Lotus flower, nelumbo, lotus, lotus flowers – care instructions

The lotus flower needs a place that is as sunny as possible and lots of warmth. A location in the south that is not overshadowed is therefore favourable. During the flowering period, the stems can reach far above the water surface and are then sensitive to wind. So that the beautiful flowers do not break off, a sheltered planting or parking space should be chosen.

Substrate

Although lotus flowers are aquatic plants, they also need a substrate. And that has to be as nutritious as possible. Pond soil or loam are suitable, although these substrates only offer a few nutrients. However, they are heavy and give the roots good support.

The necessary nutrients can be provided to the Nelumbo by a depot, i.e. long-term fertilizer.

Culture in the bucket

The warmth-loving lotus flower also thrives very well in a container, it does not necessarily need a pond. This means that it can easily be cultivated on the balcony, on the terrace or in the conservatory. The main thing is that the Nelumbo has enough water, space and sun.

Round vessels with a diameter of at least 50 cm and a height of at least 50 cm are suitable. The container should not be much deeper, otherwise the flowers are in danger. For larger buckets that are used as a balcony pond or are occupied by other plants or even animals, the lotus flower can be planted in a bowl and raised in the container. For example on stones or an upside down flower pot.

culture in the pond

As an aquatic plant , the lotus flowers are of course ideal for the garden pond. When cultivating, however, care must be taken to ensure the appropriate distance from the surface. About 50 cm is cheap, but it should be at least 30 cm. For deeper ponds it is therefore not advisable to place the Nelumbo in the middle. At least not without an increase. Again suitable are substructures made of stones or an upside down bucket on which the planting bowl of the lotus flower is placed.

plant

With the exception of very small tubs, it is always advisable not to plant the Nelumbo directly in the pond or tub. Since the lotus flower has to be fertilized and there is an occasional change of soil, the plant should be placed in a planter. This measure simplifies further care significantly and also protects the plant. The rhizomes are very delicate and break easily, causing them to lose their vigour. They are largely protected in a shell, which reduces the risk of such a breakage.

The lotus flowers are planted between March and May as a rhizome. The root piece has a shape reminiscent of bananas and is easily damaged. Extreme caution is therefore required here. The pieces are inserted into the substrate so that the tip of the shoot points slightly upwards. They are covered – again carefully – with about ten centimeters of substrate.

When inserting, you should not forget to add the appropriate fertilizer to the substrate.

watering and fertilizing

You don’t have to water the lotus flower, but of course it still needs water. And this should be as soft as possible, i.e. contain little lime. Rainwater, already run-in pond water or soft tap water is ideal. If it is not clear whether the water from the tap contains a lot of lime, you should find out first. A visit to the website or a call to the water supplier can provide information. Just like looking at the annual water bill or test strips from the pharmacy.

The lotus flower benefits from annual fertilization. Fertilize in spring with pond plant fertilizer. Best with a depot effect and in spherical form. The dosage here is quite simple. The beads are simply pressed into the substrate near the roots.

In addition, the additional supply is sufficient for one pond season, so the effort is low and is limited to a single dose per year.

But be careful if there are fish or other pond inhabitants. The fertilizer must of course be suitable for this and must not endanger them. In addition, fertilization through feeding, excrement from the pond inhabitants and in the absence of filtering may only be necessary every two to three years.

blending

With the onset of the cold season, the Nelumbo retreats into the rhizome. All parts above it wither and die. They can then be removed directly, but please do not pull them or cut off green parts. By pulling, the rhizome could be damaged or completely detached from the substrate. Removing sections that are still green will result in the loss of nutrients that would otherwise have been stored in the root and are essential for winter survival.

It is only blended when everything has withered down to the substrate. In most cases, however, this measure is not necessary at all, as the upper plant sections fall off on their own and can then be removed from the water. This cleaning can be done in autumn or spring.

hibernate

Lotus flowers are considered hardy when there is at least 30 cm of water above them. Of course, this must not freeze completely during the winter. This is easily possible in a larger garden pond, but not in a bucket. Although you can insulate it and thus protect it against freezing, this is difficult in very harsh winters or in cold climates. It is therefore better to bring the bucket inside. Here it does not have to be bright and also not warm, but frost-free.

In small garden ponds, it is advisable to proceed in a similar way. In autumn you should remove the bowl from the pond and put it in a small bucket or bucket, for example. The roots must never dry out. The usual pond water is best used for humidification. The Nelumbo hibernates between 5°C and 15°C. Care should also be taken to ensure that the water does not ferment or rot. Oily shimmering layers on the water and a foul smell are signs of this. A water change is then urgently indicated at the latest. As a preventative measure, you should urgently remove all withered plant parts, leaves and other organic material.

multiply

The propagation of lotus flowers is possible in two ways. On the one hand through seeds, which are clearly visible in bowls on the stems after flowering. On the other hand by the division of the rhizomes. The division requires less patience, but more caution. The seeds do not always germinate, but they do not pose a threat to the plants.

Propagation by seeds

After flowering, shells appear on the stems, in which several almost spherical seeds are located. These can be removed after drying. Then proceed as follows:

1. After removing the round, firm seed coats, soak them in warm water, for example in a thermos flask, for 24 hours.
2. You can then use sandpaper, a knife with a serrated blade or a small saw to slightly weaken or open it in one place. This shortens the germination time. Of course, extreme care must be taken to avoid risk of injury. In addition, one should not open the seeds completely, but only facilitate the breakthrough.
3. The seeds of the lotus flowers are placed on pond plant substrate and only slightly covered in soft water.
4. At 20°C to 30°C the germination container is set up as brightly as possible. The substrate must never dry out.
5. Depending on whether the seeds have been pre-treated or not, the first germs will appear after just a few weeks. However, it can also take months before the first shoot tips or roots are visible. In the pond it can take years.

To ensure that neither fermentation nor rot occurs during this germination, the introduction of organic material must be prevented. If the germination vessel is outdoors, neither leaves, insects nor other parts should get inside. Airy covering with a close-meshed net can prevent this. Nevertheless, you should watch out for bad smells and oily shimmering deposits on the water and replace the liquid if necessary.

propagation by division

Propagating the lotus flower by division works much faster than using seeds, but requires a lot of finesse. The rhizomes and their shoot tips break easily and can no longer sprout. It is therefore necessary to proceed delicately and cautiously.

Between March and May, when the lotus flowers have not yet sprouted, the roots are freed from any remaining plant residue and the substrate. This works best by rinsing with water, whereby the pressure selected should not be too high. If all remains and dirt are removed, several rhizomes should be visible. These can be separated from each other with light pressure or better with a knife. Each rhizome can then be planted individually as described above.

Implement

The substrate or location should be completely changed every three to four years. This is often necessary just because of the increase in size of the Nelumbo. If it still fits in the bucket or pond, changing the substrate is enough. The rhizomes are freed from the old soil by rinsing and placed in fresh, again fertilized substrate.

This moment is also ideal for dividing the rhizomes, whether for propagation or to reduce size. The transplanting is carried out in the spring between March and May, before the lotus sprout.

Typical diseases, pests and care mistakes

The lotus flower is rarely damaged by diseases and pests, but the wrong location or mistakes in care are more common.
Typical signs of this are:

• Missing bloom
• weak growth
• Faded colors
• Wilting or dying parts of plants before autumn

If there is no flowering, there can be several reasons for the Nelumbo. First, the wrong location. Too little light, stagnant air with high humidity or too deep insertion can be responsible. The water may also contain too much lime or there may be an undersupply of nutrients.

Water and nutrient deficiencies are also reflected in poor growth and pale colors. If individual shoots wither or die before autumn, there is usually a lack of sufficient heat. Here the temperature of the water should be checked and, if necessary, increased to over 20°C.

It is also important to regularly remove foreign bodies, organic material and algae from the pond or tub. In the long run, these have a negative effect on the water quality and reduce the oxygen content, which in turn damages the lotus.