My Lotus 2021

 Can't wait to see if the Lotus will bloom this year.

I think this one is supposed to be CHAWANBASU.  A smaller lotus than the Pink Lips

And this is supposed to be Pink Lips.  Gold fish and mosquito fishes are happy in there.  So hopefully the louts will bloom.

I tried to germinate one of the seed, but it looks like it might have damaged from water being too warm from the sun.  It's been since 4/13 and only a tiny green is showing.  Basically, after sanding off the hard shell.  The Lotus will germinate within a  week and start to shoot out real quick. 

These are the seeds I purchased from Amazon, and I am not sure if they would germinate to grow out.  Hadn't had any luck with any of the flower seeds shipped from China.  I think they zap them at some entry point and likely killed the seeds.

 

Oh, well.  Hopefully the Pink Lips replacement plant I purchased from https://tenmilecreeknursery.com/search?type=product&q=pink+lip Texas Water Lilies https://texaswaterlilies.com/ last year will bloom so I can save the seeds.  I know they will grow for sure from the seeds.  These are the new seeds from a bag of varieties.  So if the germination is a success, it will be surprise to see what they turn out.

Place the seeds in the jar for a couple of days to soften the shell.  Use a medium grade Sand paper to open an end.  Then, peel away.   Place them back in the jar filled with water.  Wait for germination.

Hmm... Not sure..

Update on the seed germination - No luck.  

After sprouting 1 inch it got no where.  They all died.

 

I am testing with three other seeds right now.  They seem to be doing well.   Here they are.

I remembered not to drown them this time.  Leaving leaflets afloat above the water.

Strong root system started to form.  These groups of seeds are doing great!

Time to plant them outside.

Right now, the update on the two new Lotus that arrived.  The roots look very healthy.  They seem to be thriving in the new planter.  I planted the large ones in this pot following the direction sent with the root shipment.   I planted the smaller ones in the grey pot next to it.

These are the new leaflets.

They seem to love the hot sun back in June.

This is last year's plant.  It was struggling at it's location.  I moved it to a bit shadier spot and lowered the water level.  It's happier and begin to grow more leaflets.

 

Added more water as it got used to the new pot.

 

This one had a poor start.  The top soil I purchased had some compost mixed in it even though I tried my best to buy one without it.  I had to dig into my garden to find Clay soil.  It was a poor idea because I know some spots in my garden had been sprayed with weed killer back in March.  But it it surviving.

July 18, 2021 Status:

Both two planters in the foreground are filled with the new lotus and they seem to be doing well.  The new germinated plants are thriving.  It may be too crowded though.  In anticipation that one or two would die from the hot Sacramento heat, I planted three different lotus in one small pot.   I just hope the roots would not bust open the planter, which one of the giant lotus pink lips have done a couple of years back.  It was a disaster and a sad ending that summer was.  A garden mesh fence is placed in front of the Lotus to keep the goldfish from "cooked".  Sunshading from hot 100+F temp to keep water cool for goldfish.  Sometime when the weather is above 100+F, I further place a piece of ground cloth cover over the temporary plastic mesh.

This large ones are one year old, but no Lotus buds in sight.

This one is the latest one with newly germinated lotus seeds and the new lotus purchased.

This one was infested with mosquito larvae a month ago.  Now it is all fixed with a pool of mosquito fish planted by CA Agriculture (for free).  It is quite happy.  This contains the germinated lotus and a small lotus roots I split off from the one I purchased this year (right next to the one in the above picture.)  I am very surprised that it is doing so well.   I will be waiting with anticipation to see what  lotus those rock hard "seed varieties surprise bag" I purchased will grow into. 

A Surprise!  I have never had a single lotus to form a bud in the first year of planting. 

 

    

I wonder what Lotus it is going to be.

Thesefeeder goldfish was only a inch long last year.  Sadly they dies a week ago. 

Farewell Goldfish.