How to Grow Bowl Lotus? A Detailed Guide to Bowl Lotus Planting Methods

The Start of Summer, one of the 24 solar terms, has just passed, and the scorching heat is already arriving in waves. This is also the perfect season for planting bowl lotus. Many flower lovers have surely had experience growing bowl lotus, but after growing it for a long time, the leaves do not grow very well, and it basically never blooms. Do not worry, today the editor of Huinong Network will teach fellow flower lovers how to grow bowl lotus well.

Seed Treatment

The first and most crucial step in growing bowl lotus is cracking the seed shell. This is because the shell of a lotus seed is hard and dense; after the seed fully matures and dries out, water and air cannot easily penetrate it, respiration becomes very slow, and it enters a state of forced dormancy. Therefore, before germinating the seeds, the shell must be cracked open.

One end of a lotus seed has a small pointed tip, and the other end is sunken in. We need to rub the sunken end against a rough surface or use pliers to crack a small opening. Be very careful when doing this to avoid crushing the embryo.

Soaking Seeds to Germinate

Find a container of suitable size and soak the treated seeds in warm water. Pay attention to the cleanliness and temperature of the water. Water that is too hot or too cold is not good for seed germination. Change the water frequently, generally 2-3 times a day, and keep the water temperature at around 20-30 degrees, which is most suitable.

Under these growing conditions, seeds generally sprout in about 3 days. If a seed still has not sprouted after a week, it may be a bad seed, and the chance of germination is slim, so we can soak several seeds at once.

After a few days, we can peel the shell of the sprouted lotus seed down to half the length of the seed body. This makes it easier for the tender sprout to emerge. Remember, never peel off the entire shell.

Water Culture Seedling

After the seeds send out long sprouts, they should be grown in water at around 25 degrees C for about five days. During water culture, keep the water layer about 10 cm deep and provide plenty of light. At this stage there is no need to change the water constantly, and do not stir it with your hands. Flower lovers who cannot keep their hands still should take note.

When white, healthy roots grow from the base of the leaf stalk, it means the seedling is just about ready, and you can proceed to the fourth step.

Planting Seedlings into Mud

This is the most critical step in growing bowl lotus. Many flower lovers think that water lilies can just be grown in water and do not need to grow in mud. This is wrong, and it is also an important reason why water lilies grow poorly and do not bloom.

For growing bowl lotus, we generally choose pond mud as the best option. Find a larger container, put the pond mud in, then add water, and use a tool to break up the large clumps of pond mud. Place the lotus seed in the container, bury the seed completely in the pond mud, and let the leaves spread freely on the water surface. Bowl lotus likes light; only with sufficient light will it grow well.

At this stage, sunlight that is too intense is not suitable, as it will scorch the seedlings. Do not water too much either; this helps raise the water temperature and promote growth. When watering, never pour water in directly, as this will wash the lotus seeds out. You can block the water with your hand and slowly pour it along the wall of the container.

In the mud, the roots of the bowl lotus grow rapidly. At this time it is also very ornamental, adding a touch of greenery to the hot summer. As long as it is given sufficient light and care, the bowl lotus will bloom before long.

The above is a detailed guide to bowl lotus growing techniques compiled by the editor of Huinong Network. Have you all learned it? If you want to learn more growing techniques, please follow Huinong Academy!

A Detailed Guide to Bowl Lotus Planting Methods

A Detailed Guide to Bowl Lotus Planting Methods (2)

The third step is to begin water culture of the seeds. After the seeds sprout, they should be grown in water at around 25 degrees C for 5-7 days. During water culture, the root system of the lotus seedling has weak absorption ability, and growth mainly relies on nutrients provided by the seed embryo, so generally no fertilization is needed. During water culture, keep the water layer about 10 cm deep and provide plenty of light; it is not suitable to change the water frequently or stir it, so as to avoid excessive elongation of the leaves caused by frequently changing their growth direction; keep the leaf stalks in the water and let the leaves lie flat freely on the water surface. When the first leaf opens, the second leaf is about to open, and white roots have grown, it can be planted.

The fourth step is planting. When the sprouts grow to about 10CM, they can be transplanted. According to the needs of bowl lotus planting, choose soil and put it into a flower pot, then add clear water, and mix the soil and fertilizer evenly. After the muddy water clears, plant the water-cultured seedling in the center of the flower pot, with the seed fully buried in the mud, so that the leaves spread freely on the water surface. When transplanting, be careful not to break the leaf stalks, so as not to affect growth. After planting, maintain a water layer of 3-5 cm, but never submerge the leaves in the water. Bowl lotus loves light, so the flower pot should be placed in a sunny spot. The seedlings are delicate; some may scorch when exposed to sunlight, but they will generally still sprout and survive. Do not water too much either; this helps raise the water temperature and promote growth. After growing 7-13 floating leaves, upright leaves will appear. Generally speaking, for multi-flower varieties, flower buds can begin to appear after growing 5-17 upright leaves. The timing of bud appearance varies by variety; some varieties even show buds and bloom before upright leaves grow.