Christin Michelle LaBelle Lotus has intense, bright, lip-stick pink color that saturates the wide petals on the single petaled blooms of this tall, statuesque beauty! A rich, frilly, gold fringe surrounds the golden-yellow receptacle, while emerald-green foliage and large seed pods complement this tall lotus nicely.
Planting Instructions
Plant this tall lotus variety in a wide container using loam soil, add 4 - 6 inches of water above the soil and place where your lotus will receive at least 8 hours of sunlight daily. (10 - 12 hours of sunlight is preferred.)
How And When To Fertilize Your Lotus
Do not fertilize until you have aerial leaves growing out of the water. Lotus are very heavy feeders. Your first fertilizer application should be 1/2 dose. Fertilizer you lotus with the recommended dose of fertilizer every three week throughout the growing/blooming season. Your last fertilizer application should be in early September. This allows your lotus to go into dormancy naturally.
We recommend Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs for optimum growth and best bloom.
*Please see our 'Complete Lotus Growing Guide' included with your lotus purchase!
What Is Loam Soil?
Loam soil is a good mixture of Topsoil and Sand
If you are lucky enough to have good topsoil in your backyard, by all means, use your topsoil. All you will have to do is add fertilizer. If you are not so lucky--and your backyard is sand or heavy red or yellow clay, you can mix up a batch of loam soil.
You can create your own loam soil by mixing these two ingredients together
- 2/3 Inorganic Topsoil (Little or no organic material added)
- 1/3 Pool Filter Sand
Mix together thoroughly with a little water. Your soil should clump when squeezed. If your soil is mixed properly, it will not muddy your pond water.
You can purchase inexpensive bags of inexpensive / poor Topsoil at Lowes or Home-Depot. Good soil clumps together as a ball in your hand with only a little moisture.
Don't buy brands like Scott's or Miracle-Gro, as they will contain too much organic matter that can foul your water. Buy an unbranded bag of topsoil instead.
You can purchase Pool Filter Sand at any store that sells pool supplies.
Loam soil is well suited for all aquatic plants (except oxygenators). Oxygenators rarely need to be planted, just anchored in the substrate or in a container filled with sand or 1/8 inch pea gravel.
Sand holds little water but does allow for aeration and drainage.
Some DO's and DON'TS regarding Aquatic Planting Soil
DO NOT use potting soils ( as they are too light and will float right out of the pot). Potting Soil has organic material that will rot and foul your water!
DO NOT add too much composted material (as it is too rich in organic matter and it will ferment underwater and destroy the ecology of your pond).
DO NOT use 100% calcined clay as there is no nutritional value in calcined clay.
DO NOT add rocks, stones or pebbles to the top of your planting container as this will inhibit the growth of your plants. Plants do not grow in rocks and stones in nature!
DO NOT purchase API Aquatic Planting Media or Microbe-lift Aquatic Planting Media as these products are NOT suitable for waterlilies, lotus or most other pond plants. They are suitable for submerged grasses ONLY!
