Princess Aubrie Of Ten Mile Creek is a spunky little dark-pink lotus named for a princess and fit for a princess. This lively little lotus grows 2 - 4 feet tall and the bubbly, pink blooms look cheerful amidst the green foliage. Row upon row of princess-pink petals form the lovely lotus flowers. Princess Aubrie Lotus of Ten Mile Creek Nursery is a delight!
Planting Instructions
Plant you lotus in a 20 inch wide container using loam soil. Add three inches of water above the soil. Do not fertilize your lotus until you have aerial leaves growing out of the water.
How To Fertilize Your Lotus
Wait until you have aerial leaves to start feeding your lotus. The first dose of fertilizer will be 1/2 dose. Thereafter, fertilize your lotus every three weeks throughout the growing/blooming season using 2 - 3 fertilizer tabs every three weeks. Push the tabs down into the soil of the container, taking care not to damage the roots of your lotus plant. 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!
