Lotus Question

[greenthumbnails]

Can a lotus tuber still grow if all the growing tips turned into leaves but the leaves died (my fault), however the tuber has newly formed roots and a fertilizer tablet?  Anyone in the know on this one?

[tinkster]

I think about all you can do it wait it out and leave it be to see if it sends up more shoots.  I had one last year I thought was dead.  It came out early with many tall leaves, a flower then just totally died back.  I was going to make its pond into a lily pond this spring and when I was digging to remove the dirt I found  tubers.  So I think just leave it alone and see what it does. Think they are pretty sensitive when growing so digging in it right now would not be a good idea.

I was reading your other post.  I had charles Basu and didnt find it had problems wilting at all in the heat and we had a brutal hot dry summer last year.  quiet a few days in a row over 100.  I am wondering if the wilt is fertilizer burn maybe?   Joyce and lawanna have  great tutorials here in the tutorial sections on how to pot and fertilize lotus.  You should check it out.  THeres has been a no fail method for me.    Sorry I cant be of more help.

tinkster

[Cedric]

Think Tinkster is right. If the growing tip or shoot is damaged there is less chances, but it will certainly come back from a healthy shoot even without mature or green leaves. I would leave off any fertiliser until you see it starting to do something, least two or three proper leaves you don't want to burn the new roots just when it's recovering.

[greenthumbnails]

Thank you both for responding to my post.  At least now I know there is some hope for this plant to survive 

[matherfish]

Hi. The growing tip and the leaf stem are two different things. the growing tip comes from the tuber at the base of the leaf stem. The leaves, especially the small first leaves, will die, but the growing tip continues to grow and produce new leaf stems and growing tips. Your plant may do fine. Let it get established a little longer before fertilizing it so as not to burn the young tip and tubers.

[greenthumbnails]

Matherfish,

  Thanks for the clarification ( as you figured, I thought the growing tip and the leaf stems were the same thing  )
   I am glad to have been wrong on that one