On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:24:18 CST, "Reel McKoi"
wrote:

OK, mine are in a 100 gallon kiddy pool with about 8" of soil and maybe 2"
of water over that. I add Jobe's Rose fertalizer sticks and get plenty of
huge leaves year after year.... not never a flower. It's a huge plant now
and not in one of the ponds. Aquatic Sticks? What is their NPK?

The AgSafe Aquatic-Spikes are 12-20-8 instead of the perfect 1-2-1 mix
I prefer for flowering plants, but they are time released and one
spike lasts up to 4 months, which means I only feed once a season.
Directions call for 2 spikes per plant 3" away from the plant crown
and 3" deep. Once the lotus tuber begins to grow it sends roots
around the pot, so I put 4 spikes around the perimeter of the pot and
forget it.

I saw one of the plants a friend put in her pond the other day and it
has it's first bloom due to open in a week or so. The dirt and time
released fertilizer seem to make a big difference.

I'm done until I turn the pots over next February. I think it was a
good season.

No way I can turn over this 100g pool full of wet soil. I'm really afraid
to try and remove the plant because I can't see where the growing tips or
banana shaped growing ends are. Also, how many growing ends or tips would
such a large old plant have? Is there a safe way to do this under the
circumstances?

Never tried it in such a large container, but I would suggest waiting
for the first shoot in the spring and carefully dig up a tuber and try
it in a container that you can dump. I've never tried Jan's method of
allowing a second season of growth without starting over with a new
tuber. I know in the wild they have a second season and more from the
old roots and tubers, but look at the tubers in my pot last year.

http://tinyurl.com/2fxzcb

I don't think I can feed that many tubers in such a small space.

If I had little choice like your situation I think I would try feeding
by the pound or maybe pounds of fertilizer.

Regards,

Hal