Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Growing a lotus from seed
• Method 2 of 3: Growing a lotus from a tuber
• Method 3 of 3: Caring for your lotus
• Tips

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the lotus is considered a sacred plant, it is the national flower of India. The natural habitat of this unpretentious aquatic plant is South Asia and Australia, although with proper care, the lotus can grow in almost any climatic conditions. Lotus can be grown from seeds or tubers. If you grow a lotus from seed, it is unlikely to bloom in the first year.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Growing a lotus from seed

1. 1 Scale the seeds with a file. Rub the tough seeds with a regular metal file to expose the creamy core. Do not file the core, otherwise the lotus will not grow.The outer shell must be removed from the seeds so that water can penetrate into the core.
   • If you don't have a file handy, you can use a sharp knife or even rub the seeds against the concrete surface. Be careful not to touch the core.
2. 2 Place the seeds in warm water. Fill a glass or clear plastic cup with water so you can see the seeds sprout. Use dechlorinated water at a temperature of 24–27 ° C.
   • After a day, the seeds will sink to the bottom of the glass and approximately double in size. Seeds that float on the surface will almost certainly not germinate, so remove them to avoid contaminating the water.
   • Change the water daily, even after the seeds begin to germinate. When doing this, handle very delicate shoots with care.
3. 3 Take a container with a volume of 10-20 liters and pour a layer of soil 15 centimeters thick on the bottom. This capacity will be enough for the growth of a young lotus. A black plastic bucket will help keep warm, which is good for young shoots.
   • It is best if the soil consists of 2 parts of clay and 1 part of river sand. If you use a commercial potting pot potting mix, it will float to the surface after you put the pot in water.
   • Make sure there are no drain holes in the container you are using. Otherwise, the plants will sink to the drainage holes and sprout out, which will negatively affect their condition.
4. 4 When the shoots are 15 centimeters long, remove them from the water. After 4–5 days in the water, the seeds should germinate. However, if you move them too early into the soil, they are more likely to wilt.
   • If you wait too long, leaves will appear on the shoots. You can transplant them after that - just make sure that the leaves are not under the soil.
5. 5 Press the germinated seeds into the soil so that the distance between adjacent shoots is about 10 centimeters. Seeds should not be buried in the ground. Leave the seeds on the surface of the soil and lightly dust them with soil to protect them. They will take root themselves.
   • You can attach a small piece of sculpting clay to the bottom of each seed - this will allow you to weigh them down a little so that they do not float. When you submerge the container in water, light seeds can come off the soil and float to the surface of the water.
6. 6 Dip the container of seeds into the water. The lotus is an aquatic plant, so it needs a layer of water above the soil at least 5–10 centimeters deep. If you grow taller lotus varieties, the water can be up to 45 centimeters deep. Dwarf lotuses need a depth of 5-30 centimeters.
   • The water temperature must be at least 21 ° C. If you live in a relatively cool climate, lower water levels will help the plant keep warm.
   • Seed-grown lotuses rarely flower in the first year after planting. In addition, fertilizer should be used as little as possible during the first year. Let the plant get used to the new environment.

Method 2 of 3: Growing a lotus from a tuber

1. 1 Purchase tubers in early spring. Lotus tubers can be ordered online or purchased at a garden supply store. Lotus tubers do not tolerate transportation well and are difficult to find in late spring after the dormant period. However, you can look for tubers that have been grown in your area.
   • Relatively rare hybrid varieties can be ordered online. If there is a water conservatory nearby, ask its employees to recommend suitable varieties for you. Some gardening societies sell seeds and seedlings.
2. 2 Fill a bowl with water and place the tuber in it. The water temperature should be 24–31 ° C. Lower the tuber gently to the surface of the water. Place the bowl in a warm place near a sunlit window (but not in direct sunlight).
   • If you are going to transplant a lotus into a pond, use water from that pond (make sure it is warm enough). Change the water every 3-7 days or as soon as it becomes dirty.
3. 3 Use a cylindrical container with a diameter of 1–1.2 meters. If the lotus is allowed to grow freely, it will grow to the size of a pot. The capacity will restrain the growth of the lotus and prevent it from occupying the entire pond.
   • A deep container will reduce the likelihood that the lotus will spread beyond its edges and fill the entire body of water. In a round container, the lotus will not be squeezed into a corner, which can slow down its growth or destroy the plant.
4. 4 Pour firm soil into the container. A mixture of 60% clay and 40% river sand works well for a lotus. Leave a gap of 8-10 centimeters between the ground level and the top edges of the pot.
   • You can also take improved soil and sprinkle a 5–8 centimeter thick layer of sand on top of it. Make sure there is enough space between the ground level and the top edge of the container.
5. 5 Press the tuber into the soil. Press the tuber lightly into the sand and carefully line it with rocks so that it does not float to the surface of the water before taking root.
   • Do not completely submerge the tuber or it will rot. The top of the tuber should protrude from the soil.
6. 6 Lower the container with the tuber 15-30 centimeters below the surface of the water. Choose a location that is large enough and well lit by the sun, away from running water. Once you have anchored the tuber in the soil, it can be lowered into the pond.
   • Once you place the tuber in the water, it will take root.

Method 3 of 3: Caring for your lotus

1. 1 Make sure that the water temperature does not drop below 21 ° C. At this temperature, the lotus begins to actively grow. The lotus needs warm water for normal growth. It is best if the air temperature also does not drop below 21 ° C.
   • If the water temperature does not drop below 21 ° C, the lotus will release its leaves after a few days. At a water temperature of 27 ° C and above, the plant will bloom in 3-4 weeks.
   • Check the water temperature every two days. If you live in cooler climates, you may need to heat the water in your pond to keep it at the right temperature.
2. 2 Keep the lotus in direct sunlight. Lotuses love light and must be kept in direct sunlight for at least 5-6 hours a day. If the pond is partially shaded, try trimming or removing vegetation along its sides to get more sunlight.
   • In the European part of Russia, for example in the Kuban, the lotus blooms from about the beginning of July to the end of September. Lotus flowers open early in the morning and begin to close in the afternoon. Individual plants bloom for 3-5 days, then the flowers wither. The flowering process is repeated throughout the remaining months of the growing season.
3. 3 Cut off wilted flowers and yellow or damaged leaves. If the lotus starts spreading around the pond, you can also cut new shoots, but keep in mind that it will continue to grow until you transplant it into a new container in the spring.
   • Never cut flowers or stems below water level. The stems supply oxygen to the roots and bulbs.
4. 4 Use special fertilizer for ponds. For aquatic plants, fertilizers are produced in the form of tablets. Wait until at least 6 leaves appear on the shoot before fertilizing the lotus, and do not stir the fertilizer close to the bulbs.
   • Small lotus varieties may need 2 tablets, while larger ones may need 4 tablets of fertilizer. Fertilize your lotuses every 3-4 weeks until mid-July. If you continue to fertilize the plants further, they will not be able to prepare for a dormant state.
   • If you are growing lotuses from seeds, do not fertilize them for the first year.
5. 5 Watch out for possible pests. Although different pests can be found in different regions, lotus leaves often attract aphids and caterpillars.Apply a small amount of pesticide directly to the leaves to protect the plants from these pests.
   • Liquid pesticides, including organic ones, contain oils and detergents that can damage lotuses.
6. 6 Move the plants to a deeper location in the fall. Lotuses can wait out the winter in fairly cool regions, as long as it is deep enough for the tubers to be sheltered from the ice. The tubers should be below the ice level, the depth of which depends on the specific area.
   • If you have a relatively shallow body of water, you can take a container of lotuses out of it and put it in your garage or basement until spring. Cover the soil with mulch to keep the tubers warm.
7. 7 Repot the tubers every year. In early spring, at the first sign of growth, transplant the lotus into fresh soil and transfer it to its original container (if preserved). Then place the lotus in the pond again at about the same depth as before.
   • If the lotus has spread throughout the pond in the previous year, check for holes or cracks in the container. You may need to use a larger container to keep the lotus from growing outside.

Tips

• If you decide to skip chemical fertilizers, you can try organic seaweed or fishmeal fertilizer.
• The lotus tubers are very tender. Handle them carefully and take care not to damage the sharp tip (the "eye" of the tuber). If you ruin the eye, the tuber will not sprout.
• Flowers, seeds, young leaves and lotus shoots can be eaten, although they are mild psychedelics.
• Lotus seeds can sprout after hundreds or even thousands of years.