?? about lotus water in pots

[joejoe123]

this year i used composted manure as the soil in the pots with osmacote in the bottomand the water in the pots is turning geen and bubbly is this norm or should i overflow them with water to have clean water in them ??

Joey

[matherfish]

Composted manure as the soil? Sounds like way too much fertilizer to me. The water turning green is from so much algae, and the bubbling is from gas forming from the manure. Are your plants burning up? Sorry. I would run some fresh water in there to get some of the fertilizer out. IMHO.

[Joyce]

Either the manure was not composted enough, or you used way too much Osmocote, or all of the above.
Completely composted manure has no foul odor except for the smell of fresh soil/earth.
Completely composted manure does not look like manure, smell like manure or feel like manure.
It should look, feel and smell like rich potting soil.

Depending on the size pot you used, you can use the chart on the side of the Osmocote Container to use the correct amount.
In my half wine barrels, I use a half cup at the bottom and fill them up 3/4 with composted manure.

My water does get a little icky-green at first, but I leave it alone and everything stabilizes within a month.

Look in the Terrestrial Gardening forum, I just posted a pic of a lotus I just potted.
Will take pix in a few days so you know what mine looks like when it gets green.
I leave well enough alone. 

[joejoe123]

i used those plastic tubs with rope handles and i didnt put that much osmacote in mine just a little and the composted manuer looked just like topsoil to me it didnt have a smell except for the way dirt smells .the lotus are burnt or nothing there growing faster than last year . i think ill flush it with some water .

Joey

[Ruthie]

I used regular topsoil (with a lot of clay content) and  pond tabs....my lotus tubs are icky green, too.  I was going to ask the same question, since this is my first time growing lotus.  They have all grown several new pads since I planted them, but yeah...the water looks gross.  Our temps have been relatively warm though...I guess that is encouraging the lotus and the algae to grow quickly.

Joyce...good to know they will stabilize.  I added a bit of fresh water today, just because I was worried about them.

[matherfish]

Joey and Ruthie, the water does get algae because there is fertilizer in the soil, thus somewhat in the soil. That is natural. As the lotus grows, it demands more nutrients and uses more, thus the decrease in the amount of algae.
I assumed because of the bubbles there was an over abundance of fertilizer (osmocote) but that may be my mistake. It may just be your "pond" maturing, if the plant is growing well and not burning.
Happy ponding!