Is your lotus a dwarf? What size pot do you have it in? When you say clay loam...what is that? They like pretty bad/firm soil. Also, what kind of fertilizer are you using and how much of it, and how often? How much sun is it getting?

yes it is a dwarf, the container size is about ten gallons. The soil was mostly pure clay and I mixed in some garden dirt, but not very much. The fertilizer is tablets that say they are for pond plants and suggest pushing them into the soil. It is in full sun, I would say about 10 hours a day. I am afraid I put too many tablets in I put 2 when I planted it in May, and another one last week.

But how big is the pail that it's in? It's in a small pail within that 10 gallons, right? Also, you're not supposed to fertilize lotus until they have at least 2 aerial leaves. Did you fertilize before that? Also, do you put the fertilizer tabs out to the side of the pail?

The pail is about 2 gallon, but I fertilized way to early I guess, I put the tabs in when I planted them, and not to the outside of the pail.

Live and learn, it is still putting out leaves so hopefully it will live long enough to get better.

Thanks catherinet,

I was also wondering what those beads are on the water surface?

those are hydroponic clay beads that I use to keep the water from getting algae. The do not in any way interfere with the emerging leaves as they are very light and float easily. I also use them as a surface mulch on my indoor plants.

In trying to think of every possible cause of your leaf color problem, I'm just wondering if your lotus would be happier with nothing on the water surface? (except it's own leaves). good luck with it. Hopefully, it will improve soon.

ubro,

Take those clay things off the top of the water. It is preventing the sun from penetrating into the water, which is what lotus LOVE. You are in zone 2A?

WOW. You are cold then. Put the lotus in a heated area for the winter. Just keep the dirt moist. Lotus LOVE rich garden soil, not clay, so next year if they live, VERY CAREFULLY and I mean carefully, lotus roots are like glass, remove the lotus and repot it in a bigger container with rich garden soil, they sell it at most home centers or nurseries. NOT potting soil, it will say garden soil on the bag.

Then wait til it grows areial leaves, the leaves that grow up out of the soil, and then add your fertilizer tablets around the sides of the container.

Good Luck to you.