Lotus in a bog

[Ronfire]

I am building a bog filter for my small pond with a 70 gallon stock tank. Water pumped into the bottom and outflow with a collection pipe at the top return to the pond via a stream. The filter will be filled with pea gravel and topped with a larger gravel above the water line to reduce mosquito. I was wondering if this setup will grow lotus plants? Does the lotus require soil to grow or will the pea gravel work? Does the lotus have to have leaves float on the water to grow or can it survive with the standing leafs.

 

[mrsclem]

I had lotus in my bog the first year. It did well but the root system gets large. It can take over a bog very quickly. I have mine moved to a 75 gallon preform pond now and by the end of summer, it will have filled the pond. This picture is from several weeks ago. I now have 12 aerial leaves and 10 more coming up.

 

[Jhn]

Agree with Mrsclem, the lotus will take over your entire bog quickly. Will also more than likely die over the winter if the tubers freeze in the bog.

I have my lotus growing loose in the 18” deep portion of the pond. I thinned it out earlier this spring. Had enough to start another pot of it and put some in the stock tanks feeding the ponds. Still got a ton of it in that portion of the pond, but I like the look of it.

Lotus will grow in soil, pea gravel, or pinned under a rock in a shallow portion of the pond, with nothing but water around it.

 

[Ronfire]

I tried some seeds but put the sprouted seeds in the pond to early and the cold water got to is I think. I have ordered some more and will try then again. I can always add a few stock tanks in the system I have to accommodate them.
I was thinking of wintering them in the garage because it does freeze well in the winter. Can I pull up the tubers and place them in a tub of water or should they have soil for the winter?

 

[JamieB]

I was just thinking of trying some of the smaller lotus in the bog I’m building. It’d be pretty! But not that I’m reading more, I think I’m more likely to pot it, stick the pot in the bog level with the gravel, and that way I can submerge it for winter!

 

[addy1]

I tried over wintering some lotus once, never did any good. Mine do fine being left out in the winter, deep enough so the tuber does not freeze.

 

[JamieB]

So definitely potted, and where the pots can be lowered into deeper water. Hmm, I might need some pots with rope handles!

 

[addy1]

So definitely potted, and where the pots can be lowered into deeper water. Hmm, I might need some pots with rope handles!

Mine are in a 300 gallon stock tank, 1/2 full of kitty litter. The tubers run free. There is around 12 inches or so of water over the top of the litter. The tubers are down in the kitty litter somewhere.

 

[qclabrat]

Mine are in a 300 gallon stock tank, 1/2 full of kitty litter. The tubers run free. There is around 12 inches or so of water over the top of the litter. The tubers are down in the kitty litter somewhere.

that's a lot of kitty litter....

 

[addy1]

that's a lot of kitty litter....

Yeah but it is cheap, sort of. I got a lot of it from tractor supply 50or 40lb bags. Can't recall.

I buy a lot, anytime you redo your lilies you need more.

 

[qclabrat]

Yeah but it is cheap, sort of. I got a lot of it from tractor supply 50or 40lb bags. Can't recall.

I buy a lot, anytime you redo your lilies you need more.

do you reuse the litter or dump out and use fresh litter when repotting?
if dump out, any good uses for it instead of the garbage?

 

[addy1]

do you reuse the litter or dump out and use fresh litter when repotting?
if dump out, any good uses for it instead of the garbage?

I usually leave a lot of the litter, you will find areas that are not full of roots. I just add enough to refill the pot. If I dump, I just dump in the garden, the litter is full of good junk from being in the ponds. It just disappears. Now my yard is not a OCD yard. Perfectly groomed. I have plenty of places to dump. Usually it ends up right near the pond along the fence. The dirt there is now a beautiful black!

I do the same with any tubers, roots etc that are being deleted. Just dump along with the litter. All absorbed back into the landscape.