Lotus just seems to want to die. I have tried and tried and tried. It is like a gardenia - it wants this - but not too much, and has to have that, but not too much.
When setting up my pond, in adition to the oil change pans for the lilies, I invested a small fortune in a plastic half barrel for a lotus or two. Well, despite living as a paranoid 'your pond has to never drop an inch" person for six months - the lotus was just two inches down, it died.
It threw itself out of the pot - I put a piece of tile down to secure it - then it put up a few aerial fronds, all of which just fried and died. Ultimately I ripped it out and put a lily in the pot. Months later the lotus was trying to grow, but . . . . .too late!
I (through Sean) got some loti (lotuses?) from Johns, and I tried to imitate Joyce with pots o' lotus by the entrance, but sure enough, they died. Turns out one's climate ( can have nothing to do with my lack of a green thumb) has a lot to say about one's plants.
Cheers,
Mike