Princess Abby of Ten Mile Creek Lotus
Dainty regal gem!

Princess Abby of Ten Mile Creek

Plant Description

Princess Abby of Ten Mile Creek is a sparkling jewel of a lotus. Vibrant-pink petal tips with creamy-white to pale-yellow inner petals on this little gem. Princess Abby is a delightful, little lotus that can be grown as a micro-mini lotus, an Exquisite of Bowl Lotus or as a Dwarf lotus, depending on the container size you choose. Princess Abby is simply outstanding in small containers on your patio.  Grows to 1 - 1 1/2 feet tall

Micro-Mini, Exquisite of Bowl or Dwarf/Versicolor/Single-Petal

Planting Instructions

Plant in a wide (16-20 inch wide or wider), container using loam soil. Dig a trench across the surface of the soil and gently place the lotus tuber in the trench being careful not to break or damage the growth tips. Cover all but the growth tips with soil, leaving growth tips exposed. Add two or three inches of water above the soil and place in a sunny location outdoors. (Lotus need 8+ hours of sunlight to grow and bloom) In a week or two you should have coin leaves on the surface of the water, a week or two after that you should have aerial leaves growing out of the water. Once you have aerial leaves, your lotus must be fertilized. (Smaller containers may be used for Micro-Minis and Exquisite of Bowl Lotus)

Fertilizing Instructions

Lotus are very heavy feeders. We recommend Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs for optimum growth, best bloom and ease of use. Simply press the fertilizer tabs into the soil near the roots of your lotus--being careful not to damage the roots. Do this once a month during the growing/blooming season (June through August). 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!