Lotus from seed

[vmckague]

My lotus did really good this year and gave me about 10 blooms. My question is ,will the seeds that fell from the pods into the pond sprout?? My pond has about 2 inches of gunk on the bottom and maybe they will sprout in this organic matter. Any ideas? This is my first year with this pond and I don't think I'll clean it out this year but wait until next. That is the way I did my old small pond and it did really good for 10+ years. No I don't have a bottom drain I just climb in and start cleaning it out. Kind of a right of spring here. LOL

[tranquility]

I really want to say no...I think the seed have to be filed or nicked first....Personally it is alot easier to divide the lotus to get new plants ...rather than start them from seeds....and going into winter with a clean pond is alot better than cleaning it in the spring.....most spring time problems occur from dirty ponds in the winter....
Lawanna

[PondmaninAL]

Maybe in ten years they might sprout but don't hold your breathe. Clean it all out.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[Ky Kim]

I agree with the others.  Much better to clean out in the fall, then you won't have all that muck sitting in the bottom building dangerous toxins.  Then in the spring, blah, yuck and sickness.

As far as your Lotus starting from seeds.  I don't believe they will sprout either.  They need to be scored, filed or nicked.  Then they are very fragile.  I've started them from seeds, but never got past the first leaf or two.

Kim

[bunny56lbc]

I'm afraid I'm going to be a spike in your spoke folk's.....Lotus will sprout from seed without nicking them .
If ya have them in a g'house that is . I've put some compost cow poo in a cornor (sp) of the pond I have in my g'house & I placed some unknicked lotus  seed's in the poo ....wanted to see if they would sprout & they did . They took off pretty good ... After they got their frist pad's . I ended giveing some of them away when they got bigger . One to my cousin Mike & the other's were to people in Gardenweb....because at the time I didn't anyplace to put them .
Just an experment I wanted to try . I did find another small lotus comming up yesterday from the seed .
Somebody over in koipondtalk gave them to me.....maybe Desertponder? Not sure tho .
bonnie

[tranquility]

well you learn something new everyday....I have found seeds in my barrels every year and they have not shown any signs of sprouting....maybe it is the gh that is doing it Bonnie....its neat that you got them to grow so well...but, still its soo much easier just to start them from divisions if you have the mother plant....
Lawanna

[bunny56lbc]

Oh , I'm sure it's the high temp's in the g'house that does it ....Lawanna .
Tho there was a lady in Cincinnati a few year's ago that claimed she just threw in some lotus seed's in her mud pond , they grew & bloomed the next year. I heard that one on the new's , thought she was pretty "lucky" at the time.
bonnie

[PondmaninAL]

Lawanna, IMHO, I think starting them from seed is easier. I've never had any luck with tubers.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[Ky Kim]

That makes since.  They would have to start in the wild from seeds not being nicked.  Hmmm, greenhouse pond.  Ya, know what I'm gonna do this winter....

Kim