Plant Description
Chu Chu Lotus is simply dazzling when grown in an ornamental container on your deck, terrace or patio! Chu Chu Lotus is small in size but packs a punch when it come to vivid color and bloom after bloom all season long. Small in size--big on beauty! The single-petal bloom is classic, the color is intense rosy-red and the size makes this a perfect lotus for a container in full sun! CHU CHU LOTUS IS ALWAYS A SELLOUT! Chu Chu Lotus grows 1 - 2 feet tall
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Planting Instructions
Plant this little gem in a wide (16 - 20 inches wide or wider) container using loam soil. Dig a trench in the soil and gently place your lotus tuber in the trench, covering all but the growth tips. Make sure you leave the growth tip exposed and gently add an inch or two of water over the soil. Place in a sunny location outdoors where your lotus will receive at least 8 hours of sunlight daily. In a week or so, you will have coin leaves on the surface of the water, DO NOT fertilize until you have aerial leaves growing out of the water.
Fertilizing Instructions
Fertilize your Chu Chu Lotus once you have aerial leaves. Use three fertilizer tabs each month (June through August) as these are the growing/blooming months. Simply push the fertilizer tabs into the soil around the roots of the lotus, being careful not to damage the roots.
We recommend Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs + Humates for ease of use, optimum growth and best bloom!
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!
