REVEALING NEW COLOURS

 REVEALING NEW COLOURS

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

19/VII/2023

 

There comes a time when one falls deeply in love with flowers. Hibiscus remains my first love. I slowly fell in love with Lotus. All these years we had seen them grow in ponds. It was time to give it a try, in the limited space we have.

 

The Internet taught us how to grow lotus plants from seeds. It started with preparation of the soil in a tub. Seeds were ‘prepared’ and planted. Many sprouted but soon died. More seeds were planted. After showing initial signs of life, they too perished. We felt a little disappointed.

 

This put me in a doubt. Either, the season was not conducive or the quality of the seeds was not up to the mark. It could also be an incorrect soil mix or inadequate water levels. Placement of tubs in direct sunlight could also be a factor. With so many diverse circumstances, it was time to set a new course. We moved from Lotus seeds to Water Lily tubers.

 

Success found our doors. As the pamphlet said, they were hardy and easy to grow plants, even if the leaves rotted during transit, they would sprout within a few days. It was true. The same soil mix and water levels were maintained and we saw water lilies sprout. A ‘Dil Khush’ moment for us.

 

Summers are torrid in the Sun City. The gleaming, dark-green lily leaves soon started showing signs of severe sunburn. Besides, to keep mosquitoes from breeding, we had introduced fish to the tubs. Fish were uncomfortable in those shallow waters in this heat. Here, it shoots up to 45+, whereas 25 to 28 degree C is ideal for fish. We could create a new dish of half boiled fish with lily leaf sauce.

 

Tubs were shifted in full shade under the Champa tree. Fish got comfortable but lilies started to ‘shrink’. From ten odd floating leaves, which covered the whole tub literally, leaves started yellowing and dying, leaving just two or three. Plants were alive but unhappy. This affected their flowering cycle.

 

The pink water lily did flower, but was weak & lasted only a couple of days. Then there was a gap of about a month before the next bloom. After two blooms the lily went ‘silent’. Something was not right.

 

Having understood the ‘character’ of water lilies a little, once they start blooming, buds emerge one after the other. The first flower blooms during sunlight hours for three to four days and closes at dusk. After it completes its flowering cycle, it droops and falls into the water. By then, a new bud emerges to take its place. This is a continuous cycle, till the plant goes into dormancy during winters.

 

‘Sunlight’ was a major factor affecting the health of these plants. What could be the other factor or factors for ‘no blooms’. As a trial, one plant was shifted with its contents to the roof to our main fish tank. There, a purple lily had been continuously blooming.

 

That tub was lowered to the bottom of the tank. We kept our fingers crossed. Fish in that tub now had a bigger tank to frolic and adjusted well. Several water plants procured over the year were also flourishing in this tank. Plants like Water Lettuce & Duckweed are surface floaters. Others, with dense foliage like Hydrilla and Horn Wort had also taken roots.

 

This kept the water temperature regulated to tolerable levels. Plants provided shade, food and oxygen to the fish, besides providing them a playground to romp around. Fish poop gave plants manure and kept them healthy.

 

Within days, lily leaves shot to the surface from the submerged tub. They looked healthy and started multiplying quickly. We understood where we had gone wrong.

 

There are a few more water lily plants growing in smaller tubs. It is time we shifted them into the same tank. I had ordered white, yellow, pink, & purple water lilies. Till now, only the last two have bloomed.

 

Monsoon has set in. Ideal time to shift the rest. How soon will the other colours reveal themselves? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS