Growing the lotus flower (Nelumbo nucifera) in a bowl is a popular way to cultivate miniature or dwarf cultivars, allowing gardeners to enjoy this aquatic plant on patios or indoors. This method offers an alternative to the space required for large pond cultivation. Success relies on understanding the specific needs of these smaller varieties, which require precise conditions for container growth.
Selecting the Necessary Setup
Selecting the correct materials is the first step toward cultivating a healthy bowl lotus. A wide and shallow container is necessary to accommodate the tuber’s horizontal growth pattern. For dwarf varieties, choose a non-porous bowl or pot that lacks drainage holes and has a minimum diameter of 11 to 16 inches.
The potting medium must be heavy and dense to anchor the tuber and prevent it from floating in the water. Use heavy garden clay or a loam topsoil, which is a mix of clay and sand, filling the container about two-thirds full. Do not use standard lightweight potting mixes, which contain peat or perlite, as these materials will float and foul the water. Select a healthy tuber that is firm to the touch and has at least one intact, undamaged growing tip.
Preparing and Planting the Tuber
Successful planting depends on gently preparing the heavy soil and correctly positioning the delicate tuber. Begin by adding water to the heavy clay or loam soil mixture until it forms a thick mud slurry, similar in consistency to a heavy paste. This process removes air pockets and prepares the medium for the aquatic environment.
Carefully place the lotus tuber horizontally onto the surface of the mud, ensuring the fragile growing tip points slightly upwards and away from the sides of the container. The tuber should rest mostly on the soil, with only the main body lightly covered with about one inch of mud. The growing tip must remain exposed and undamaged, as this is the point of new growth. After planting, gently fill the bowl with dechlorinated water until the surface is two to three inches above the soil line, fully submerging the tuber.
Essential Ongoing Maintenance
Providing the correct environment is necessary for the lotus to grow and flower. The most important factor is light, as Nelumbo nucifera requires a minimum of six hours of direct, intense sunlight every day to produce blooms. Placing the bowl in a location that receives full sun is essential; insufficient light is a common reason for a lotus failing to flower.
Water management involves regularly topping off the bowl with water to maintain the required depth above the soil. This prevents the soil from drying out and helps regulate the water temperature, which must remain above 75 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal growth. Using dechlorinated water, such as rainwater or tap water left out overnight, is recommended to avoid chemical buildup.
The lotus is a heavy feeder, but timing the first fertilization is critical. Do not fertilize immediately after planting, as this can burn the young tuber. Fertilization should only begin once the plant has developed its first one or two aerial leaves—the leaves that stand up out of the water, not the initial coin leaves that float on the surface. Start with half the recommended dosage of slow-release aquatic fertilizer tablets, burying them deep into the mud away from the tuber. A regular feeding schedule of full-strength aquatic fertilizer every two to three weeks is required throughout the growing season until late summer to encourage continuous flowering.