How to plant lotus

Lotus is a perennial aquatic plant belonging to the genus Nelumbo in the family Nymphaeaceae. It is also called lotus or water hibiscus . In our country, the history of lotus cultivation is long, with a tradition of more than three thousand years. This elegant flower is not only a beautiful sight in a summer pond, but also carries deep cultural significance. Let’s learn how to plant lotus.

1. Lotus propagation

Lotus is mainly propagated by division, but can also be propagated by seeds. Between August and September, the ripe lotus seeds can be harvested and stored. Wait until early spring of the following year, grind the outer skin of the seed tip, and then sow when the temperature reaches around 25℃. After sowing, add water 3 to 4 cm deep. Although it germinates quickly, the growth rate is slow and it usually takes three years of continuous cultivation before it can bloom.

2. Selection of cultivation site

Flower beds: A common method of cultivation in home gardens is to use flower beds. Lotus requires sufficient sunlight and fertile underwater soil. The water depth should not exceed 2 meters, and the water level should be kept stable. The silt depth in the flower bed should be controlled between 10 and 20 cm. In order to meet the lotus's demand for fertilizer, organic fertilizers such as pig manure and cake fertilizer can be applied.

Potted plants: Choose ornamental varieties suitable for potted plants, such as baby lotus, double lotus, bowl lotus , etc. Use a large clay pot with a diameter of 65 cm, choose pond mud or rice field soil rich in organic matter as the culture soil, and use manure and grass as base fertilizer. The thickness of the fertile mud should be more than 20 cm and the water depth should be controlled between 5 and 10 cm.

3. Cultivation Methods

Pond cultivation: Planting is usually carried out after late April. Choose a shallow pond with a water depth of no more than 60 cm. After draining the water, turn the soil deep, apply base fertilizer, dry it in the sun for a while, add a small amount of water to make the soil into a paste, and then make beds for planting. When planting, choose lotus roots that are thick, neat, and have two complete sections. The row spacing should be 130 to 250 cm, the plant spacing should be 70 to 130 cm, and the planting depth should be about 10 to 15 cm, ensuring that the top buds of the seed lotus roots face upwards. About 125 to 250 kilograms of seed lotus roots are needed per acre.

Potted plants: Spread pond mud about 3 cm thick on the bottom of the pot, apply base fertilizer and then spread another layer of pond mud, filling it to one-third of the depth of the pot. Each section of the lotus root should have at least three nodes. Keep the top bud, waist bud and tail bud in the same direction. Plant it in the pot with the head low and the tail high, and cover it with 6 cm thick soil. In the initial stage of cultivation, the water depth should not exceed 3 cm. After the soil cracks, add water and then dry it in the sun. When the soil is soft and no longer sticky when pressed with your fingers, you can add water. The water depth should be 5 cm before floating leaves appear, and 12 cm after floating leaves appear.

4. Management methods

Irrigation management: The water depth should be 10 to 20 cm in early spring, 50 to 80 cm during the high temperature period in summer, and the water depth should be shallow rather than deep during the lotus root period. After cutting off the dead leaves in autumn, the watering depth should be more than 100 cm.

Fertilization management: Fertilizer can be applied once a month after cultivation, and then applied 1 to 2 times after the erect leaves emerge. Be careful not to use too much nitrogen fertilizer, use well-rotted manure and add appropriate amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Fertilization should be stopped after autumn. For lotus plants grown in pots, it is very important to deal with floating leaves. If there are many floating leaves in early June, you can stuff some of the old floating leaves with their stalks into the soil. When the large upright leaves extend out to all sides, the small upright leaves and small floating leaves should be buried in the soil. The leaves can be cut off when the lotus root is almost mature. In winter, after the lotus leaves dry up, pour out the water in the pot and move it indoors for storage. Dig out the roots and replant them the next year.

The above is an introduction to the lotus planting methods. You can refer to it based on the cultivation model. When planting lotus, you need to pay attention to the issues in the above directions.