Lotus Care & Repotting

Kevin’s Lotus Workshop February 22, 2014

About Lotus

Lotus is found all over the world and is native to tropical parts of Asia, Australia and North America. In our containers, the plants can get between 3 and 5 feet tall. In ponds and in the wild they can quickly get very big, very fast.

Repotting Instructions

  1. Select Tuber: Use water to wash the soil off roots to and gently remove the best tubers. Cut into pieces with 3 links and make sure one has new growth on the end. Throw away any tubers that are soft and rotten.
  2. Prep Pot: Fill pot with 1/3 soil and fertilizer tablets. Add water to top of pot.
  3. Plant Lotus: Place healthy tuber on surface of soil growth tip up and weight with brick. When plants start growing remove the brick. (Usually after 2 months.)
  4. Add Fish: Add a couple guppies to control mosquitos or use BT product.

Growing Conditions

Lotus grow in shallow, muddy water. These plants prefer full sun and hot, humid weather. During the summer they grow rapidly often filling up the pot with roots. Lotus is a seasonal plant and will go dormant during the winter month. When grown as a farm crop, ponds are dug up annually and roots sold at markets as hasu, a starchy root vegetable similar to a potato. Fields often regenerate without replanting.

*People often mistake lotus for water lilies but they are an entirely different plant. Lotus are actually more similar to shallow water marginal plants like taro than to water lilies.

General Care

  • Flush pot with new water weekly for a couple minutes to overflow junk that accumulates on surface and give fish some air.
  • Trim off dead leaves a few inches above water line.
  • Fertilize monthly during growing season (May – September)
  • Repot every 2 – 3 years.
  • Do not throw lotus away during winter, it may just be sleeping.
  • PROTECT THE AINA. Always dispose of aquatic waste in the green bin or mulch pile; never throw waste into local streams or ponds.