Plant Description
Ultimate 1000 Petal Lotus
Ultimate 1000 Petal Lotus is an exciting, unique new lotus with flowers that will simply delight and dazzle the lotus grower. Plant this tall beauty in a very wide container (24 inches wide minimum). This multi-dimensional lotus needs a wide container (24 - 48 inches wide) using loam soil to achieve the full beauty of this amazing lotus. Once the Ultimate 1000 Petal Lotus begins to bloom, fertilize on a proper feeding schedule to keep the color a robust red, if not, the color of the blooms will be pink.
How to plant your lotus
Plant your lotus in a wide container (24 - 48 inches wide in diameter) using loam soil. Fill your container 3/4 full with loam soil and dig a shallow trench across the surface of the soil. Place your lotus tuber in the trench and carefully cover the tuber with soil, leaving the growth tips exposed. Gently add 4 - 5 inches of water above the soil and place your container in full sunlight outdoors (8 - 12 hours of sunlight daily). In a week or two you should have coin leaves on the surface of the water, a week or two after that you should have aerial leaves growing out of the water. Once you have aerial leaves you may fertilize your lotus.
How to fertilize your lotus
Fertilize your lotus only after you have aerial leaves. Use 1/2 the recommended dosage for the first time you fertilize. Fertilize your lotus again two weeks after the first dose, using the recommended dosage of fertilizer. After this, fertilize your lotus once a month throughout the growing/blooming season to maintain color, optimum growth and robust bloom! You should fertilize your lotus for the last time in early September. This allows you lotus to go dormant naturally.
We recommend Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs. Simply press the tabs into the soil near the roots of your lotus, taking care not to damage the roots.
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!
