The Narcoleptic Lotus
 

If the lotus wasn't a living thing I would think it was created by
Microsoft. I have come to learn that the plant has a habit of growing
like mad for weeks at a time then stopping completely for months at a
time.

In March I bought a Maggie Belle Slocum lotus tuber and planted it
into a half-whiskey barrel container. The tuber was fresh because I
was right there when the guy pulled the tuber from the pond at Slocum
Water Gardens. I planted it in the tub, put fertilizer and manure
into the dirt that I also bought from Slocum and let it go. For about
a month the lotus grew, putting out many floating leaves but no
upright leaves. (I live near Orlando so this is Zone 9 I think?)
Then it stopped growing, but the leaves remained alive for weeks.
Then the leaves started to die and it eventually got to the point
where they were all dead. Then after falling asleep for over 8 weeks
I spotted a small leaf stalk which eventually became a real leaf (pink
when opened and appeared thick) I then noticed that leaves started
appearing all over the pot and now 5 weeks later the plant looks great
and healthy with about a dozen bright green upright leaves.

When hope seemed lost, I was at a local nursery that was selling Perry
D. Slocum tubers so I bought one of those and decided to try again. I
still had some hope on the first tuber, so I bought another
half-whiskey barrel and planted the new tuber into it. Again, the new
tuber grew like crazy: it put out about 2 floating leaves then started
putting out upright leaves. Then after about 3 weeks of solid growth
it just stopped growing. Leaves that were in the process of growing
out of the mud have stopped. There's been a new leaf poking out for
over a month that's still tightly rolled up! The existing leaves are
all green, like the other lotus it just seems frozen in time.

I also have some lotus seeds that will put out 4 leaves very rapidly
then they will stop growing but still have the nice healthy leaves. I
always threw them out, but the last time I tried this I waited it out
and after about 3 months it started growing vigorously again.


Is this common? I had a lotus years ago in PA and didn't notice this
strange growing pattern. Why do they go to sleep like this? Are they
developing tuber during this period that they appear inactive?

The Narcoleptic Lotus
 

I've never seen this in my lotuses. It would upset me
terribly. Must be the Florida heat that sets them back?
Just - lol - joking here. Lotus Love Heat... at least that
is what I always heard.
Sorry the beauties are giving you problems.
Have you inquired at Slocum's? I think I would run
by there and tell them about your recalcitrant lotuses.

Nedra
Backyard Pond:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836

My Lotus Pond:
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"scs0" wrote in message
om...
If the lotus wasn't a living thing I would think it was created by
Microsoft. I have come to learn that the plant has a habit of growing
like mad for weeks at a time then stopping completely for months at a
time.

In March I bought a Maggie Belle Slocum lotus tuber and planted it
into a half-whiskey barrel container. The tuber was fresh because I
was right there when the guy pulled the tuber from the pond at Slocum
Water Gardens. I planted it in the tub, put fertilizer and manure
into the dirt that I also bought from Slocum and let it go. For about
a month the lotus grew, putting out many floating leaves but no
upright leaves. (I live near Orlando so this is Zone 9 I think?)
Then it stopped growing, but the leaves remained alive for weeks.
Then the leaves started to die and it eventually got to the point
where they were all dead. Then after falling asleep for over 8 weeks
I spotted a small leaf stalk which eventually became a real leaf (pink
when opened and appeared thick) I then noticed that leaves started
appearing all over the pot and now 5 weeks later the plant looks great
and healthy with about a dozen bright green upright leaves.

When hope seemed lost, I was at a local nursery that was selling Perry
D. Slocum tubers so I bought one of those and decided to try again. I
still had some hope on the first tuber, so I bought another
half-whiskey barrel and planted the new tuber into it. Again, the new
tuber grew like crazy: it put out about 2 floating leaves then started
putting out upright leaves. Then after about 3 weeks of solid growth
it just stopped growing. Leaves that were in the process of growing
out of the mud have stopped. There's been a new leaf poking out for
over a month that's still tightly rolled up! The existing leaves are
all green, like the other lotus it just seems frozen in time.

I also have some lotus seeds that will put out 4 leaves very rapidly
then they will stop growing but still have the nice healthy leaves. I
always threw them out, but the last time I tried this I waited it out
and after about 3 months it started growing vigorously again.


Is this common? I had a lotus years ago in PA and didn't notice this
strange growing pattern. Why do they go to sleep like this? Are they
developing tuber during this period that they appear inactive?

The Narcoleptic Lotus
 

Have you fertilized them?

I've always heard that Lotus are VERY heavy feeders and need lots of
fertilizer during their growing season, which in FL would be quite a long
season. I occassionally have dead leaves on my plants but I usually nip
them as soon as I notice that they are dying and I tend to keep the pots
well 'tabbed' with fertilizer pellets (Zone 6 - Harpers Ferry, WV) and my
plants are looking pretty good.

gds



"scs0" wrote in message
om...
If the lotus wasn't a living thing I would think it was created by
Microsoft. I have come to learn that the plant has a habit of growing
like mad for weeks at a time then stopping completely for months at a
time.

In March I bought a Maggie Belle Slocum lotus tuber and planted it
into a half-whiskey barrel container. The tuber was fresh because I
was right there when the guy pulled the tuber from the pond at Slocum
Water Gardens. I planted it in the tub, put fertilizer and manure
into the dirt that I also bought from Slocum and let it go. For about
a month the lotus grew, putting out many floating leaves but no
upright leaves. (I live near Orlando so this is Zone 9 I think?)
Then it stopped growing, but the leaves remained alive for weeks.
Then the leaves started to die and it eventually got to the point
where they were all dead. Then after falling asleep for over 8 weeks
I spotted a small leaf stalk which eventually became a real leaf (pink
when opened and appeared thick) I then noticed that leaves started
appearing all over the pot and now 5 weeks later the plant looks great
and healthy with about a dozen bright green upright leaves.

When hope seemed lost, I was at a local nursery that was selling Perry
D. Slocum tubers so I bought one of those and decided to try again. I
still had some hope on the first tuber, so I bought another
half-whiskey barrel and planted the new tuber into it. Again, the new
tuber grew like crazy: it put out about 2 floating leaves then started
putting out upright leaves. Then after about 3 weeks of solid growth
it just stopped growing. Leaves that were in the process of growing
out of the mud have stopped. There's been a new leaf poking out for
over a month that's still tightly rolled up! The existing leaves are
all green, like the other lotus it just seems frozen in time.

I also have some lotus seeds that will put out 4 leaves very rapidly
then they will stop growing but still have the nice healthy leaves. I
always threw them out, but the last time I tried this I waited it out
and after about 3 months it started growing vigorously again.


Is this common? I had a lotus years ago in PA and didn't notice this
strange growing pattern. Why do they go to sleep like this? Are they
developing tuber during this period that they appear inactive?