Plant Description
Rose Red Lotus is lovely in various shades of red throughout the lush, full, multi-petal blooms. This tall lotus makes a wonderful focal point in your pond or water garden. The striking, red flowers contrast nicely with the handsome green foliage. This is a delightful pairing that will grace your water garden! Tall/Red/Multi-Petal
How to plant your lotus
Plant your lotus tuber in a wide container using loam soil. Gently make a shallow trench in the surface of the soil and gently place your lotus tuber in the trench. Cover all but the growth tips with soil, leaving the growth tips exposed. Gently add 4 - 5 inches of water above the tuber and place the container in a sunny spot outdoors. The lotus tuber must receive 8 - 12 hours of sunlight to grow and bloom.
How to fertilize your lotus tuber
Wait until your lotus has aerial leaves to fertilize your lotus. Once your lotus has aerial leaves, you may add 1/2 dose of slow release fertilizer to your lotus container. After your first dose, wait two weeks to fertilize again with the recommended dosage on the fertilizer packaging. We recommend Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs, once a month throughout the summer for optimum growth and best bloom. Simply press the tabs into the soil near the roots of your lotus, taking care not to damage the roots. Do this until late summer, then allow your lotus to go dormant.
You may cut the spent leaves and stems from your lotus plants in late fall or early winter, but be sure to cut them above the water line. If you cut below the waterline, you may drown the plant.
Please read our complete guide on 'How To Grow Lotus' 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!
