Catherinet, I haven't noticed any on mine. But I am in a different climate than you. Glenda

Catherine, I had clear slime. It wasn't fuzzy. I think we have different things. Vanessa

Hi Vanessa,
I can't really say for sure if this is slime or fuzz. When I go to feel it, I can't really feel it.
Its on all the underwater growth. My lotus are sure slow. Maybe I'm just impatient. The stems have grown about 1" since I planted them about 10 days ago. One of the stems still has a black cap on it. Its weird......some stems have those black caps, and some don't. Hopefully that will break away soon.
I've kept a bunch of the thinned tubers from both lotuses in buckets, so should these not do so well, I have some back-ups.

Hi,
Finally planted mine! Only 60F yesterday, but one was starting to grow in the bucket in my mud room so they had to go out. I used Joyce's method - osmokote veggie formula, manure, pebbles on top. 2-4" of water over the top (had to get all the tips under water). All the growing tips look good. They're in full sun. No slime by the way.

Got my galvanized tank filled up yesterday and today I'm climbing in the 300ga rubbermaid to raise the plants and clean out the muck, then I'll get the pump started. Can't wait to see more than murky orange shapes that are fish!
S

Hi Sarah,

My stems are growing out of the water. I can't believe how bad my memory has become. I was thinking they didn't grow out of the water, but rather unfolded their floating leaves on the water. Maybe that means I should put it deeper into the water, but I've always heard you need to keep them close to the top, to help them warm up faster. But when you think about it.......they usually grow from the bottom of a lake!
My "slime" didn't appear for about a week after they had been in the water. Keep your eye on your's. I really think this is a totally benign thing.
The stems of all mine that are still in buckets (the back-up tubers) are all out of the water too. I have the feeling that lotus are much more durable than we give them credit for!
Good luck with your's, and we'll expect some pics soon!

If it's spring in MN, it must be spring! Yay!

I've got one leaf poking out of the water but it's been tightly rolled for 2 weeks. Will the thing EVER open? There's another still under the surface, too. My water is murky with algae and tea-colored with compost making it a little hard to see except when I change out the water to freshen it (don't know if I need to but it seems like a good idea). I haven't noticed any more of the slimy stuff but I'll check for that and the fuzzies.

Vanessa

I like figuring out why things are the way they are.

I have an idea why some of my leaves are tightly rolled up and covered with a black cap. These guys are used to pushing their way up through mud at the bottom of a lake, and then going all the way to the top of the water, before they unfurl.
Maybe there's a timing issue with opening up too, and not just a temperature issue. It has the black "protective" cap on it, probably so that while its pushing up through the mud (especially) and up through maybe rocks and other thick plants, its leaf is protected.
And maybe if it unfurls too quickly, under the water, there's too many things down there to eat it??
Do I have too much time on my hands? lol!

Well, Catherine, I LIKE your theory and it makes me feel better. Take all the time you want!
V

OK, I just bailed out the murky water and looked. No slime and no fuzz but all kinds of crazy growth since I last looked - maybe 3 days ago! What that means is the one little under water leaf is now really big and there are 2 more stretching out. Only the one out of the water has the black cap. The others are quite green.
I'm going to wish I'd found a bigger container, I see.
If I get a bloom, party at my house!
Vanessa

Well it's 39F tonight, so if I ever get a bloom we'll have a long distance party to end all!
Sarah

I tried to post here earlier but the danged timeouts hit and I lost it all. I thought we had solved that problem. I am trying to figure out why my lotus seedling are not doing the same things yours are doing. I soaked about 30 of them for weeks at 76oF and nothing happened so I got out the
Dremel and cut through the seed case down to the cream colored cotyledon. After about a week and a half they finally started to grow but it was not the root I expected. Now the first stems are 6 to 10 inches long and no longer stand upright. Their own weight has caused the seed body to turn on it's side and the stems float under the surface and they are starting to get tangled. I finally removed the seed casing because it was still very hard. Second and even third stems are beginning to grow and I am wondering if a root is ever going to show up. The leave are still tightly rolled. Should I put these in separate containers? I was going to use plain kitty clay litter in clear plastic glasses until the weather gets warmer. The bowl is under an Ott light 18 hours a day and I change the water daily by running tepid water in until the color from the liquid fertilizer disappears. Then I add a little fresh fertilizer. I think I see the slime you are talking about. It seems to be some sloughed off matter from the cotyledon. As long as it doesn't start turning bad or stinky I don't think it is going to be a problem. What am I doing wrong? Sandy

Sandy, I wish I knew about starting them from seed. Mine is from a good sized tuber. I did run across a photo of sprouted lotus seed once and it looked like the little root was coming first, but your saying there's no root yet, just a leaf. Right?
Vanessa

Sandy, the root doesn't show until about a week after the leaves first emerge. See the photos on the website below.

I'd separate them and pot them up now. I am starting some from seed this year, too. I have 4 in buckets so far plus 3 more that have leaves emerging from the seed. I have 3 seeds that haven't sprouted which I might discard now. I have more than enough plants started, even if only one or two survive my care :-) It's interesting!
Marcia

Here is a link that might be useful: growing lotus from seed

Thank you for the encouraging words. I am relieved they still have a chance to develop a root. I think I may have to drop them all in the round pre-form I had set aside for a bog. I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand this morning and the bandage is more awkward than I expected. LOL! Some of the misspellings I am correcting are slowing things down considerably. I will need to order a metal spillway to finish it off for a veggie filter but once I have the use of both hands again I should be able to turn at least half into a bog. Do any of you have a bog? Sandy

Poor you Sandy! Are you the bionic woman yet?? ;) I hope you mend quickly!
I have a bog. Its just a 300 gallon Rubbermaid stocktank sunk into the ground, and then back-filled with dirt and about 8" of water on top. Does that count?

Good luck, Sandy! I know several people who had the surgery and they say it was worth it. Let the misspellings stay. We'll figure it out.
Catherine, I think your bog counts. I'm hoping to do one just like it next year. I'll be pumping you for information then.
Marcia, that's such a good site. I wish there were more that show you exactly what to expect.
Vanessa

I place lotus seed pods in a plastic coffee can, and a long time latter, I pulled them out just now, and this snail type substance came out seemed to grow out of the pods, this snail type substance, with out shell, just the snail substance. Is this gooey substance good for you?

It doesn't sound good. I suspect the seed has rotted. Are the seeds still hard if you squeeze them?

Hi, i may need help. My lotus seed hasnt been growing well since i started from winter. Ill get to the point. I started to smell rot near its tank and the water kept getting really dirty with this white fuzz surfacing to the top of the water. It all started appearing after i put outdoor dirt with clay in it into my tank. (I have reason to bealive it was baked) I was concerned and kept changing the water out and keeping the tank clean but no matter what i did, the fuzz ca back all over! I took my lotus out but i accidently broke the stem out of the seed and found out the whole thing was rotting! I bealive the fuzz was coming from the seed and that it was rotting because of the white fuzz. I want to know what it is so i can take steps to prevent this from happening again when i start a new growth. Hopeful for your reply, Sam.