New Indian lotus flowers can be obtained cheaply by growing them yourself. A few germinable seeds, suitable substrate and a patient breeder's hand - these are the three promising ingredients. And of course there should be no shortage of warmth and light.
How can you grow Indian lotus flowers yourself?
To grow Indian lotus flowers yourself, you need germinable seeds, suitable substrate, warmth, light and patience. Soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours, then score and sow in pond soil in seed trays. In a warm, bright location, keep the soil evenly moist and wait for seedlings.
Win or buy seeds
As soon as a spent lotus flower drops its leaves, the hemispherical seed capsule appears. Clearly visible green seeds ripen in several circularly arranged depressions. When these have turned dark brown and dried, they can be removed.
If you don't have access to a flowering plant, you can order Indian lotus seeds from an online shop all year round. A bag with around eight seeds costs around four euros.
Sowing is possible at any time
The seeds are sown indoors in seed trays and germinated under controlled conditions. Therefore, sowing can in principle be carried out on any day of the year. However, experts recommend starting cultivation in spring or autumn.
Instructions for sowing seeds
The different seed suppliers on the market give slightly different instructions for sowing. Stick to this when purchasing seeds. Otherwise, the following procedure has proven successful:
- Put the Indian lotus seeds in warm water for 24 hours.
- Then score the seeds with a sharp knife or roughen them with a nail arrow until a small hole becomes visible.
- Fill one or more seed trays with pond soil as needed.
- Place the seed on the soil and add some more soil on top.
- Place the seed trays in a bright, 20-30 °C warm location.
- Keep the soil evenly moist.
- After a few weeks the first seedlings will appear.
Relocating young plants
As soon as the small plants have reached a height of approx. 8 cm, you can plant them in larger pots. Make sure they have the following characteristics:
- a dark coloring
- round shape
- a depth of 60 cm
- and a diameter of at least 50 cm
Tip
You can also keep a lotus flower in a pot as a houseplant. However, it needs to overwinter cooler so that it gets the rest it needs
