How and when to Fertilize Sacred Pond Lotus Plants and Flowers

NEVER Fertilize newly planted Lotus Tubers or Lotus Seeds. 

The Lotus tuber must do all the work until the first two or three aerial leaves stand up above the surface of the water. The first few leaves will be coin leaves that sit on the surface of the water.The coin leaves are not what we are talking about when waiting to fertilize. 

The first 1 or 2 fertilizer applications should be about half a dose. You can ruin a whole year of lotus enjoyment by over-fertilizing or fertilizing too soon. 

We use, sell and recommend Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs + Humates for your lotus as well as all of your other pond plants and waterlilies.

Size and Dosage:

• For Exquisite of Bowl / Dwarf / Tea Cup lotus, use only one or two pond tablets on the 1st application. Wait 10 days then add 2 or 3 more tablets a few inches from the growing root. If you feel resistance when pushing tabbs into the soil then try another spot. You do not want to damage the root. 
• Medium size Lotus- begin with 3 tablets and increase to 6 or 7 tablets every 2 weeks after 7 or more leaves stand up out of the water
• Tall Lotus - first application 3 tablets, followed by 5 ten days later, then 8 to 10 tabs every 2-3 weeks the rest of summer. 

Fertilize with tablets every 2 - 3 weeks until late July or August 1st, at the latest. 

Lotus will flower with lots of direct sunlight, in water that is not too deep or too cool, and wide pots with proper heavy loam soil. Never use potting soil. Do not apply gravel. DO NOT fertilize until you have aerial leaves growing out of the water. 

Container Size and Water Depth:

• Exquisite of Bowl/Dwarf/Teacup---11 - 16 inch wide container

          the wider the container, the more flowers!

         only 2 - 3 inches of water above roots*

• Dwarf Lotus ----14 - 20 inch wide container

          Only 2 - 4 inches of water over roots*

          Medium Lotus----14 - 24 inch wide containers
          Only 3 - 7 inches of water over roots until it is well established, no more than 12 inches deep                      once established.

          Tall Lotus---- 24 - 48 inch wide wide containers 
           Only 5 - 8 inches of water over roots when beginning tubers. 15 inches max, if in a very large                     pot with an established plant

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*If growing tall/ large lotus as vegetables for edible consumption, you would not be growing them in containers, see the special page on growing them for larger edible tuber production. 

Important Facts to Remember :

•  ONLY the two species: nelumbo Nucifera (aka Sacred lotus) and nelumbo Lutea grown from seed, will you know what plant you are getting. Once a species is crossed with another set of genetics it is a hybrid and you will not have any way to know  what species the seeds will grow (it may produce a non-flowering lotus!)

•  Lotus CANNOT be grown inside unless you have lots of grow lighting. 

•  Lotus Should Not be started early inside (likely to rot, develop mold, become weak)

Dividing Lotus

Divide lotus pots every 2 years before they break dormancy in spring. The thick, hard fleshy tubers at the very bottom of the pot are new dormant plants, the part you keep. Everything black or mushy above them is no good. Be sure each section you divide has 2 or more unbroken chambers.