See pics of my aquatic plant.........

[hollyberrylady08]

[glow=red,2,300]Here are pictures of my Nelumbo (Lotus flower) growing in my container water garden. The plant is only a very young seedling, but is steadily growing! The first four leaves will float on top of the water, and the rest stand upright. The flowers of my lotus will be large and pink! The plant grows in 4 inches of soil, and 4 inches of water covering the soil! I will post more pics as it grows........[/glow]

[Christy]

awesome you grew it by seed! love your heart rocks!!
i have some waterlilys in my lil pond but never get a bloom cause its shade. i was thinking of potting one up to put in the sun n see if i get a bloom

[hollyberrylady08]

[glow=red,2,300]Hey Christy!

Yes, I germinated the seed only less than a month ago! I am really enjoying watching it grow. The fact that it's growing in a little container pond, only makes things more exciting!

Unfortunately, it's not all fun and games! You must keep the water clean, and free of algae. I use a small hand strainer to skim the top of the water every couple of weeks, and just last night I inserted an old water fountain pump, to keep the water circulating, and full of air bubbles - which helps the plant thrive! Plus it prevents algae from forming - or at least slows it!

Thanks for the compliments! I am really enjoying this little experiment.......[/glow]

[hollyberrylady08]

[glow=red,2,300]By the way - about your water lily - yes, definitely get it into some sun! I heard water lilies can be easily grown in containers too! I would like to see pics of yours if you get a bloom this time. Good luck to you - I love water plants......[/glow]

[hollyberrylady08]

I was ashamed to admit it, but it's time to come clean...um - the plant above...died!

The good news is, I've started another one, and it is thriving!

The Hollyberry Lady never gives up. I think it was just the time of year I tried to grow it in. It seems to be growing much better and faster now in March - not surprising.

I will show pics later when this new one grows beyond the stage of the last one I posted...

[wf]

lovely shots and the stones are real nice.i like water plants but havnt got a pond at my new house as yet...its in pipeline though but i tend to plant wildflowers/bog plants.

[hollyberrylady08]

Thanks for the compliments wf! I have been trying to grow this plant for a long time now. I've had many failures, and have wasted a lot of seeds trying.

The Nelumbo plant likes to grow in very shallow water, and for the level to constantly remain exactly the same. I tried to grow it in an actual pond last summer, but was not successful. I will not give up until I master this plant. It can be grown quite well in a container. I have a feeling it will work out this time, with the nice weather approaching. Plus I know more this time.

I love bog plants - especially Venus Flytrap. I enjoy plants that are rare and challenging. It is so exciting when you figure them out, and they start to thrive for you.

[hollyberrylady08]

NELUMBO # TWO



Well, there it is. Only this time let's hope I have success. The third shoot is coming up fast, and will open a leaf similar to the other two, that will also float.

After the fourth leaf develops, the following leaves are said to grow upright and out of the water. The first four floating leaves are what will balance the large plant.

I am getting very excited now! Just hope this one doesn't croak too So far so good, though. Notice I've made the water level much deeper this time? It seemed like it needed more water last time, so I am trying this.

I will continue to show pics as it matures...

[Rita]

I have one .. its in my pond .. had it 2 years and still no bloom ..

good luck with this .. Its always a challenge to grow new types of flowers and plants

[hollyberrylady08]

Did you ever use any aquatic fertilizer on your lotus, Rita? I have a few of these tablets that someone gave me for aquatic plants, that you poke down into the soil, to promote blooming. I'm not sure where she got them from though.

Also, is your nelumbo situated in a full-sun position? Not enough hours of sun each day, could be the reason for no blooms as well...

[hollyberrylady08]

Just took this new pic earlier this evening, of my lotus, after adding a few more decorative rocks.

Wow - just a few short days later, and the third leaf has opened up! The fourth shoot is starting to come up from the center, too!

Check it out now...

[Rita]

Yup i put the tabs in it ect .. it seems to love the location as it grows well ... But still no blooms ..

yours is taking off well there HBL Wish you luck!!

[hollyberrylady08]

Thanks Rita

Well that's weird you didn't have any blooms yet - maybe you will this year. Do you know what color yours is supposed to be? The one I am growing in the pic will be yellow. I can see that it is growing way better - not a wonder with it being March and all. It just seems to be growing twice as fast for me this time.

I am really enjoying watching it grow. It's different having something growing in water, and in your own living room! I just can't wait to see what happens next with this plant - it is so cool. I might bring it outside for the summer - it just depends on how it performs inside but so far so good!

I will keep ya posted...

[Rita]

I think its suppose to be pink like the flower in your avatar there ..
I Forgot .. either that or red .. Its probably None of those colors

[hollyberrylady08]

I just wanna know why yours isn't blooming yet, because I am afraid the same thing will happen to mine!

I understand that the leaves are stunningly beautiful too, even with no flowers. I just hope yours blooms this year - it does keep coming back for you every year though, does it?

That's a good sign!

[Rita]

Yeah it keeps popping up out of the pond .. I have read that some can take years to flower
The leaves are pretty tho they get that red tint to them

[hollyberrylady08]

I think the flowers will be worth the wait. I understand that nelumbo also has a gorgeous stunning seed pod, that is most ornamental and unusual looking!

If yours does bloom, and you get a seed pod, be sure to collect the seeds! I want to be the first one given some of them, too!!!

It's great that yours keeps showing itself! It is a sign that everything is just fine, and you will likely see flowers soon - maybe even this year!

[Rita]

One of these days if it does ever bloom I will be happy to share the seeds ..

I sure hope it blooms this year .. Got the nasty job of cleaning out the pond coming up soon as its a bit warmer outside

[hollyberrylady08]

Grrrrr - but once it's done, it's awesome.

Love to see your pond when you get it looking presentable...

[Rita]

This is about the best picture I have at this time of it .. think it was at night .. cause the solar light was on .. this was a few years back its filled in a lot more now

[hollyberrylady08]

:)Wow - that's a really pretty pond!
I love the shape of it. Thanks for showng us a peek.

How deep is it? Is that a lily I see, in the top right hand corner of the pic? Love the plants you have around the pond.

[Rita]

Yeah thats my lily
My little pond is about 36 inches deep but also has little tarraces to put other plants ect

Have a lot of little this and that growing around it mint thyme , irish moss .. lots of soft ground covers
Of course my lilys and other flowers as well

[Christy]

rita if yours keep popin out the pond,
are yours potted? put a few rocks in the pot to hold it down.
ive had mine 5 years n still no blooms cause its in part-full shade.
mine are all potted n set down in the pond.

good you tried again HB awesome you grew them from seed

[hollyberrylady08]

Yup, there are different kinds of Nelumbo, so some may take a long time to bloom. Yours Rita, is obviously one that takes longer, but imagine how gorgeous the flowers will be, when they do finally appear?!!!

Wow, so your pond is fairly deep! Is that your Nelumbo, floating on the water? I just love your pond - it's beautiful Rita!

Thanks Christy, for the compliments about growing it from a seed! I am optimistic that this time, it may work out. I did a lot of researching, and this plant is capable of growing in a container - and blooming in it, too! This is why I even attempted it, in the first place.

Of course if I get a seed pod, I will share my seeds too! I will post another pic soon as well - don't want to seem too fanatical. My mom says I call her excitedly, if even a new leaf has appeared on any given plant! Of course, I deny this.

[Rita]

I don't know what kind it is .. I may go get another one or order one so as I will know exactly when it should bloom ..

[hollyberrylady08]

Do you wanna grow one from seed, Rita?

I could part with a yellow or white seed... Don't have many, but could certainly part with one - every seed sprouts...

[Rita]

www.victoria-adventure.org/lotus/growing_from_seed.html

Found this nice little site on your seeds .. I wouldn't mind trying one of whichever you have more of .. both are pretty .. It will be quite a while before I can get the seeds in the pond anyhow right now so .. why don't ya hold on to one for me and I will let you know when I will have time to plant one .. thanks ..

[hollyberrylady08]

Thanks for the great link Rita - I have read it before several times. For those who haven't though, it will be very informative.

No problem about the seed - I will save one for ya. Think I have more yellow, than the white. I had a very special variety, called 'sacred lotus' . The blooms would have been pink! I ran out of them though, and the company I got them from, in California, doesn't have any more available this season! I will get more, just as soon as they have them again.

Yeah, the seeds last hundreds of years, so no rush! They germinate great too, in a small jar of water. I use a nail file to file my seed - which you must do to let water into the inner core. It's actually very fun, growing this plant from seed - soooo pretty, right from the start. It's definitely one of many plants, I am very excited about.

By the way...the fourth shoot has now surfaced to the top of the water!

[Rita]

Thanks Hollyberry ..
It is exciting to get new growth on your new seedlings .. That article was cool how it showed the growth process

[hollyberrylady08]

Yes, that article is excellent, and I referred to it several times, when I first began.

Yes it is exciting when your seedlings grow, because you know you're doing something right! This Lotus seedling is very special to me, because it is so different from my others seedlings, plus it grows in water! How cool is that?!!!

My friends come over and look at it in complete awe, having never seen anything like it -let alone indoors! I got the idea from a lady on another gardening forum - she's the one who sent me the aquatic fertilizer tablets. I learned a lot from her, and sent her a couple of my pink seed variety! If she gets a seed pod, I am going to ask her for some seeds back, or if not, I'll get them from California again later. I have a feeling that she will be successful though, because she knew an awful lot about them.

Very, very, intersting. What an exciting plant this is!