Starting Lotus from Seed

I have some seed from my nelumbo lutea and am wondering how to get them started. I read somewhere to drill a few small holes around the edge and then put them in water. Is that how it is done?
Thanks in advance.

I took a file and filed one end intil I got to the white part. Then placed them in warm water in the window. I changed the water every day. Within 10 days or so, little green shoots came out of the filed part. Then I put mine in a pot with some soil and stones in the bottom. Mine came up quite nicely.

Thanks, gonna give it a try!

Hi Rylaff. I'm in zone 5 and will be starting lotus from seeds. Do I start them now and pot them when they sprout and keep them moist during the winter or do I wait till early spring to start them and put them in the pond when it is warm? I bought a rhizome from a water nursery last year and followed instructions (lay on top of dirt, cover with 2" of water, put in pond when the water in the pond is the same as the water it was in when it was in the house) and it went dormant. At least that is what the nursery said when I called them. They said I had to put it in the pond right away or it would die. This was in early June but it was still unseasonably cold here. The leaves dropped off and the rhizome rotted.

Please tell me when to start the seed rooting in water, how long to keep it potted, how much water to have over it in the pot (or do I keep the pot under water?) and when I can put it in the pond. Thank you so much.

Unless you have strong grow lights in the house or a greenhouse, I think you would need to wait until spring. You could start them in your house and then move them out. I have heard other people put their seeds in only a few inches once they sprout. However I dropped mine into a pot with water.

I love this site and wanted to share the URL with you..it tells you all. I have about 40 seeds from my own lotus that I cannot wait to start. We are in Zone 8 and was also wondering if I should start now or not. We have a hoop house but do not heat in the winter. Someone also said that the new little plants just are not hardy enough to go through the winter..when that small. Lotus is Hardy to Zone 4...but not baby lotus.


http://www.victoria-adventure.org/lotus/lotus_main.html

Thanks Rylaff. I was wondering if I could start the seeds now, keep the seedlings in bright light all winter in the pot wiyth dirt and plenty of water and give them plenty of time to grow that way and then put them in the pond when it is warm enough. I've heard that growing lotus from seeds is easier than from the rhizome. Is this true?

Removed - was just an attempt to get a message to Lotusblossom since I knew she was online and I couldn't call her! ;)

This message was edited Oct 8, 2003 10:54 PM

I started mine in water, but they are floating and I read somewhere, they should sink to the bottom???

I have heard that the ones that float are duds, however some of the ones that I had that floated did sink after a couple of days and then they also sprouted. I did have a few duds. Just make sure when you file that it goes all the way to the white. And change out the warm water every day.

My first lotus sprouted today! About a week ago, I foudn some lotus seeds I had got from Jianhua long time ago. I took two of them, went to the garage, drilled two holes on each of them - put them in a small jar with warm water and shaked. I changed the water almost every day and today the first one germinated. A small green sprout is coming out of the seed. I wonder how can I keep it alive :/ I have growing lights though..

Good luck to you all how are trying to grow lotus from seeds, sprouting part isn't hard, but I've heard keeping the baby plants alive is.
I sent some lotus seeds to my friend in Russia (he's a Finn anyway), he managed to get them to sprout but only one is alive so far I think.

This is a great page for information on lotus seed germination: http://www.faculty.sbc.edu/simpson/Lotus/germination.htm

This is how the seeds looked like October 16th, and it has grown mayeb 3 cm since then. When should I plant it? Can I use a plastic container of somekind, and keep it under the growing lights? Wha kind of soil should I use?

:|

I planted mine as soon as they sprouted. I used regular garden soil. I have heard that they dont like to be disturbed once planted. So, I put mine in a large planter that had no drain hole. I gently pushed the seed partly down into the soil. I had several inches of water in there. I added more water as the plant got bigger.

Congratulations, Evert! :) I've only grown the wild yellow kind, but I think they're all the same in their wants ~ water and lots of it. I did just like Rylaff suggested ~ put the seed about half an inch deep in a pot with no drain holes with regular garden dirt and cover it with water atleast an inch or two over the top of the soil. Do y'all have plastic bottles that Cokes come in or other soft drinks? Those might work great as temporary planters if you cut them off at the top. Put some dirt in there and fill with water. You can see when the roots reach the side. If you have a BIG bucket that holds water, that would be better ~ you could put a foot of soil in the bottom, fill with water as your lotus grows and keep it in there for a long time. Whatever you use, make sure it doesn't have sharp corners ~ a friend of mine used to grow and sell lotus and other water plants and she said lotus rhizomes/tubers don't like to grow into corners.

I was lucky in that I had a big water tank, so I just potted them up in regular gallon plastic plant pots and put them in there, in full sun. Man, they really took off once it got warm outside!

Good luck with yours, Evert!

Evert, I went to check out that page you gave a link to above and it's a GREAT resource for growing these out! In case you didn't see it, at the bottom of the page is a "Next..." link. I just kept following them and it tells you everything we've just told you. It sounds just like what I did with mine and before long, mine were taking over my water tank. I hope you're as succesful. :)

Congrats Evert. Not as lucky here as mine are still just sitting in the water. I have changed it about 2 times a day, so am still hoping they sprout. Will give them another 2 wks and then the "uhoh, trash can"!

Candee, did yours ever sink? Did you put a hole in them first? My personal experience, if they weren't good, you will know in a couple of weeks. You can squeeze them and they will turn to really smelly mush!

Guess I should plant it tomorrow then. I saw the links Wignut, I just wondered if they needed some special soil, like that should I mix some sand into it or.. :)

Hope you get your seeds to sprout. Next time try to drill holes in the seeds, it seems to work :D

They sank and I did use the dremel tool on them. Thanks for letting me know how to tell when the efforts are effortless!!! I have them on a windowsill over the sink, so I'll be able to smell them easily.
Thanks, also Evert, I did dremel tool them till I saw white, but who knows!

Guess you should try with new seeds.
Is there anyone who would have any extra lotus seeds by the way? I'm especially interested on Nelumbo lutea, the yellow lotus.

Oh, the Nelumbo lutea is what I am trying to start from my plant last year. Will check and see if I have any, but believe I sent them to Mitjo, will look this eve Evert. I do think I sent what I had to Mitjo and someone else and just kept 3 for myself, if not and the plant does well next year, I'll be happy to share.

Well, I guess I'll get them somewhere.. If you only have a few, keep them and try to grow yourself one :)

Oh, no I am already trying so if I have anymore I'll let you know.

I just wanted to see if I could grow them (and I can). So I went to the silk flower shop and bought some dried pods. I soaked about 10, and I think 8 sprouted. A pod with about 6 (maybe more) seeds cost me 48 cents. Since it was just a test, I did not want to put a lot of money into it.

Great idea rylaff, I have my dried pods from my plant in an arrangement on the fireplace mantle. That is my main reason for growing lotus, to get the pods. Glad you had such great luck for 48cents!

I got lotus seed in a seed trade a few weeks ago. Just for fun I started 3 of the seeds to experiment with them. 8 days later I now have sprouts. How do I winter them indoors until spring and how do I keep them going? What conditions do they require? Soil? I have a warming plate under the seedlings and they have grown 1-1/2 inches in the last 24 hours. Please help me out with some plant saving information. Oh please because I dont want them to die.

Here is the little buggers