Planting lotus seed indoor (Nelumbo nucifera)室內孵蓮子

Planting lotus seed indoor (Nelumbo nucifera)室內孵蓮子

first leaf of lotus from lotus seed

This time I use temperature controlled aquarium heater to keep the water temperature at 24 C. There is a light right above the container for 8 hours a day. Normally from seed to first bloom will take 1-3 months if growing condition is good. This is a single, deep pink lotus. Its flower of mother plant looks like this…

蓮/荷（學名：Nelumbo nucifera）蓮科蓮屬多年生草本挺水植物,荷花原產於中國. 它是印度和越南的國花. 種類有很多種,從大型的需種到寬廣池塘的到小型的碗蓮. 又分開花的花蓮和不開花食用為主的菜蓮品種,耐寒與否和品種也有很大的差異. 一般蓮荷種植偏愛黏性土壤,全日照,重肥和喜高溫.

Lotus roots in fall (plant wilt during dormancy) which I grown it from this medium to small type of lotus from seed in late spring.  (Nelumbo nucifera) 春末孵的中小型蓮子,秋冷休眠翻盆看看藕根的狀況.

Lotus seed growth (in progress) 孵蓮子續篇

Lotus seed growth (in progress)孵蓮子續篇

Day 20. Two leaves and the third leaf is coming. You can see the root already.
第20天. 已有2片小葉,第3片葉片已形成. 可以看到根已長出.

Planning to plant it into a water container with soil (better in clay soil) and hopefully the weather will be warmer by then.

計畫用黏土種在水盆裡,希望到時天氣好轉回暖.

Plant one in a large bucket with dirt 1.5-2 feet deep with some water over the soil. It will flower either in 3 months or next year. Put some copper things (pennies or other copper object so will not grow mosquitos).

They can be over winter outdoors with simply protection. The lotus root, leave and flowers can be veggies too!

You actually can purchase lotus seeds from dry lotus pods cheap from any craft store!

孵蓮子囉! Growing Lotus from seeds

孵蓮子囉! Growing Lotus from seeds

Pictures shown the tools you will need and the progress of growing. From day zero (removing shell) than day 1 (seed soaked and inflatted), day 2 (the tiny green shoot shown), day 3 (seed cracked and green shoot shown more) and day 4 (you can see the root shown a bit and leaf formed and streched). They grow rather fast and magical!

The seed has very hard shell on, you will need tool to remove the shell otherwise it will not asord water at all. Use pliers to stablize the seed and use utility knife to cut the round end (where the shoots will come out), the other end is pointy end (where the roots will grow).

The seed shell is quite smooth, very slippery to cut. Becareful don’t hurt yourself or the seeds… It needs practice to get better of removing sell. Be patient!

According to my reserch, it will take 3 months to a year from a seed to grow the first flower. Here I am growing white single, white double, pink single, pink double and one is large white single. I will keep update the progress!

孵蓮子囉! 花友送的禮物.

第一先用工具固定後去厚皮. 然後就泡水置於溫暖處. 很快就會長出綠色的小葉片. 待根長出後用土種在小盆放水裡養,或直接種在缸碗裡,需全日照. 這次孵的這些是不耐寒的,冬天要搬進屋. 從孵種子到開花至少3個月或隔年. 好期待喔!