Has anyone started up their lotus yet?

[mrsclem]

Fertilizer will burn new growth. Never fertilize in till you get a couplw5 of aerial leaves.

 

[mrsclem]

I just got 3 new lotus from Bergen. Went to dump the pots that had dried out and froze solid and guess what- All are still alive and sending up leaves. Had to send hubby out for more kitty litter to fill the 20 gallon and a smaller pot. Very happy with the tubers I got.

 

[greatbarrierreef]

Fertilizer will burn new growth. Never fertilize in till you get a couplw5 of aerial leaves.

Yea I only start using fertilizer tabs once the aerial leaves come in. Do you think it could've been the cold overnight temperatures instead?

 

[mrsclem]

Not unless you had a really hard freeze. We've had 30° several nights and still have active grow points. If you have manure mixed in with the soil they are potted in, that's most likely the cause.

 

[greatbarrierreef]

Not unless you had a really hard freeze. We've had 30° several nights and still have active grow points. If you have manure mixed in with the soil they are potted in, that's most likely the cause.

We've also had several nights near freezing. So would you suggest I get rid of the current soil and repot it with a fresh soil/clay mixture, or keep it as is and hope it adjusts?

 

[mrsclem]

If it does have the manure in it, I would carefully repot. Not sure what planting medium you use, I use the plain clay cat litter. Just be careful of the grow tips.

 

[greatbarrierreef]

If it does have the manure in it, I would carefully repot. Not sure what planting medium you use, I use the plain clay cat litter. Just be careful of the grow tips.

Okay I'll give it about 2-3 more days and see how it's doing, then repot. I just don't want my lotus to be behind and not produce any buds. This year I used a 50/50 mixture of garden soil from my backyard and fragrance-free natural clay litter, plus a handful of manure

 

[mrsclem]

Is that the same mix you always use or is this the 1st time repoting lotus?

 

[greatbarrierreef]

Is that the same mix you always use or is this the 1st time repoting lotus?

The soil/clay ratio was about the same, but last year I used a type of heavy, mushy soil from an area of wetlands beside my uncle's property instead of the garden soil. However, I've used garden soil before too without any problems. Also, last time I believe I used compost manure instead of chicken manure

 

[mrsclem]

Chicken manure is very strong. I suggest using a plain clay based soil or the cat litter with no manure to start lotus cuttings or seeds. Did 60+ seeds last year and had 90% grow nice leaves and over 20 flower. I use Pond Tabbs to fertilize once I get 3-4 nice tall leaves.

 

[greatbarrierreef]

So I repotted my lotus today with a fresh mixture of soil + clay, without any manure this time, and this is the current condition of the tuber. There’s rotting on the underside, especially in one section. I kept a few extra tubers in case anything went wrong and was wondering, should I scrap this tuber and replace it with another or do you think this one can make it?

 

[mrsclem]

It looks like some parts of it might still make it. Do you have another pot for the other cuttings?

 

[greatbarrierreef]

It looks like some parts of it might still make it. Do you have another pot for the other cuttings

The only other pot I have available right now is a 10-inch diameter ceramic pot and although the kind of lotus I have is a dwarf lotus, I'm not sure if that might still be too small

 

[mrsclem]

These are the new tubers I just got

 

[mrsclem]

I have potted seedlings in 2 1/2 gallon and 5 gallonbuckets as a temporary pot