LOTUS SEEDS GERMINATION INSTRUCTION

LOTUS SEEDS GERMINATION INSTRUCTION

1. Scar the seeds. File the pointed tip of the seed down to one layer using a standard metal file. If you do not scar the seed, it will not grow and may rot.

2 Place the seeds into a glass of warm water. The water should not be chlorinated and must be changed every day until the lotus seeds sprout. After the first day of soaking, the seeds should swell to nearly twice their original size.

3. Continue changing the water daily even after the seeds sprout. You must be more delicate than before to avoid disturbing the growth, however. Growth should start after four or five days of soaking, but you will need to wait a few more days until the seedling is at least 6 in. (15.24 cm) long before transferring.

4. Pick the right pot. A 3 to 5 gallon (11 to 19 liter) container should provide a young lotus plant with enough room to grow. A black plastic bucket works best because of its ability to retain heat and warm the seedlings. You also need to choose a bucket that does not have any drainage holes. The plant can actually gravitate toward the drainage holes and begin growing outside of them, causing the plant to under-perform.

5. Anchor the seeds. Lotus seeds without an anchor may find their way out of the soil and end up floating on the surface of the water. Gently wrap a small amount of modeling clay around each seed, but do not cover the sprout.

6.   Fill your pot with dense soil. The ideal soil is about two parts clay and one part river sand. Fill the pot with about 6 in. (15.24 cm) of this potting medium.

7.  Gently press the seeds into the top of the soil. The seeds should rest near the top of the soil, but you should brush a light layer of soil over the seeds after you press them in.

8. Lower the pot into shallow water. The water should be a maximum of 18 in. (45.72 cm) deep and at a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 degrees Celsius).