooding is done. Cover with up to 8 inches of water but less can be used. Lotus are a bog plant and grow well on the edge of ponds. Your first leaves will float then later others will shoot up and stand erect,patience is needed when growing Lotus.They need water tempertures above 70 f to really start growing good. I also always place a pond tab 3 to 4 inches under the newly planted tuber which can be done when placing the first soil in the growing pot. I do not fertilize again untill I have standing leaves. Fertilizing sooner can burn the leaves which are floating. Also never use a liquid insectizide on your leaves as this will also burn your leaves which have a natural oil coating on them which repels water. Lotus need frequent fertilizer after good standing growth has started. I do this at least every 2 weeks to the side and under the tuber. One to 2 tabs will do. Good luck and email if you have any questions. Full sun is the best and growing in a container type pot you can move your plant around to the sun if needed. Expect blooms mid summer. TomSG