How Are Lotus Seeds Harvested? A Full Breakdown of Methods and Precautions

Lotus seeds have been recognized since ancient times as a prized tonic, and nowadays lotus seed pods and fresh lotus seeds are widely sold on the market, with more ways to eat them and rich nutrition. There are also quite a few farmers growing lotus seeds now, so do you know how lotus seeds are harvested? Let's find out together.

I. Lotus Seed Harvesting Methods

1. Harvest Timing

The best time to harvest is when the lotus seed pod turns greenish-brown, the seed holes open, the edges are tinged with black, and the lotus seed coat is grayish-yellow or grayish-brown with plump grains.

2. Plum Seed Harvest

Seed lotus is harvested in batches. In the Yangtze River basin, flowering generally occurs around the summer solstice, and the first batch of lotus seeds is usually harvested in July. The fruits harvested at this time ripened during the plum rain season, so they are also called plum seeds. They generally mature 30-40 days after flowering. As temperatures are higher at this time, the lotus seeds mature faster, so harvest once every 2-3 days.

3. Fu Seed Harvest

From Minor Heat to Major Heat, flowering continues, and the fruits that ripen during the dog days are called Fu seeds, also known as Fu lotus. They are generally harvested when mature 30-35 days after flowering. Because of the scorching sun, the lotus seed pods tend to be dark in color, so they should only be harvested once they turn black. In hot, dry weather they mature extremely quickly, so harvesting once every 2-3 days is recommended. Fu seeds are large and plump, of good quality and high yield, accounting for 65%-70% of total lotus seed production. They are key to determining the yield and quality of seed lotus, so they must be harvested in time.

4. Autumn Seed Harvest

Lotus seeds harvested in September-October, whose fruits ripen in autumn, are called autumn seeds. During the ripening process of autumn seeds, temperatures are lower and sunlight is not very intense, so the lotus seed pods do not easily turn black. As long as they turn greenish-brown, the seed holes open, and the edges are slightly tinged with black, they can be harvested. Autumn seeds mature slowly, so they can be harvested once every 5-7 days. Autumn seed production generally accounts for 20%-30% of total production, higher than plum seeds, but their quality is far inferior to that of plum seeds.

II. Precautions

When harvesting lotus seeds, follow the same route each time, pick the lotus seed pods by hand, or hook them down with a small hook on a handle, bring them out of the field, and shell out the lotus seeds. When harvesting deep-water lotus, when the water level is at 70-80 cm, you must harvest by boat: one person poles the boat slowly at the stern, and one person stands at the front of the boat and hooks the lotus seed pods down with a small hook on a handle.

  The above is an introduction to lotus seed harvesting methods and precautions. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.