I bought a growing lotus, now what?

12 years ago

Yesterday I bought a Momo Botan lotus from a garden center. It has already sent up its first few coin leaves, and is planted in a small 8" container under just a few inches of water. I vaguely remember a gardening friend telling me that once a lotus is growing, it should not be re-potted. Now I'm nervous about how I should proceed. I was so excited yesterday that I forgot to ask these detailed questions to the nursery staff! I am planning on growing it in a container roughly the size of a half barrel, which can be moved into a garage over the winter. Is it now too late to re-pot it? If I put the current container into the barrel, will it harm the lotus if I submerge the coin leaves? How should I proceed? Thank you for any and all advice!

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Comments (2)

nmpondguy
12 years ago
I'm no expert, but I have a little experience with lotus. Don't repot now that it is growing. Also don't submerge the coin leaves. One time I sumerged a lotus that had about 4 coin leaves about a foot below the surface and went on vacation. When I got back a week later, it had apparently drowned. All I know is that the original leaves never made it to the surface again and it never sent up any more.

This post was edited by nmpondguy on Sun, May 11, 14 at 15:02
speckledhound
Original Author
12 years ago
nmpondguy, thank you for your response. It is sound and wise advice. HOWEVER....I am not known to follow sound and wise advice. ;)

Tonight, I did re-pot my lotus, following Joyce's recommendations for potting dormant tubers, using EXTREME caution with the coin leaves and root. I actually cut the old plastic pot off of it with scissors so I had to to minimal lifting and disturbing. I didn't feel anything snap, all leaves are intact and floating...we shall see how it goes. I decided that the current pot was impossibly small for any kind of success. Hopefully I'll have a good picture to share in July!
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