Need help on how to overwinter....

[Daisy]

my lotus....unfortunatly it won't be long before the time comes to think about doing it.   This is my first year to have lotus so overwintering them is new to me. Any and all suggestions are welcome. 
Also, when is the best time to divide (hardy) lilly's?. Before winter or in spring? I've never had to do that before but I have 2 that have outgrown their pots this year. 
Thanks in advance for any help! 

[Teresa]

If your lotus is in a pot in the pond, you should be ok.  I think some people sink them to the bottom, but you should only have to do that if the pot will freeze solid where it is.  Lotus should be hardy for you unless it's in a very small pond or in a pot outside the pond.

[Daisy]

Teresa I planted the lotus outside of the pond in pots. 

[PondmaninAL]

How to over-winter lotus?

Easy. Put on sunscreen, lay in lawn chair, and drink ice cold lemonade.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[JohnInFlorida]

Scott,

We need to be more considerate of those who don't have the benefit of Florida winters. I remember vividly the realities of winter in the northern hinterlands ... I'll never go back, but I'll never forget either!

So, a little compassion for those less fortunate ... and besides I'm not really fond of lemonade ...

Keep Smilin'
John 

[Daisy]

Sigh..... I guess I'll just have to move then. 

[tranquility]

Basically if you can keep the tuber from freezing it will return....so either bring it in and keep it in the garage....or mulch really good around it and cover it with plastic....I'm caught right in the middle of zones 6 & 7 so I just leave mine out....I cover them in plastic when we get really cold weather....and make sure the container stays full of water....
Lawanna

[Ky Kim]

Last year was my first year with a lotus.  I put in down into the pond.  Then this year, it was so happy there I ended up leaving it.  This year, I have a baby doll lotus and I'm going to sit it in the pond as well.

I'm in zone 6a, but sometime we do have harsh winters.  This way I don't have to worry if it dose get below freezing.  I do plan on moving this one back out of the pond in the spring.

Kimberly

[Daisy]

Ok are you talking only putting the tuber in the pond by itself or in a pot with dirt. Sorry for being so stupid but like I said...this is my first lotus   

[Teresa]

Put the pot with dirt in the pond . . . . as long as the tuber itself is below the ice, the lotus will come back and be happy.  I'm in zone 7 and can leave my pots on the patio . . . . I wouldn't try it in zone 5.  Another alternative is to let the lotus get hit by a couple of really good frosts to make it go dormant and then move the pots to a cold garage or basement.  Even a crawlspace should provide enough protection to keep them from freezing solid.

[Desertponder]

To answer your question on the hardy lilies...........You can do them in the fall or the spring. I'm in zone 6 and prefer to do mine in the fall after they have stopped blooming. This way they still have a little bit of time to re-establish and they take off growing when spring comes. I'm afraid if I did it in the spring it could set them back too much for my shorter growing season.

[Daisy]

Thanks Shanna! I was going to do mine in the fall too but I guess I just needed some reassurance  

I'm still up in the air as far as the lotus...now I have to decide if I should put the lotus in the pond or in the garage 
Decisions decisions....

Thanks for everybody's suggestions...I don't know if they helped or just confused me more... ! 

[Teresa]

Um, you can divide the lotus in the late fall too, after it's gone completely dormant.  Otherwise you divide it in the very early spring before it's begun to grow.  Either way, the water is cooooollllllllddddddd!!!!

[Ky Kim]

I put the pot and all down into the pond, its just an easy for me this way. 

Kim

[charlotteda]

I have a free standing pot of lotus that is not in the pond.  I insulate around the pot with "something" - straw - bag of leaves, etc and then put screen over the top of the pot and pineneedles on top of that.  Removing all the "stuff" when spring comes.  Mine has survivied for 3 winters this way.  My pot is too heavy to put in and out of the pond

[Daisy]

Hi Charlotteda,  do you keep the dirt and water in the pot?