Splendid Sunset Lotus is a delightful, single-petal lotus that grows 2 - 4 feet tall with sunny-yellow tones throughout the petals with gently kissed pink petal tips. Yellow-gold receptacles and stamens and green foliage complement this lotus nicely. This is a versicolor lotus with all the tones of a shimmering sunset at dusk in shades of yellow, pink and gold! The green foliage adds to the splendor of this lovely lotus!
How To Plant Your Lotus Tuber
Plant Splendid Sunset Lotus in a wide container (20 inches or wider) using loam soil. Add 4 inches of water above the soil and place where your lotus will receive 8 - 10 hours of sunlight daily.
How And When To Fertilize Your Lotus
Do not fertilize your lotus until you have aerial leaves growing out of the water. Once you have aerial leaves, it is time to fertilize your lotus. Use 1/2 the recommended dosage for this medium sized lotus which will be 2 fertilizer tabs for the first fertilizer application. Simply press the tabs into the soil of your lotus container. Fertilize with four fertilizer tabs every three weeks throughout the growing and blooming season, making the last fertilizer application in early September. This will allow 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!
