lotus

I am in N. Ca zone 9 Concord to be exact, does anyone grow lotus in pots is this area? I can't seem to find any for sale in this part of the country. I could order them but would like to find some locally if possible. Any suggestions?
Thanks Linda

I'm assuming you mean lotus the water plant, not the genus Lotus? I think they can be grown here. Have you tried a nursery that specializes in water gardening? I don't know the names, but I'm pretty sure there are at least a couple in the area.

I'm getting a nelumbo nucifera in trade and am going to give it a whirl - I'll keep you posted!

How exciting. Can't wait to hear. Are you growing it, in a pot or pond? I want to try growing a lotus in a big pot. They are so cool. Big leaves. Pictures please.
Thanks Linda

It's all going on in pots ;-) And I now know, from past experience, that I'll need to do some kind of wire covering - an attempt at raccoon-proofing. The do so love to slosh around in any carefully arranged pot, and really enjoy yanking out water lilies right before they're due to bloom :-P Actually, it's the raccoons that have kept me from implementing one of my more hare-brained schemes - I'd gotten a (rather large!) kiddie pool via Freecycle, with visions of all sorts of lilies and lotus and lots of space. It's a blow-up pool, though, and further visions of one well-placed raccoon bite in the night, and waking up to a soggy mess of stranded aquatic plants, have sobered me right up. It's early in the summer, though, and I still have the pool, so we'll see . . .

Yes, really do love the raccoons, and love having them around, but they made me give up on my fish in my whiskey barrels. Glad that I tried them that way beforebuilding a pond. And, of course, I 'd never seen one, not one, raccoon on our property until they found my fish!

Oh yes! It's the universal raccoon call -- "SUSHI!!" We had our fishie heartbreak early on, too. The only fish that seem to be faster than the raccoons are the little mosquito fish we get from our wonderful county folks.

I had one of those plastic pond kits that Sams sold a few years ago. Well the raccoons ofcourse loved it and ate every fish I put in it. We tried a few things, first a motion sensor light, then a motion sensor sprinkler. This just made it easy for the raccoons to find the pond and gave them a shower which they seemed to enjoy. The next thing we tried was an electric fence around the pond. This actually worked, the problem was it also worked on me. I can't tell you how many times I forgot to unplug the fence and shocked myself.
So, after some research I built a pond about 4 feet deep. Now the raccoons still come around once in a while but can't get the fish. They will not go in the deep water to get the fish. They rarely come around now. They must have found someone with a shallow pond. lol.
Linda

jltbaw
Thanks for the info...I was just thinking that maybe I'd reconsider and look to see if I could still squeeze a pond in somewhere and then remembered...everyone else I'd talked to with a pond has problems with the herons...I'll have to see what their depth limit is.
Sherry

Get a deep pot. You want a lotus? I have one that is in a pot and suffering but you can have it. It wilted in this bad heat but it will come back. Only if you pick up. Lotus need 9" of water only and you will have to baby it as you should only transplant them when they are dormant.

I got some lotus seeds and a lotus pot from e-bay. I rooted the seeds in water and then planted them in the pot with top soil and water. I think they are still alive but they don't look to good. I have them in part sun. Guess I'll just wait and see what happens. Any advice?
Linda

No, I bought mine in a pot already. Why don't you ask over in the water gardening forum. They probably can help you.