Almost ready to pot lotus-how to?

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Started nelumbo nucifera from seeds 10 days ago and has grown rapidly since then. Roots also started forming already. When I pot them, should I pot each individual seedling per pot? Or like 3 or 4 plants per pot? I'm not sure how much space they might need and I don't want them to tangle each other neither by root or leaves. Also, I am moving into a new house next week and there is already and existing pond. What if the pond was deeper than the lotus height itself? Should I still completely submerge them and they will eventually grow its leaves to the surface?
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Joshaeus

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Lotuses do not lend themselves to small pots - even the smallest lotus cultivars really need 11-16 inch diameter planters to reach their full potential. Unless your pot is a kiddie pool, I would recommend potting them individually.

Is this purebred nucifera, or a hybrid lotus? Purebred nucifera is a tropical plant and will probably not survive a zone 7 winter.
 
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It says wildcrafted from the Himalayas. But all the online sources I’m looking at states it is hardy to zone 4 as long as the water doesn’t freeze. I can get a de icer for the pond in the winter and prevent a certain area from freezing.
 
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I’ve potted up my lotus seedling today. I went on a searching spree today and could only find these 18 in wide pots for a reasonable price so I bought them and potted one of my lotus in it. Still looks a bit excessive looking at its size now though. Hopefully it grows fast. Has 3 leaves as of now.
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Ok and if the pond is going to be deeper than the lotus’s current height, can I still submerge them in the pond without the plant suffering any ill effects? Or should I wait until it gets tall enough for the leaves to be above the water surface
 

mrsclem

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I would put it up on something. I have a mature lotus in my pond set on stacked milk crates. Water is 4' deep, lotus pot is just under water. Don't think they do well in deep water. Most sites say 6-12" of water over roots.
 
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I used cheap 5" diameter plastic grow pots when I did this--one seedling per pot. Ended up with 18 pots, which I kept submerged in two 35 gallon hard plastic pond liners until I felt there was enough growth to risk moving them to the pond.


Since lotus sprouts are such babies, I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to plant them together. I was planning on letting them grow a basic root system in the plastic pots, then moving them to bigger pots when I felt they were stronger. Didn't end up happening due to complications that are not relevant. But that was the plan.

Actually growing some from seeds again now. Just found 2 of the 20 had germinated this morning! Still hoping for a lot more--if I have extras, I will gift them to my local pond store.
 
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Thanks for info. Do you guys leave the Lotus in the pond during the winter? They say that they can tolerate zone 4 winter temps as long as water doesn’t freeze, which is possible with a de icer disk.
 

mrsclem

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This will be my 1st year having one in the pond. My others are in preform containers, 20 and 75 gallons. They stay out all winter and come back every year.
 
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Thanks for info. Do you guys leave the Lotus in the pond during the winter? They say that they can tolerate zone 4 winter temps as long as water doesn’t freeze, which is possible with a de icer disk.
It is my plan to do so if I get enough growth before the winter.
 

addy1

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Mine are out year round in a 300 gallon stock tank. 1/2 full of kitty litter. Surface around 12 inches down. We have had some hard freezes now and then and they have survived
 
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Ok good to hear that. Now can they survive in moving water? It’s not actually moving but the pond has a waterfall flowing on it so the water is always in motion from that.
 

addy1

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Mine have water moving through all the time, it is a slow flow but it is moving.
 
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They grow fast. Just do not fertilize until you get leaves above the water.
Do you know about how long it will take for the seedling to fill up half the pot? I'll be getting some seeds in soon and I won't have room for several pots if they need to be about 16" - 18" pots.
 

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