I have had a 50 gallon in-ground tub pond since 1999. Most years, I put in a lotus. Most years, the deer eat the leaves. I have only gotten a few flowers the first few years. I vowed never to spend $35+ on a lotus that is doomed. Should I try it again? Should I try to build a cage around it? Should I dig out the dirt and pea gravel and make it be all the way full with water and then just use it for the deer and frogs? It is due this year to have the dirt dug out. Here is a link to the section on my site about this pond.
http://fishpondinfo.com/mypond3.htm#tub3
Ideas? Thanks.

hey robin i think you should leave it for frogs and deer but maybe plant some inexpensive hearty plants the deer would enjoy eating and frogs could hop in. that way you could have your own little relaxing area to watch the deer and frogs

I voted for Deer and Frogs too. Also that would mean less stress and hassle for you. (I think).

Robyn, you say "Most years, I put in a lotus.".

I'm confused, you mean it doesn't come back? Mine comes back, even after harsh Iowa winters.

The deer must be eating the leaf stems below the waterline, which will flood and rot the root.

I'd say continue watering the deer, and forget the lotus. Chicken wire around beautiful plants to keep them safe from deer; na.

The deer eat the leaves and tubers. The raccoons as well as a neighborhood dog have taken the tubers out and played with them like chew toys. All of the plants (trees, shrubs, most perennials) that I have planted in the last 20 years that are still alive have cages around them, some from chicken wire but most from vinyl coated "dog" cage wire. We've lived here for 30 years. It was a field when we started. It's mostly woods with trees too tall for the deer to harm. Anything else is fair game. We love our girls (the deer) but they're like unruly children sometimes. Today, my father drained off the pool cover and two yearling does were going crazy running through the pond it created. They were dashing and prancing all around, so happy.

The one lotus in the middle of my 1800 gallon pond does come back every year but it hasn't flowered in many years. Yes, I repotted it every 2 years and fertilize. It's in a 7 gallon pot.

Normally I would say leave it for the deer&frogs, but you already seem to have a good amount of ponds for them already. I noticed you didnt have any bogs, maybe you could make a miniature one?

Just curious - what did you end up doing with it?

"Today, my father drained off the pool cover and two yearling does were going crazy running through the pond it created. They were dashing and prancing all around, so happy."

THAT is way better than having any flower!!! I envy you!

Derrick

I took everything out of the tub pond almost a year ago. I then put some plants in pots but no lotus. The deer and raccoons proceeded to basically dump all the pots and destroy all the plants. So, there's not much in there right now but spilt potting media, hornwort, and 1000 leaves. I'm going to clean it out Monday when I'm taking off to clean out my three smallest ponds.