Green Maiden Lotus

Signs of spring 2011.  We’re excited about the new lotus we have this year.  We try to add one or two new a year.  The new lotus for Dragonfly Aquatics are great lotus for those smaller ponds and containers.  The Green Maiden and and Snow White.  But sorry no Seven Dwarfs. 

The flowers on the Green Maiden change from the first day from a soft pink to a pale yellow by the third day, similar to the Mrs. Perry D. Slocum only much smaller.  The Green Maiden makes a perfect lotus for tub gardens and small ponds.  It will grow 1′ to 3′ tall with  flowers 2″ – 3″ across and its leaves will grow 18″ to 20″ across.  Hardy zone 4 or higher, less than zone 4 with winter protection. 

Snow White Lotus

Snow White of China orgin is the perfect lotus for bowls and small containers with or without a pond.  Double creamy white blooms of 3 - 5 inches with leaves of 6 – 12 inches and a height of 1 – 2 feet.  It can be planted in a pond or just plant in a container at least 2 gallons or bigger with water 2 inches up to 10 inches deep.  This lotus is considered a true bowl lotus.   It is hardy zones 4 – 11.

In March we begin the task of harvesting the lotus tubers for the season.  All lotus varieties are available for shipping.  Lotus tubers are pulled while they are still dormant. The lotus tubers we sell at Dragonfly Aquatics have at least three or more growing tips, sometimes more depending on the variety. The tubers are kept in the dormant state in cold water until it is time to ship to your zone. Once the lotus tuber is placed in 65 – 70 degree water in the sun, it will begin to grow once again. Most varieties will bloom the first season.

You can read about planting lotus on our blog at http://www.dragonflyaquatics.com/blog/2009/03/pictures-of-planting-lotus/

Check out the lotus on our site.

shoveling snow….ugh.  Just when you think the winter is coming to a close, mother nature says hold on I”m not finished yet with winter.  We just had another 6 inches of snow and some ice.  Its back to feeding the birds and wondering what happened to those robins I seen a couple weeks back.  They thought too the winter was almost over.  Although I will say its awfully pretty out!

At least our friends in the south are starting to enjoy their spring and ordering their pond plants for their ponds.  So I can talk with them with envy while helping to select their pond plants.  Meanwhile all I can do is look out at my pond and think about what to do different this year and anticipate being out there working before long.

Lotus are one of my favorite pond plants so I was thinking about adding another pond to my backyard that would only be lotus.  They are easy to grow and wouldn’t require much up keep.  I thought if I dig (have my husband dig that is) a small area beside one of my flowerbeds I could plant several lotus in it and they would bloom all summer long without any work other than fertilizing them.  I’ll share the pictures with you when they bloom.

So while some are starting to enjoy the nice weather the rest of us can look at the pictures and think about what is coming soon.

Three buds and anxiously awaiting the flowers….I keep thinking tomorrow the largest one will burst open only to find…

a larger bud.  I’m not certain if this is the Perry Slocum or it could possibly be the Red Scarf.  The Perry Slocum is one of my favorite lotus.  I think its because of the changes it goes thru.  It opens a pink and by the third day changes completely to a creamy yellow.   I move things around in the ponds so often I sometimes forget where I put what.  So a surprise is in store….maybe tomorrow…. meanwhile I’m back at canning those tomatoes.  Tomato juice and salsa today.  I also have a batch of green beans to can.

Lotus are available here for a lowest price offered.

He dug holes and put a large no holed container in the hole and planted the lotus in it. It would be a simple thing to do.  You would only need to make sure it had at least a couple of inches of water above the dirt all growing season long.  He said he them pulled the lotus out at the end of the season.  He put the tuber in peat moss and stored it for the winter and each spring would repot it.  He left the containers in the ground. 

I’m going to try a couple this year and when they bloom I’ll take a picture and share it.   I’ll probably constantly be putting water in mine since I have a Golden Retriever that I’m sure will think its her water dish just as she does with the bird baths I have in the garden.

We have a nice selection of Lotus this year.

Lotus cultivars are available in many sizes and colors.  Some are considered miniature, while others can reach heights of over 6 feet tall with leaves reaching over 2 feet in diameter.  Lotus begin to flower usually several weeks later than waterlilies, usually beginning in July and will continue to bloom until the first frost, into September and October depending on your climate.

Lotus are best grown in a rich, clay like soil and prefer an acid or neutral pH.  They are susceptible to disease when they are grown in hard water that has a high pH.  A good range would be 5.5 to 7.5 pH.

They prefer soil and water temperatures between 70 degrees and 86 degrees which kept at these temps will encourage rampant growth.  In the early spring you may want to raise your lotus pot within a few inches below the water surface to be warmed by the spring sunlight. When first planting a lotus tuber you shouldn’t put it in your pond until the water temps are about 65 degrees.  Lotus should be fertilized regularly during the summer months.  At least once a month is recommended.  Take the fertilizer tablets and push them into the soil so the fertilizer reaches the tubers at the bottom of the pot.  Make sure you push back the dirt over the fertilizer tablet so it doesn’t dissolve back into the water, which can  promote algae growth.

Planting a lotus is fairly easy and we found the best method to be successful is floating your lotus tuber.   You would want to fill your pot roughly half full with soil and then add a few inches of water to the pot.  Then float the tuber in the water and keep it in a sunny location keeping it warm , between 75 degrees and 86 degrees.  Change the water every few days to prevent it from fouling and infecting the lotus tuber.  Once the lotus plant has sprouted several leaves, gently place the tuber on the soil, holding it in place with a smooth, flat rock.  As it begins to grow, it develops retractor roots that pull the tuber down into the soil.  After your lotus has grown six or seven leaves you can place the plant in your pond increasing its depth gradually not covering the leaves.

Buy Lotus Here.