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.

The plants continue to grow nicely in the greenhouses and while standing in there you almost can forget what’s going on outside.  Call it an escape from reality.  The marsh marigolds are starting to bloom alot and I must say they are really nice plants this year.

The snow storm isn’t over yet so we are all in a holding pattern….waiting on the next blast to come through.  Whether it will be ice or snow remains yet to be determined.  So I will continue to think of all the plants growing and start to update our store to share the plants with you that we will be offering this year. 

Well the holidays are over, the tree is down and all the holiday christmas decorations are put away.  I could probably leave my christmas tree up for months as I always miss it once its put away.  Its hard to imagine the room is exactly like it was a month ago because it looks so bare now. With that behind I start thinking that in just a few months it will be spring again.  My how time flies.  The plants are all beginning to grow nicely in the greenhouses and within a couple months will be ready to plant.  

No sooner said then the snow began…let’s hope February is a quick month and we can all get started on our spring projects and planning our gardens.  Actually January is a good month to start ordering some plants for your gardens, at least I’m getting alot of plant magazines in the mail.  So its getting me in the mood.

Let’s face it….there isn’t much to do with the pond now that summer is ending and things are put to bed.  I pulled all the water hyacinths out last week.  Trimmed up the lilies and took all the tropical waterlilies and put them to bed in the greenhouse for the winter.  I still have to drop the hardy waterlilies but some are still blooming so I’ll wait awhile yet.  My cardinal flower is still standing tall and I must say this has been its best year yet! I had at least 7 flowers on it and the hummingbirds sure were happy!!

The leaves are even beginning to fall with the wind blowing.  I guess we all know what is in store for us for the next couple months.

Another Red Scarf bud is starting to open in my pond.  I find I enjoy the pond plants even more towards the end of the season.  It’s such a pretty lotus bud.

I probably should get out my sweatshirts and sweaters now.  I love fall with its beautiful colors when the leaves begin to turn but don’t look forward to what comes after….snow.  There are a few things we can start doing to our ponds now since the days are numbered.  Here’s a list of some fall and winter pond plant care items for the hardy pond plants.  

HARDY WATER LILIES

With the lower temperatures during the fall season, you will notice a decrease in water lily blooms and the lily pads turning yellow as the water temperatures cool. It is important at this time to remove the dead leaves and spent blooms to avoid having the debris in the pond over winter. As winter approaches and water temperatures drop, the water lily will go dormant. Remove all dead lily pads and lower the potted lily to the deepest part of the pond or to a water depth of about two feet.

SUBMERGED PLANTS

As long as the submerged plants are below the ice, they will usually survive the winter. Any part of the plant that is allowed to freeze will turn to mush and add unwanted debris to the pond. It is wise to cut these plants back and sink below the surface.

HARDY BOG/MARGINAL PLANTS

Once your hardy marginal plants begin to brown, usually after the first hard frost, prune back excess foliage and discard any decaying material, so it does not compromise the water quality over the winter months.  Potted bog plants such as Pickeral and Thalia Dealbata should be placed at a sufficient depth to avoid freezing the crown of the plant. Plants such as Japanese Variegated Iris and Cardinal Flower should be removed from the pond and planted in the yard for the winter. When new growth begins in the Spring, they can be placed back in the pond for the summer. Most of the other hardy bog plants can be left as they are and will return the following spring.

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.

The first we’ve added are our new Lotus for 2010.  The Penelope and Double Rose.  The Penelope is a pure white lotus and the Double Rose is a pink full lotus.  Both are a great addition to our store.  You can find more information on them on our site. http://www.dragonflyaquatics.com/lotus.html

The newest bog plant we’ve added this year is the Rain Lily or Zephyranthes candida.  They have six-petaled flowers that are 1-3 inches across with grassy foliage and grow 3 – 10 inches tall.  They grow in full sun to part shade in moist soil or water to 3 inches deep.  They are a tender perennial bulbs and hardy in Zone 8 and up.  They have however, survived in Zones 5 or 6.  You can winter these over by taking them indoors.  Just don’t water them until you return them to the pond in the spring.  They go dormant in the dry season and grow and flower in the wet season.

You can purchase Rain Lilies here on sale through end of March, 2010.

With the lower temperatures during the fall season, you will notice a decrease in water lily blooms and the lily pads turning yellow as the water temperatures cool. It is important at this time to remove the dead leaves and spent blooms to avoid having the debris in the pond over winter. As winter approaches and water temperatures drop, the water lily will go dormant. Remove all dead lily pads and lower the potted lily to the deepest part of the pond or to a water depth of about two feet.

Hardy Water Lilies,Pink Grapefruit at Dragonfly Aquatics.