I got about a 12 inch lotus tuber a few weeks ago, got it all potted up and put in the pond. It's been in the pond for about 2 weeks now. There are still no signs of growth. How long should I expect it to take before I see growth?
Jenny
Lotushow long till it grows?
Did it have any growth started when you received it Jenny?
jenny, hopefully you'll see a sprout soon. the day after i planted mine, i left the county and a month later, there was a leaf open and a few just starting to grow. so, i guess 3 weeks you should see something. faster now that we have warmer days.
i am no expert though.
Hi Lilypon, no the tuber didn't have any growth at all. Jenny
Thanks for your response Moonglow. I guess I'll just be more patient, and give it a couple more weeks before I panic. :o) Jenny
They must have kept it at cooler temps since it was definitely dormant when you received it. I've received two from down East, different years but early in May, and new growth has just barely started by then (it's a bit touchy to mail them with much growth since any damage to the growing tip will kill the plant). Since yours was received still dormant it will take a little longer for it to start growing.
Unless it was divided from an active growth plant, in which case you may see nothing until next spring. The growers I am familiar with refuse to even touch their lotus plants that are in their growing ponds after early May. They typically suggest that you not even re-pot them until fall or early, EARLY spring.
The lotus can be a finicky, but WONDERFUL plant. Do you know which one do you have?
That's what I was thinking too........since they wouldn't ship mine after the middle of May. If it has too much growth the growing tip can be damaged and that will be death to the plant.
So how do you think they managed to send one without any growth Bogweed?
Jenny here's a link re growing a Lotus: http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/en/info_verte/feuillet_lotus/feuillet_lotus.htm
The variety I have is Mrs. Perry Slocum. The lady I got it from said it should grow quickly, and probably still bloom this season for me. That's why I'm concerned. I followed her directions very carefully...and I even called a local garden center to compare planting instructions. I soaked it for a few hours until I could get it planted. I planted it in a 8 gal size container. 3 inches of soil, then the tuber, 6 more inches of soil....then a layer of gravel. Lowered it into the pond at a depth of about 12 inches. Jenny
did you leave the growing tips out of the dirt - gravel? you need to do that or it will just rot and die
Jenny, when you planted your tuber...the tuber is left exposed...at least the growing tip..you must not cover the growing tip with soil or gravel.
I dont want to poo-poo her advice but in Indiana in July with a tuber...I will be VERY amazed if anyone could get a bloom this year. Here in S.C. tubers started in March are not EXPECTED to bloom this first year..though ones like Mrs. Perry often do.
Things dont sound good for your tuber but dont give up yet....:)
Oh no. I can't belive the nursery agreed with these instructions. What do you suggest I do now? Remove the lotus and repot with the growth tips exposed? Or just leave it alone? Jenny
I would never put gravel in with a lotus. Can you very carefully remove the gravel? And then very gently remove some of the of the dirt around the tip? I moved my hand gently along the tuber in the muck......can't remember why now but you have to be very, very careful around the tip (even if it hasn't started growing).
This message was edited Jul 14, 2005 1:58 PM
I'm not sure there is a careful way to do this. It's 6 inches under soil. If I manage to remove the gravel and soil on top, then there is only 3 inches of soil under the tuber. Is that even enough for it to grow in? I just can't belive this. :o( My husband isn't going to be happy at all. That container was very very heavy to put into the pond. Jenny
If no growth at all has started (or very, very little) you could very carefully angle it upwards so the tip is clear (use water streaming gently to wash the soil away first). Replace the soil after you have it angled.
I have a lot of large containers filled to the top with clay that my water lilies are growing in......I hurt my ankle and wasn't able to sink them. DH had a workout dropping 9 into 4 feet of water. Talk very, very sweetly! ;)
This message was edited Jul 14, 2005 2:40 PM
Looks like you have had your tuber about a month.
I have read that lotus do not like to have their roots disturbed during the growing season..
If it were me...I would very carefully brush back soil and see if I could expose the tuber...if you have no roots started..then you can just lift the tuber and put it on top of the soil...as I understand it..each tuber has a "growing point" or a spot that will be "the growing point"..if you break this off..another one will not form and the tuber will die.
Lets hope that your point had just not formed yet.
Best thing is if you can carefully rack back the soil from the tuber and expose the ends and leave it alone for the rest of the summer. If any roots have started..I would not replant it..but I only have 3 so dont take my word for gospel !! :)
I have Mrs. Perry D. if I divide her next spring I will try to help you if yours "Kicks the pot :)"
Thanks for all the advice everyone. I decided before I do anything I would contact the seller I got this from on Ebay. I told them that there was no growth, etc. That I planted exactly per their instructions.....which I kept, and can scan and email back to them for proof. I told them that I consulted a water gardening forum, and the things you all have said. I heard back from the seller a little while ago. He said this was a consignment sale, so he would have to contact the owner. However, he also said that he got one of these lotus and planted just like the instructions stated, and his is growing fine and has leaves. I have asked how long is took to start growing, and also what his policy is if this tuber is already dead. I'm waiting to hear back from him. I am hoping he will just refund my money, and I can go on. In the meantime, I may try to pull the lotus out of the pond and see if I can gently remove some of the soil. I'll keep you posted. Jenny
Ok, I got the lotus out of the pond. Carefully removed the gravel, and soil on top of the tuber. It doesn't have any roots or growth, so I carefully removed the tuber from the container and rinsed it off. It is still firm like it was when I got it. It doesn't appear to be damaged or rotted. Is there still a chance for it? Here is a pic. Where is the growth point that needs to be exposed? If you guys think there is a chance for this, I'll repot and put it in my little whiskey barrel pond rather than my big koi pond. I'll be able to keep a better eye on it to check for growth, etc. If it does start to grow, then we'll talk about moving it to the big pond, etc. I sure hope there is a chance for this tuber afterall. Jenny
It is a nice sized tuber and good that it is still firm..I cant tell if it may have had a growing point at some time or not...I wouldnt throw it out. You dont even HAVE to put it in a pond. Mine Chawan Basu spent last summer in a rectangular rubbermaid container.
I would replant it and carefully anchor the tuber on top of the soil (using a small rock over whatever) then put only about 2-4 inches of water over the tuber..put it someplace you will notice it and not let it go dry..And see what happens in the next few weeks..if I didnt see any new growth after 3 weeks or so..I would probably just put it back in the bottom of one of the ponds and consider it not viable.
Thank you so much. :O) I'm glad at least you didn't say it looks dead. LOL Should I lay it in the container just like it is in the photo? Jenny
All you can do is try....it might be like Bogweedbuck said and may not show any growth until next year. If it is still firm you have a chance. I would also plant it like Charlotteda describe, on top of the soil, and keep about 2-3 inches of water over it until you see leaves at the surface. I've received 2 slightly different sets of instructions with mine. The Lotus I received 2 years ago had instructions that said slightly push the Lotus into the soil and have it slightly angled so that the growth tip was sitting on top of the soil. I believe I also put a rock on the middle of the back end segment of the tuber to keep it from floating to the surface. Once the first leaf appeared I removed the rock. The one I'm growing this year had instructions that said bury the back end and angle it so that the growing tip was exposed and the top two inches were above the soil. Both grew about the same.
Sorry Charlotteda when I started typing there wasn't a reply. ;)
no problem...lilypon...I dont want to be responsible for screwing up her lotus :) LOL... Jenny....maybe you are looking at it too much...just kidding.
well I've got it repotted and in the little whiskey barrel. so time will tell. Jenny
If you bought it on Ebay you might want to ask for a replacement before too much time has passed. If I bought a lotus tuber at least 3 growing tips at a bare minimum up to 5 is what I would expect to recieve. You should be able to see enough growth in a month especially in the middle of the summer to tell it is alive. I did have a tuber of Mrs PDS that only had two tips this year. It took a while to get going but after I moved it where it had full sun all day it took off. Too much shade will keep a lotus tuber from growing. Sometime a tuber will turn dark, as well as the growing tips and still look firm but will not be viable. The tip may be broken underneath the sheath that protects it. If the growing tips break off the tuber is no good. Dividing lotus this time of year is risky, experts recommend that you do it only in the spring before any growth starts or the fall, with the fall being the least preferred time. Was the seller from a very cold climate with a short summer? We usually divide lotus here my Memphis (z7) about mid-April and by June they are actively growing, my best friend had blooms by then.
BTW Mrs Perry D Slocum is a large, vigorous lotus that forms huge tubers. It requires a large (at least 15"bigger is better) round pot and the first year I got mine it did not bloom because the pot was too small.
Hope this helps.
This message was edited Jul 15, 2005 8:07 PM
asking for a replacement is a good idea. The seller sold me this one consignment, so I really don't know where it came from. I didn't know it was a consignment sale when I bought it. The location on the ebay listing said TN, so I'm going to assume that's where it came from. Thanks for the info on the pot size. :o) Jenny
I just reread some of your other posts. Just because his grew does not mean you got a viable tuber, it just means he did. lol If you get a refund LMK and you can have a tuber from me. My Mrs PDS is growing out of the pot and across the pond. That particular lotus is so robust that a tuber with 5-6 tips will grow big enough that you can get 8-10 plants out of it the next spring.
Loretta
Thanks Loretta. I did email the seller late last night asking for either a replacement tuber or a refund. No response yet. How much do you want for a tuber from you? And I'm assuming we are talking for next spring? Jenny
You can have a lotus. All of mine were generously given to me and I like to pass it on. Kind of like that movie, "Pay It Forward." lol My garden truly runneth over and as I said Mrs PDS is very prolific.
Loretta
Loretta, that is so generous of you. Thank you! :o) Jenny