Hello everybody !!! I got some Nelumbo nucifera seeds and after successful scarifycation and germination they have sent aquatic leaves. They are on their 2nd and 3rd aquatic leaves. I was wondering how long would it take before I see aereal leaves??? They have gone from germination to the aquatic leaves in less than a month. How long before I see blooms??? I have warmth weather most of the year so growing conditions are optimal for them. I was told to start fertilizing once a month after the first month. I'm sooo looking forward to the blooms. Thanks for any replies !!!!
P.S. I just realized that the title reads aereal roots when it should be aereal leaves. Sorry!!!
This message was edited May 3, 2010 10:08 AM
How long does Nelumbo nucifera takes to send aereal roots??
I am no lotus expert by any means, but my husband and I have germinated lotus seeds before and some may have sent aerial leaves toward the end of their first season (I think, may have not been until their second year though) but I really don't remember the lotus doing too much their first year other than growing the surface leaves and a root system. We keep all our lotus isolated in pots/tubs too, so that could possibly hamper the number and frequency of blooms. Regardless, I don't think they bloom until at least their third year after germination, it may be longer. We will have some three-year-old lotus this year, so there may be some blooms finally!
If you want reliable blooms this season from a lotus, you really need an older, established plant that you add to your water garden. Your seedlings will get there, you will just have to be patient!
Remember to sand off a side of their hard outer shell.....Then, if you keep them in water in a sunny area, and constantly change the water the sprouts will come out in no time. They DO grow fungus pretty easily, so the daily water change is important. You'll see a little sprout of a root, and a leaf appear only a few days apart. I start mine in quart plastic tubbies I keep from the local Chinese resturaunt that has take out soup! Once the root appears, I gently transplant it to kitty litter and water, so the root has something to anchor in to. The leaf sprout is more delicate than a bean sprout, so handle them gently! Once established, you can grow them in kitty litter (the plain WalMart kind with no additives for smell, etc) I found black wash tubs at the dollar store, but you can also use the black pans they use for oil changes. No need to go expensive. Slowly lower them in to deeper water as the leaves come up. They will find their way to the surface. I have 2 of the very large tubbies you find at home depot and Dollar General. They are not quite 2 feet across, and about 2 feet deep and round. I use them as lotus water gardens, and they seem to grow very well in there with a few tadpoles and comet fish to keep the mosquito larva out. I just keep them filled with water and they bloom all summer long.
Thank you both for the replies. I'll be looking forward to seeing those aereal leaves coming up.
MerryMary they have germinated already. I have them in big tubs that I got at Lowes since those will be their permanent house until I go crazy and decide to build a pond. They have sent theit third aquatic leaf and now I'm looking forward to the aereal ones. This is sooo very exciting to me. The guppies will come once the aereal leaves start to develop so that they can nibble on the aquatic ones.