Q&A for How to Grow Lotus Flower

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  • Question
    Can a lotus grow in indirect sunlight?
    Community Answer
    Yes.
  • Question
    After sprouting, the plant seed became dry and finally dead, although every day I changed the water. Why?
    Community Answer
    Next time try soaking all seeds in potassium permanganate for five minutes just before planting. This will kill off many of the microscopic organisms that cause early plant die off. Mix just enough PP into a small amount of water to turn the water dark purple. You can also use PP to sterilize the soil, but it should be rinsed before using it. Another option is just baking the soil in an oven to 250 F. Keep seedling submerged in pond water (not chlorinated) until it opens leaves on the water. If your area is extremely dry, you may not be able to keep the young plants alive; all lotus originate in humid conditions.
  • Question
    How do I scar the seeds?
    Community Answer
    You can simply nick with a knife until you see some white.
  • Question
    How far apart should seeds be in a 12 inch pot?
    Community Answer
    One seed is all you need to grow a lotus. If you plant more seeds in a container of about 2' wide you will have more plants growing which will overfill the pot sooner and there is no need for that.
  • Question
    Should I keep the seeds in warm water every day, or only the first day?
    Caeiia
    Top Answerer
    For the whole time that you are growing or rooting your seeds in water, and the water should be warm. This provides the right conditions for germination, and moving the seed to cooler water suddenly could shock it.
  • Question
    What time of year should the seeds be planted?
    Community Answer
    Early spring is the best time of year for planting.
  • Question
    What is a commercial name for fertilizer?
    Community Answer
    There are a lot of different brand names for fertilizer. In the US, Miracle-Gro is one of the more well-known brands. More generally, fertilizer is often marketed as "plant food" or something similar.
  • Question
    How long after planting the seeds will the flowers take to bloom?
    Community Answer
    Your seeds should start to sprout after 4 or 5 days of soaking. However, if you transfer them to the potting container too early, they will likely fail. If you wait too long, your seedlings will start to grow leaves. You can still plant them – just take care to keep the leaves free of the soil.
  • Question
    I don't have a pond to place the sprouted lotus seeds in. Does the plant need to be placed in a pond?
    Community Answer
    Homemade ponds can work, as long as they are temperature-controlled and get the right amount of sunlight. If you aren't aiming for too big of a flower, a cut out milk jug might be a good idea.
  • Question
    After 3 leaves grew on each lotus plant, they started to get black and rotten, then died. I retry each spring and each time the same thing happens. What is my problem?
    Community Answer
    Before planting, add a pinch of copper sulphate in a liter of water and pour it into the bowl. After a day, place the plant in the ground.
  • Question
    Fish are also required for this?
    Community Answer
    No but they are beneficial because fishes in the pot eliminatesthe growth of mosquito larvae. Also, it's a fantastic food for fish.
  • Question
    Can I grow the lotus in a pot without any pond or home-made pond?
    Community Answer
    Yes , you can grow. But the pot size should be wider. A wider space allows the tuber to grow well and enables quick blooming.
  • Question
    How long does it take for the stems to show when growing lotus flowers?
    Community Answer
    The stem usually shows up after the seed has opened. They usually start out curved then they soon straighten up.
  • Question
    How long does a blue lotus take to grow from seed to bloom?
    Community Answer
    Blue lotus is typically not a lotus, it's a water Lily. It will typically bloom when the plant is mature, about 2 to 4 weeks after a month a tuber has been planted.
  • Question
    I just put 2 brand new lotus seeds in my 29-gallon fish tank. Is this okay?
    Community Answer
    Water lilies are better in aquariums. Although your lotus can survive in your deep tank (make sure you're not having a small variety), it can deplete the substrate from nutrients and only provide a view above and not below. It can also block light from your submerged plants.
  • Question
    How do I plant makhana?
    Community Answer
    Makhana or prickly water Lily (Euryale ferox) has seeds that have to be scarrified like lotus. You may follow the steps in growing lotus from seeds, as they have similar growing conditions.
  • Question
    What is the maximum tolerated temperature of a lotus plant?
    Community Answer
    Lotus can tolerate hot temperatures above the water. However, if the water feels like almost boiling, make sure to relocate it somewhere where the water temperature won't exceed 40-50°C. Although, they can tolerate very high temperature for a short period only.
  • Question
    What do I do if the leaves on my transplanted seedlings are either turning black on the edges or getting yellow and dying?
    Community Answer
    Check your water parameters, as these can be indications of nutrient burning. Have you fertilized your water, or was the soil was heavily fertilized with synthetic or organic fertilizer? If yes, replace. However, if the issue was caused by diseases, you may try to cut the infected leaves, as lotus seedlings sprout 2 leaflets upon rooting and the first leaf opening.
  • Question
    Can a lotus flower grow on land and not in water?
    Community Answer
    Generally, no. The lotus needs water in order to stimulate germination. Planting a sprout on dry land will likely kill the seed, as lotus is an emergent aquatic and not terrestrial.
  • Question
    How do I control fungal diseases on a lotus plant, especially a young one?
    Community Answer
    Check the severity of the infection. Generally you won't use liquid fungicides, as lotus leaves are hydrophobic and prefer dry-based ones. If the young plant is actively sprouting new leaves, cut the infected part and help the plant by reducing temp fluctuations and physical stresses. If the young plant is severely infected, discard the seedling and plant another one.
  • Question
    My scarified seeds have been soaking for a week, and white frothy-looking stuff is coming from the sacrificed area. What is this, and are the seeds still good?
    Community Answer
    Try to check if a foul odor is present along with the froth you have mentioned. If so, try changing the water, but if it still remains or continues to manifest, your seed is presumably rotting or dead. Lotus seeds should germinate for about less than a week (although some need more time).
  • Question
    What do I do if my lotus seed has been in water for a month and is not sprouting yet?
    Community Answer
    Lotus seeds germinate in warm conditions and with high amounts of light. If you grew it in the wrong period, then you might have to wait. Check if the seeds are floating; if the seeds haven't submerged after placing or float after a week, then your seeds are infertile. Since the first step is to scarify the seeds, when you soak the seed it becomes soft. Try to scrape some of the black coating and see if some green is inside. If not, discard the seeds if you see something rotting. A bad odor will also indicate bad seeds.
  • Question
    Can I grow lotus flowers inside at home?
    Community Answer
    You may grown them indoors, but you need to make sure that the water temperature stays warm and the amount of light is great. Never put it in a place inside your house where it won't receive long periods of light.
  • Question
    Can I grow the lotus plum in water?
    Community Answer
    If you mean sprout the lotus seed in water and then transplant it later, then yes, you can sprout the seed in clean water, and then, transplant it to a permanent container sooner.
  • Question
    Where can I get dechlorinated water for my lotus flower?
    Community Answer
    Packaged drinking water or rainwater are two good sources. Or, you could try de-chlorinating the water by keeping the container of chlorinated water out in the open sun for 3 days and then it should be safe to use for your lotus plant (the chlorine will evaporate). Note: A dark container (black, preferably) may ensure less-to-no algal growth while the container is in the sun.
  • Question
    is it necessary to scar the seeds before soaking them in water? Can I break them apart gently using a set of pliers?
    Community Answer
    Scarring a healthy seed helps to germinate within three days. Do not break them as you very likely will lose the seed for good. Use a piece of sandpaper and rub the seed on the dimple side until you see a creamy-white layer. This is a very neat way of scarring the tough seed. Caution: Take care of your finger/ fingernails while rubbing the seed against the sandpaper - you may not notice that your finger nail is also being removed!
  • Question
    Do I need to remove the waxy layer that forms around the lotus seed and the budding leaf or should I leave it?
    Community Answer
    According to my observation, yes, the cloudy/waxy layer will likely engulf the seed and also form a layer around the new shoots and suffocate them. You may lose it if unattended. If you are seeing this while sprouting the seed, gently wash it the bowl, empty and clean the bowl and refill with fresh water. Ensure to change the water in the seed bowl twice a day to minimize the clouding.
  • Question
    If something ate one of the leaves overnight, will the stem grow a new leaf?
    Community Answer
    No, the stem won't sprout a new leaf.
  • Question
    Can I grow lotus flowers from dried puffy cooked seeds?
    Community Answer
    No, you need live seeds.
  • Question
    How do I grow my lotus flowers in a bowl?
    Community Answer
    I have a lotus in a round tub about 24 inches in diameter. I have seen on the internet growers using a 5-gallon bucket. You may want to look into obtaining a micro lotus. Keep in mind that even if the lotus is small, the need for sunlight is still the same as large lotus plants. I tried to start a full-size lotus indoors from seed using lights and it got stunted and never grew even when placed out in springtime. It's hard to mimic full summer sunlight.
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