Plant Description
Jianxuan 17 has SEEDS, SEEDS, and more SEEDS on this tall, statuesque, changeable, single-petal lotus specimen. Jianxuan 17 is one of the very best seed producing lotus in China! Big, beautiful, changeable blooms in shades of pink and white. Day 1 blooms are deep-pink, Day 2 blooms are white with pink tips and Day 3 blooms are pure white. This tall variety blooms extremely well throughout the season. Jianxuan 17 is a stunning specimen in a large pot or in your pond!
Tall/Single-Petal/Changeable
Planting Instructions
Plant this tall, lotus variety outdoors, in a wide, no-holes container (24 - 48 inches wide or wider) using loam soil. Dig a trench across the surface of the soil and gently place your lotus tuber in the trench, being careful not to break or damage the growth tips. Cover all but the growth tips with an inch of soil. Add 3 - 4 inches of water above the soil and place the container where it will receive at least 8+ hours of sunlight. The more sunlight, the better! In a week or two you will have coin leaves growing on the surface of the water--a week or two after that, you should have aerial leaves growing out of the water. NEVER fertilize your lotus until you have aerial leaves growing out of the water.
Fertilizing Instructions
Once you have aerial leaves growing out of the water, you may fertilize your lotus with 1/2 the recommended dosage of fertilizer the first time you fertilize. We recommend Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs + Humates for ease of use, vigorous plant growth and best bloom. For the first time you fertilize your tall lotus using 1/2 the recommended dosage, simply press 3 - 5 fertilizer tabs into the soil near the roots of your lotus, taking care not to damage the roots. In a couple of weeks you may fertilize your tall lotus variety again using 6 - 10 fertilizer tabs. Do this once a month, 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!
