I have some lotus seeds that I friend gave to me late last season. From what I understand these particular lotus are hardy for my zone (5a) and grow like crazy.
Lotus are similar to water lily? Is this right?
And what is the best way to start these seeds?
Thanks. Jenny
Lotus question
Cut the seeds with a knife or foile (make a little hole) a little and soak in the water within two weeks these will germinate.
These plants like fullsun and warm weather.
kaleem
Thanks Kaleem. What do I do with them when they germinate then? Pot them I'm assuming? I've never started any water plants from seed before.
When they germinate, transfer in to a big water pot or in your pond, but becare ful during making hole, just in the shell not in the whole seeds.
Kaleem
Here's a great link for you. I have two seeds starting right now. I change the water every day. The first seed sprouted very quickly and now has one shoot to the top of the glass, and two more starting at the bottom.
Glenda
http://www.faculty.sbc.edu/simpson/Lotus/index.htm
This message was edited Mar 13, 2005 11:20 PM
Thanks I will check this out. I nicked 3 seeds today and have them in a glass of water. I'm glad yours are doing well Glenda! Jenny
Jenny
Becareful, when seeds have roots then it is difficult to transfer in the pond or big pot because these plants are very sensitive. Just wait for germination and then transfer them.
Kaleem
Thanks for the extra tip. :)
Jenny, Kaleem is right. You can lose a lotus in the transfer they are very picky about their roots. I start even the small lotus variety in those oil changing pans that you can get at walmart for about $2.
Hi jenny,
I have started lotus for the past 2 years with about 75% success rate. After they sprout put them into icecream pails with about 4 inches of dirt and sprinkle sand on the top of the dirt to help keep the seed in place. Then submerge the pails into a fish aquarium of water and maintain between 70-75 degrees. Those little puppies just love the heat and they grow like mad. Good luck! ;) I have 6 of them started again this year in my kitchen. They are all doing well. The ones I started last year should get their flower this year.
ggd I've been wanting to grow lotus for along time, I checked out the web page you offered, and low and behold when I got to the end and saw the seed pod, I said to myself, "Self, you've seen those before" I looked over my shoulder and saw an old flowerarrangment with a dried lotus seedpod in it... Shazzam, I'm growing lotus. Thanks alot, I hope they sprout.
Viv
Viv, I think you can defintely grow lotus from those pods. I know people who have done it. Just make sure you nick the pod really good so the water can get inside. The one I have sprouting is now ready to go into a pot, so I will need to find something soon and get it into a bit of dirt and then a bunch of water.
Glenda
This message was edited Mar 15, 2005 3:01 PM
Lotus flowers can be breathtakingly beautiful, but the plants can spread a great deal and overpower a pond. I didn't know this and planted Mrs Perry D. Slocum in a quarter acre pond and have been trying to control it ever since. I suspect this is a particularly vigorous variety, others may spread less.
Incidently, Perry D. Slocum who hybridized many lotus and waterlilies died recently
One seed GERMINATED!!! :O) One other is just getting ready to! I moved the one that did sprout to a gallon size bucket already. No dirt mixed in yet.....just water. I'll put soil in the bucket tomorrow. The link Glenda provided was quite helpful! What an experience this is going to be! Jenny
Yup, spreading habit is a big diff between waterlilies and lotus
Some waterlilies stay where you put them, more or less, they might charge about at the rate of a few inches per year and flower prolific, these are rather nice water lilies to collect. You might want to tidy them up every five or ten years...
Other waterlilies are monsters, they may spread several feet per year with colossal rhisomes that mass up crowns rin numbers, a small pond can become a dome of foliage standing several feet out of the water. Alba, Attraction and Colorado tend to mass up... Expect a lot of heavy, hard work every couple of years to tidy them up
Lotus may scoot twenty, thirty, fourty feet per year....
Regards, andy
Four of the five have sprouted, now to find the right container... fun fun fun!
I soaked my seeds last week and these are going to germinate.
Kaleem
I put my lotus plants in growing tubs today, they were all about 8 in. long with root develoment.. we'll see what happens...
Viv
Because I was going to be away for 3 weeks, I thought I had better plant my two lotus plants in some dirt or they would wither and die while I was gone. I just put some dirt in the bottom of a rubbermaid container as an interim planting spot, and they seem to have done okay for now. Some leaves are at the top of the water, and I can see more coming. I am looking at moving them into a large round plastic tub and putting one in the pond, and one just on the deck. Will that be too deep for them??? I'm just not sure on this. I know I need to get them out of this container. ONce they are in a new container, does the water need to be kept right up to the top all the time??
Thanks for your help.
Glenda
Here's a second picture.
I think that growing lotus like water that is not too deep, maybe 6". Another idea, I think I have read that lotus do NOT like their roots messed with. Dont move them anymore times that you have to-each time you disturb roots and risk infection. I would consider going straight to the larger pot.
charlotte