hey mothermole- FWIW, I used coarse sandpaper, and held the seed w/pliers. And the seeds should be good; they have found valid seeds from 3,000 yrs ago in pyramids!
uh-oh: Nelumbo seed looks bad...
FWIW ? Oh I get it. Slow . . .
Good news, it appears something is awakening with my lotus seed. I have it in a south facing window with a overhead skylight plus put plant bulbs in the bathroom and have it on a seed starting heated mat (boy, the lengths we will go to nuture a seed . . .). Tonight, when I checked on it, it had a smallish white spot that seems to have emerged ever so slightly. Tomorrow I should be able to determine if this is growing for sure. I think it is though. Very Slowly.
Hooray!!!! Grow, little lotus seed, grow!
IT IS GROWING! Yipee!
Hi, I just came accros this thead and wow! great info!
bwilliams, if you are growing them in zone 6 do you think they would be hardy in my zone 5b?
I have been wanting to try this plant for a long time (in a green house) it never occurred to me that it would grow in my yard!...are we talking about Nelumbo nucifera or the hardier Nelumbo lutea?
They seem to be very tough. I am sure some species will be hardy for you. In most cases it seems that as long as the water does not freeze solid the plants survives. I would think the larger the pond or bog the better for over wintering it would be for you. In most cases here I get 2 to 4 inches of frozen ice on my ponds.
Here is a picture of my mothers Lotus bog. It is a built just like a normal pond 2 feet deep but I filled about 8 inches back in with mud. Their is no moving water and gold fish survive in it year round. This has been the best way I have been able to grow a lotus.
Am I understanding you right that the fish are in mud and are doing fine? No moving water just mud or both?
If it's mud than I definitely need to stick with goldfish (rather than koi) just based on their hardiness . . .
Do the fish ever spawn in the bog?
what species is in your photos? Have you tried more than one?
I do not add the fish for more than a few weeks. The mud will sink and the water will become crystal clear. After this the gold fish should be added. I would not recommend Koi for this set up they need more oxygen in the water. A few friends of mine would put feeder guppy's in theirs but they died each year so I do not add them. Some mosquito eaters can be added which are just minnows and help keep out some pests.
The one in the photo is Perry D Solcum which is a great plant produces large leaves large flowers that turn from pink to white with age. We have tried multiple plants in one bog. It can work but I usually find the the more vigorous form will take over and choke out the others. If they are cut back regularly I would think it possible to keep them in the same bog.
I want to know where everyone is finding their lotus seeds? I have searched the stores.. even the dried floral areas for lotus and can't find any anywhere. I have 2 2ft x 2ft round pots I want to use for little free standing lotus ponds. I know they are a little small but am hoping for some success with a little attention. Think it is possible?
Any suggestions where I might find some seeds?
If anyone would like some lotus seed, I have about 25 of them I can send out for postage. They should be pink. D-mail me.
I walked in one of those stores where people donate clothing, small appliances and things.It only took a few minutes for me to discover an old vine wreath, with very old and broken Christmas ornaments glued on it ! I darn near jumped out of my shoes when I discovered nestled down in there was a big lotus pod, just filled with seeds :) I quickly ran up to the elderly gal at the counter and asked her what the price was on this very old, broken down wreath, and she said oh well, $25.00!!
I offered her $15.00 and she accepted it, I think I was the only sale of the whole day!
I hurried up home and gingerly took the lotus seeds out.. I plan on using a vice and a sharp saw to put the slice in them.. I did the same thing with the lotus seeds from last year then I sunk them down into the bottom of the pond 16-18 ft. Hopefully they will be alive when I get them out :) Someone mentioned using a fine gravel to put over the small lotus seedlings, I am going to use that method with these new ones. I have tried so hard to gingerly take the mature lotus out of the container in the spring, but darn I just keep breaking those tips off,.one reason is because the pond has a clay bottom and I had been using the clay to hold the lotus down. I see now the clay is just to hard.
Being the lazy type I use a grinding wheel on the seeds (Nelumbo nucifera), but hold them with pliers (I value my fingers).
A few things I've found with them, they germinate rapidly but placed in a pond there are 'things' which eat them more rapidly. So now I just put them in a larger container with clean water, in a smaller container with soil.
Once placed them in ordinary plant pots and found they'd all grown and interwoven themselves through the pot holes. Untangling them was a nightmare. But they did survive the ordeal.
Tropicbreeze, you must have the MAGIC TOUCH, indeed! I can't even imagine trying to untangle such a mess. As soon as they start to grow up a foot for so from the seed, it's like trying to separate cooked THIN spaghetti :(
Wow!
Now I'm inspired to try a lotus--never was inclined before, but. . . Wow!
Any suggestions for a fragrant, easy first lotus?
(Should this be a new thread?)
Teresa
No magic touch Tootsie, but a firm resolve now to never ever do it again.
I found this thread after looking around on how to plant lotus seedlings,boy am I glad to find you. I have 6 lotus seedlings I started ,they have a second set of leaves now,all growing in a glass in my kitchen window,I started them in a small 2 gallon aquarium.My question is what now? I have several of the big black rubber troughs,and a pond,I want to put them in the troughs,troughs are about 30 inches tall,what do I use for the growing medium, and how do I do it? They are still so tiny ,and I don't want to lose them.thanks in advance. Becki