I have a lotus that is just starting to put up leaves, and I have found that one of its three growing points has jumped the pot (I planted it too close to the edge in the first place). I noticed that in Robyn's July '02 newsletter she wrote that she took a runner from a lotus that jumped its pot and replanted it elsewhere. I thought you couldn't touch those things during growing season out of concern that injury would rot the whole plant.

I also read that if the plant is producing out of pot runners, it diminishes the chances for blooming, which I certainly don't want to happen. It's hard enough to get those things started.

So, if your experience was that you could cut off a runner that's just wandering around in the water, and replant it in the summer, without damaging the rest of the plant, I would be very grateful to hear from you.

I don't think that cutting off a runner that is separate from the main root system would harm either portion. Animals keep uprooting my lotus so the whole thing is out of the pot, and yet it's still trying to hang on. I've jammed it back dozens of times. As long as the runner has its own roots, you can replant it elsewhere after cutting the connecting piece to the main plant.

I haven't had a lotus flower since 1999! So, I'm probably not the one to ask. I can barely keep my lotus alive because of the deer, raccoons, and fish. When I did get flowers in the past, those plants did have a good amount of runners.

I haven't done it recently but did in the past. I am pretty confident that if you cut it on the runner stalk and leave roots and both portions, it can do fine. The runner's roots can then be just barely covered in a pot. Remember, they are used to being bareroot in the water so they don't need to be potted to survive; we'd just rather have that to be in control. Good luck!

My Lotus is doing the same thing. My Lotus is in a 6-9" deep pot in the middle of my pond, which is probably 3 feet from the nearest pond side.

It's managed to grow a suspended runner about 12" long out the top of the pot, then a root ball that's also suspended, then another section of runner that's another about 12" long that has a curve/hook/point type end.

Robyn, if I can't wrap the runner around the inside of the pot I'm thinking of cutting it off, and placing the root ball and runner with point end back in the pot, on the surface of the dirt.

Do you think I'm safe by cutting the runner off at the first section, between the pot and suspended root ball?

Thanks,
John

That should be fine. I've had bad luck with lotus lately so most of mine are dead or close to it. The fish, deer, and raccoons kept yanking out the tubers until they rotted. They also eat the leaves.

Thanks Robyn.

My lotus has been wierd too. The first year was the best so far, but indicators have this year being even better.

First year resulted in two flowers, one huge beautiful seed pod, and many pedals.

Second year pedals came very late, only one at a time, no flower, no seed pod, and not nearly as many pedals.

It's possible I caused the situation myself during fall cleaning. I removed what what appeared to be a rotten tuber. I really don't know what a tuber looks like. It was just laying there under some muck I removed; rotten looking dark in color laying on top of the soil, lifeless, and appeared not to be connected to anything.

This year, many pedals already and much earlier in the season than before. Also this lengthy runner and huge root ball has not been seen before. I'm hoping these are signs of a healthy happy lotus.

My lotus has done very well after I put the runner back into the pot. It started putting up aerial leaves soon afterwards, and now has one bud and four aerial leaves. I am thrilled that it is doing well, because as you all mentioned, you basically get one chance, and if you do one thing wrong, it's wait till next year.

Of course, if the local racoon hoodlums take an interest in the lotus, all bets are off.

When lotus tubers die, they turn black and gray, squishy, and smelly. Live tubers are white/yellow/light brown, firm, and smell earthy. They crunch when broken.

Thanks Robyn for the description of healthy tubers. Mine was obviously dead.