Text Box: "My Lotus Didn’t Get Tall Enough"  Every year, during the busy season here on our farm, I receive hundreds of calls from water gardeners.  These calls usually pertain to advice they may need or questions about problems concerning their ponds, and the plants and creatures living in the ponds.  I usually have to ask a myriad of questions before getting to the root of the problem.  I do this because from my experience in trying to assist water gardeners who ask us questions, getting every detail possible, helps find the solution much faster.  This particular call came in July from an avid ponder in the Midwest.  She told me she had never grown a lotus but had decided to purchase a lotus tuber.  She told me she had planted the tuber and followed all the instructions to the letter.  She said it had broken dormancy, had put on leaves, was starting to produce blooms but that it didn’t seem like it was going to grow very tall.   I asked her if it was getting enough sun; if she had been feeding it; what she was feeding it and how often.  I asked her what depth the plant was at in the pond.  She assured me that the plant was at a depth of 8 inches from the surface, getting at least 4-6 hours of sun, and she not only was feeding it often, but that it was getting a lot of the fish droppings from all the fish she had in her pond.  She went on to say that her pond was also filled with lilies that were blooming profusely. At this point, I was getting a little frustrated and ready to pick up the red phone that is connected to the green houses where our nursery staff spend most of their time.  I kept going over everything she had said, and it sounded like she had done everything right.  It seemed as if the plant was doing everything it should do except for the height problem.  I have always  tried to help the person with a problem find a solution before giving up, and either asking for back up from one of the nursery staffers here at the farm or just telling the person I don’t know what to suggest.  Then, it dawned on me.  I had failed to ask her how tall the plant was and which variety of lotus she was trying to grow.  I let out a sigh of relief, and an exclamation of surprise at the same time, when she said,”It is about 4 ˝ feet tall and it's a Momo botan!"  "Well, I told her, that's the answer!  Momo Botan usually only grows to 2 ˝ feet maybe 3 depending on the container and the area it is growing in!!"  The plant had already performed 2 feet above and beyond the call of performance in her climate!   I asked her what was in her water, or how many green thumbs she had?  I also suggested that next time she purchase a Mrs. Perry Slocum or a Perry’s Giant Sunburst if she planned to be like Jack in the Bean Stock!  HOPE YOUR POND IS EVER CLEAR AND FREE OF ALGAE AND PESTS AND THAT ALL YOUR PLANTS ARE DOING THEIR VERY BEST!!  By Sandy Plawski   Sandy`s Counsel Column