The lotus is one of the most appreciated plants for its beauty and its high symbolic value. For Buddhists and Hindus, it represents the process of enlightenment, as the lotus grows from the mud of ponds and rises above all of it to bloom with an almost immaculate whiteness. In this way, it is a plant full of meaning and beauty, which will brighten up any garden or area in which it is located. If you want to discover how to cultivate the lotus flower In a simple and easy way, keep reading Green Ecology and we will tell you about it.
How to grow the lotus flower from seed
One of the easiest ways to get a lotus plant is to purchase seeds from a garden store. To plant them, it is usually recommended slightly open the shell outermost being careful not to damage the inner part. This can be achieved by simply scratching this peel with a soft metal file, for example the one used for nails.
Once the seed is ready, it should be placed in a water container and wait a few days until it germinates. It is best to germinate several seeds and then choose those that are in the best condition.
Once the seeds have germinated and have reached a size of approximately 8 cm, it will be time to transplant them to their final pot. As the lotus is a water flower, we will need a suitable container for this type of plant. The first thing to keep in mind is that it will be necessary to have a pot without drainage hole. In this pot, we will place a special amount of soil for aquatic plants (if we used the usual one it would float due to the high amount of organic materials it has) and we will fill 30% of the pot. The rest of the pot will be the space dedicated to water. Next, we will place the germinated seeds in the bottom of the pot, without burying them too much, although we can help ourselves with a little soil to fix them to the bottom of the pot.
After a few months, the lotus plant will have developed into an adult plant. However, it is quite common for lotus plants do not give flowers during the first year. After that time, the characteristic and much appreciated lotus flowers will appear.
How to grow the lotus flower from rhizomes
Another option to have a lotus flower at home is to make it develop from a rhizome, or underground root, which can also be purchased at many garden stores. In this case, it will be necessary place the rhizome in water for a few days until germinates. It is important to change the water frequently, which will help prevent the rhizome from rotting.
Once the rhizome has germinated, it will be time to transfer it to the pot. In this case, it will be necessary to have a pot with the same characteristics as when planting the lotus from seeds. That is, it will be necessary to have pot without drainage, that it has a part of river land, and, in addition, that it also has enough capacity so that it has enough water.
In this case, we will place the rhizome directly on the ground and we will fix it to the surface with the earth itself or, if you prefer, with some stones of little weight that prevent the rhizome from floating. Little by little, the rhizome will grow and, in a few months, you will have an adult lotus plant that, in addition, yes that will be able to give flowers from the first year.
Some important care of the lotus flower
One of the most important aspects to take into account when caring for a lotus plant is that it is a plant that can't stand the cold well. Therefore, it is important that the water never drops below 21 degrees otherwise the plant could die. Likewise, another of the most important aspects that must be taken into account is that it is a plant that needs at least 5 hours of direct light when she is an adult. Thus, it is important that it is in well-lit indoor or outdoor places, such as near a window with direct light.
Finally, another aspect that will have to be taken into account will be conserve water and do it in the best possible conditions. In this sense, it is essential change the water regularly, which will prevent the lotus plant from getting sick or insects or parasites from negatively affecting the lotus. In addition, in the following Green Ecology article we explain how to make natural insecticides for plants.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to grow the lotus flower, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
