The lotus is a plant that demands royalty. The lotus flower symbolizes knowledge, purity, and beauty. Intimidated by the beauty of this flower, I always wondered how much of a green thumb one may require to grow a lotus. After ample research, I understood that the lotus can bloom beautifully with the perfect amount of water, light, soil, and care. Here is a guide on how to grow Lotus flowers from Seeds at home.
Grow Lotus Flower: Prepare the Lotus seeds
- The lotus seeds should be dark brown, hard, and about as tiny as corn. The dark brown layer would later be filed off or removed until a cream-coloured layer is uncovered. This dark brown layer is a protective cover that allows the seed to lay dormant for years. To remove the layer, a nail or hammer can be used.
2. Once the protective layer is peeled, submerge the seeds in warm water and keep them in a sunny area to germinate. The seeds must receive 3-4 sunlight, and the water must be 60-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. After a week, you should see sprouts. Ensure the container with the seeds does not have any holes.
4. When the stems of the sprouted seeds are four inches long, place them into a shallow bowl of soil mix and warm water.
5. Once the plant has established itself in the bowl, it’s time to transfer the plant to the pot!
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Planting Lotus
- The lotus prefers warm water and requires space for growth. Consequently, selecting the proper container is vital for a plant’s health. The pot for the lotus should be no less than 12” deep and 24” wide. The key to producing a healthy lotus is ensuring it is surrounded by the proper soil. The soil combination should consist primarily of sand and clay with little organic material.
2. When you spot leaves and a healthy tuber on your lotus, it’s time to transfer the plant into its final home.
3. To build the best home for your plant, layer 3-5” of soil mixture at the bottom of the vessel and plant the tubers into the soil. Once firmly standing, fill the vessel with warm water until they reach the top of the leaves. As the leaves grow, continue adding more water. The water level is crucial to the growth, so ensure to keep a check on the evaporation rate of water as well.
4. Once the lotus begins to develop aerial leaves, your plant has begun to mature. Ensure consistent water levels and a minimum of 8 hours of sunlight. You can amp up the growth by using aquatic fertilizer on the aerial leaves as well. A 10-14-8 aquatic fertilizer is most suitable.
Read: Grow Ginger In A Pot At Home – Care Tips And How To Harvest
Grow Lotus Flower: Signs of pest contamination
While we may harbour the perfect conditions for the lotus to grow, the attack of pests is not uncommon. Keep an eye out for the below signs of pest contamination and pests –
- Since the plant is grown in water, it can share a home with mosquitoes. To prevent mosquitoes in the pot, you can keep guppy fish – these eat the larvae of mosquitoes.
- Leaf rot, due to lack of sunlight.
- Sucking bugs, which can harm the growth of the plants. You can eliminate them from the leaves with a strong shower of water.
- Root rot and black spots on leaves are by spider mites.
- Whiteflies come due to fungal disease on the plant.
- Yellowing leaves are due to a lack of nitrogen in the soil.
- Slow plant growth, is due to a lack of phosphorus in the soil.
- The pinkish-brown colour on the leaves is due to a lack of potassium in the soil.
Now that you have a guide sheet on how to grow and care for a lotus, we hope you won’t be afraid to put your gardening hats on and get a beautiful bloom!