I sent for a water lotus rhizome, followed instructions precisely, and finally was able to put the lotus in the pond. The water garden nursery where I bought the rhizome sais to lay it on top of dirt and NOT bury it. The roots needed to develop and go down into the dirt before putting it outside and the water temp had to be the same as the pond temp where it would be put. All went well. The lotus rhizome is almost covered by the dirt, due to the root system's developing well. The problem is that whenever new leaves come up above the surface of the water something causes the leaves to vanish from the stems. No trace of them. This has happened with every leaf. The plant is in the middle of the small pond, too far for a rabbit or animal to reach the leaves. The stems are still there, above water, and no leaves. The leaves were still very small since the plant is a new baby, but the larger leaves never developed and neither did the buds. Only the little leaves that disappeared. What's wrong? It was fed according to directions and is in still water with no splashing water getting to it. No koi in the pond....just small feeder goldfish. Thanks for your help.
Water lotus from rhizomes
hhmmm..... How is it planted? Lotus like a lot of dirt and only 3 inches or so of water over the top of the dirt. The first pads that come are very small and they are not standing. As the weather warms it will start to sent up large standing pads. I'm in 5a too and it was cold for so long the lotus didn't do much. Now that the weather is warm you should be seeing a vast improvement, rapidly.
I wonder if you have some other type of predator, a turtle perhaps? I honestly don't know what else would do that, besides my dog. He ate both of my lotus last week :(.
Thanks branka. The lotus is in a whole planter of dirt under 2" of water. I have called the 800 number of the water garden company where I bought it and followed the instructions to a t. I have another water lotus so I know that the first leaves are short and spindly. The only leaves this new plant is sending up are short and spindly. No larger upright leaves at all. The other lotus is doing fine. No turtles. Nothing but small feeder fish. No frogs or tadpoles either.