Michaels dry lotus flower seeds

[DrDave]

I tried 3 seeds a customer brought me and they failed to sprout. So I went to Michaels and found some dried lotus flowers and was able to get 17 seeds from 3 flowers.
So today is day one of the soak. I guess we will see.
My wife reminded me that I could have bought a plant a few years back and didn't. Well it was $80 and I thought that a little excessive.
The seeds are in a tall beverage glass for now.

 

[j.w]

Rich (Oldmarine) on this forum bought some also at Michaels and they grew but died cuz of the cold Springs up here I believe
You will have better luck being in that nice warm, balmy climate :lol:

 

[KennethO]

Was going to start that tomorrow too. How much was the flower at Micheals? Was going to pick a few up on the way to work.

And I thought most lotus were zone5 hardy. Anyone know if it's true?
I bet they will be a large bloom or fast growth veriety since they most likely came from a comercial grower.

 

[fishin4cars]

I read the tip about filing the seed to help it split. I used a dremel tool, That casing is HARD! carefully grounded with a diamond bit a line on the dimpled in side until the brown started appearing cream colored, made about a 1/4-1/3" cut. Don't grind the pointed end, That's not where they split open. Put the seed in a clear water bottle filled with hot (120F+/-) pond water, sat out in the sun, changed the water out daily with fresh pond water. The first leaf was at the top of the bottle in a week and I took it out and planted it in kitty litter. NO Fert. tablets. There were no roots showing when I planted, Today made 21 days, it has four leaves, and is taking off! I finally added a couple of tomato spikes today. Was really easy, I have three more seeds, thinking about starting at least one more. But where would I put it?

 

[taherrmann4]

Fishin how deep in the pond did you place it?

 

[DrDave]

I paid 5 dollars for 3 flowers that had a total of 17 seeds in them. They glue in the seeds with RTV.

 

[fishin4cars]

Fishin how deep in the pond did you place it?

Right now I have it planted in about 6" of water may go lightly deeper so I can incourgae good root growth, I don't expect blooms this year and hoping it will just get a good start for this season, Oh, and there are five floating leaves as of today.

 

[addy1]

great fishin! keep us posted

I started one in the house over winter. Never did really well.

 

[ZmanArt007]

What is the deepest a lotus can be planted in a pond?

 

[fishin4cars]

Lotus don't really like deep water, the deeper you go the more the root system will try to grow out, But the less the leaves will stand up, 2-6" of water is really about the most you want on top of them in most cases. For more blooms, raise the pot where the top edge of the pot is just out of the water but the planting media is still fully wet. But once the plants starts fading back get it back down in the water. They do over heat and sun burn fairly easy.

 

[KennethO]

So an update.

You go to the dried flower section in Michael's. 3 pods for about 5.50$. They look like this.

Take a Dremel tool or file to the end with a pin hole or the side of the seed. Will look like this.

Place it in a container of water and change it twice a day. I use warm water.

This is 48 hours after.

I had 15. As of today 5 have cracked and started to sprout.

 

[addy1]

neat very nice, good luck growing

 

[taherrmann4]

At what point will you take this and put it in the pond?

 

[addy1]

I would wait until you have a floating leaf. They come up fast when they start.

 

[taherrmann4]

When you say floating leaf do you mean a leaf that will reach the water surface at whatever depth you have it in your pond? Not sure if my explaination makes sense.