Child Rhyme Lotus
Reserve Lotus Varieties ASAP for 2023!
$ 39.97
Plant Description
2021 Child Rhyme Lotus has pretty, bright-pink blooms that open wide like the out stretched arms of a child wanting a hug! This is a spirited, little, red lotus with single-petal flowers, sunny-yellow centers and lively green foliage that adds a playful element to your water garden or container garden! This is an Exquisite Of Bowl Lotus that is classified as a 'Red' lotus but the color is truly bright-pink! This little lotus can be grown in a 10 inch container and grows to 12 inches tall.
Planting Instructions
Plant this little lotus in a wide container, 10 inches wide or wider, using loam soil. Fill your container 2/3 full with loam soil. Plant the lotus tuber by digging a shallow trench in the surface of the soil and place the tuber in the trench. Cover all but the growth tips with an inch of soil, leaving the growth tips exposed. Gently add two inches of water above the soil. Place the container where it will receive at least 8 - 12 hours of sunlight daily.
How And When To Fertilize Your Lotus
Do not fertilize until you have at least two aerial leaves growing out of the water. Once you have two aerial leaves, you may fertilize with 1/2 the recommended dosage of fertilizer. After the initial dose of fertilizer, begin to fertilize your lotus once every three weeks until the month of September. Fertilize your lotus in early September and then allow your lotus to go into dormancy naturally.
*Please see our 'Complete lotus planting 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!
Bog Plants (Wetland Plants) prefer poor, acidic soil.
The texture of loam soil will retain nutrients and water as well as bind to the nutrients in your fertilizer, where they can deliver these nutrients to your plants. The Pool Filter Sand will allow some drainage and aeration Once you have created loam soil for your pond plants, you are ready to plant waterlilies, lotus and marginal plants in your water garden or pond. Enjoy!
