Calling all lotus growers

Here is my Mrs. PD Slocum lotus, which I received as a replacement for one I'd purchased that quickly succumbed to some unknown problem. Just curious if you think it's looking okay, or might need a bigger home, more sun ... This is my first (take-two) attempt at growing lotus, so any tips, suggestions, recommendations, etc. are appreciated! It sits on the edge of a bed that surrounds my other ponds, and faces the sun exposure. It probably gets 5 hours of direct sun throughout the day, after which it's somewhat dappled by it's neighboring elephant ears and a manihot grahhami. But the brown edging of some of the leaves is concerning to me. Maybe that's normal though ... I don't know. Thoughts?

This message was edited Jun 24, 2009 6:48 AM

I have one of those also and from what mine is doing, it's a pretty big plant as well as large blooms and pads. I think you need a bigger pot for it to grow as big as it could. But I've heard plants grow only to their container size. The inside pot seems ok but the outside pot looks like it could be bigger around and you would get a larger plant and more blooms. But I'm not an authority, this is my first year at growing them. I have 4 large plants and 3 small ones with 3 more seeds trying to sprout. But I have 2 good-sized in-ground ponds and 2 pre-molded ponds. Lots of water lilies and lotus. The pads will turn brown at times, they just do that. Doesn't mean anything is wrong, they look good to me. Let us see when it blooms. I'm hoping mine will bloom this year.

That is one of the lotus' I originally ordered and recvd from the co-op with TWL and I picked it because it does need a lot of space and grows big. I dug out a huge "bog" space and planned to have this fill it in until my puppy ate and chewed on the tuber a number of times. Eventually after about 6 savage attacks the lotus gave up and the puppy won (darn it). TWL sent me a replacement after hearing my funny story when I called and asked them to ship the rest of my co-op order. They sent me one that is a lot smaller. The leaves are half the size of my original one.

AWWWWWWWWWW, Mothermore, what kind of puppy do you have? I can't remember if you posted a picture of him/her? I have several lotus in pots in the pond, AND A FEW THAT GOT AWAY!

A nearly dead puppy . . . I went outside in the heat to water plants again so they don't droop (I was drooping though) and left Pup-Pup the Evil dog in the house because his eyes seems to be light sensitive and tear up a lot. Well, Little Mister Evil chewed up all the laces on my gym shoes (thankfully not the shoes-they were very expensive and are only a few months old). The little poop-head. He hates when I don't allow him access to where I am.

OH< HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, I know not funny for poophead to do all that chewing, LOL Poopy pup just wants to be with MA :) I can just see poop now, thinking in his little head, I have gotten even with her now, just wait until she sees the laces, ALL CHEWD TO SMITHEREENS!

I moved the lotus back into the smaller of my two ponds, which also has two goldfish, and I'm convinced the gold fish are eating the leaves, which may have resulted in the first lotus' demise. So I'm back to the drawing board on planning to use a larger container to move her to, with no fish. Attached is a picture of how she looks today, which shows the nipped leaves on the water's surface. Will attach a second one closer up as well.

As a result, I've started this thread (http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1019335/) to see about suggestions for lining a larger pot I have to place her in. If you have any ideas to the contrary that it's the fish (or a visiting frog) causing the damage, or for lining the other pot for her new home, please chime in! I don't want to lose this, and want to experience all the joy I read/see about from other lotus growers. Thanks much, in advance, for any help/suggestions!

Up close picture of the leaves. I think they look like they've been a meal for the two gold fish in the pond, who ARE routinely fed with appropriate fish food.