How old is your lotus? Did it start to grow this season? Did it freeze during the winter?

I started it last year, from a start I got from Catfish Logic. It has started to grow this season, and has about 6 floaters. It did not freeze this winter, but was in water that got ice on the top but that melted during the day.
I went to Lowe's a got a fake, light-weight half-barrel, and think this will work better since it is darker and will absorb more heat and is wider and shallower. What do you think? Thanks, Catherine.

Hi again amy,
I would hesitate to do anything until late fall or early spring of next year. I've heard that lotus are pretty delicate, once they start growing. I've never messed with mine after they started growing, so I can't say if this is just a old wives tale or not.
Does it still have 6 floaters? How much water is above the soil now? How much sun does it get?

Well, I have already messed, so oops!! It gets lots of sun, at least 7-8 hours. So, I am also wondering about the water to grow it in. Can I use hose water? The water it has been in is pretty gross, but can easily tranfer it to the new pot. I have read that you can pot lotus in composted manure, I guess like black kow, and then top off with pea gravel. What do you think of that?
Oh, yes, 6 inches of water was above the tubers and the floaters are still there, but after messing, only 4 are looking ok. Oh, what have I done? Hee, hee! May just have to order another one!

Did you mess with it after the leaves were growing? I've never used anything but plain dirt, and don't use gravel, but others here do. I tried to put a link to a post on the Gallery, but it wouldn't work. Go to the Gallery and to Joyce's post "Lotus Barrel Pix" and look that over. It has some good info for growing them in a barrel.
Don't be too hard on yourself. This is a learning process for all of us!

Catherine, it is so funny you mention Joyce, and that very post, because I have been drooling over it today!! I went ahead with the plain old yard dirt, and which is clay with a layer of old composted leaves. I didn't want the poor babies to be out too long. I think I am going to order another one, and will do a test to see which works for me, the yard dirt, or composted manure. Thanks so much for your help. By the way, if you don't use gravel, how do you keep you tubers from floating away? That was part of the problem this time around, that some sections were just floating, and others were rotting. I will hope for the best!

I just lay my tuber on the top of the soil, and use a couple big landscape staples to hold it down. Here's a pic of it right after I thinned one from last year.
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Landscape staples are a great idea. Thank you.