Jiaxing Lotus
Plant Description
Jiaxing Lotus has dazzling, brilliant-red, classic, single petal flowers that are very large. The intense color stays true and looks spectacular next to the striking, green foliage. One of the Chinese City Series from Mr. Ding Yueshing. Chinese Red Jiaxing Lotus grows 4 feet tall or taller when planted in very wide (24 - 48 inch wide) or wider containers.
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Planting Directions
Plant your lotus tuber in mid May when nights are consistently in the 50's or warmer, and daytime temperatures are consistently in the 70's or warmer. Wide temperature variations will slow the growth of your lotus. Fill your lotus container 2/3 full of loam soil, dig a shallow trench across the surface of the soil and gently place your lotus tuber in the trench. Cover all but the growth tips with two inches of soil, while keeping the growth tips exposed. Gently add six inches of water above the soil and place your container in full sun outdoors. (Lotus need at least 8+ hours of sunlight to grow and bloom.) In a week or two your lotus should have coin leaves growing on the surface of the water. A week or so after that your lotus should have aerial leaves growing out of the water. Once you have aerial eaves, you may fertilize your lotus.
Fertilizing Instructions
Once you have aerial leaves, it is time to fertilize your lotus. Simply press three or four fertilizer tabs into the soil near the roots of your lotus, being careful not to damage the roots. Each month thereafter, press 5 - 6 fertilizer tabs into the soil. Do this once a month (June through September) as these are the growing/blooming months. We recommend Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs + Humates for optimum growth and best bloom. Your lotus should grow and bloom the very first year!
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!
