The hues of lotus flowers range from white through blue, lavender, pink, red, and yellow. They are one of the most gorgeous aquatic plants you can grow, blooming from early to late summer. Unsurprisingly, the lotus is India’s national flower.
Water lilies and lotus plants are similar, however lotus plants differ from lilies in that lotus flowers and foliage are supported on stalks above the water whereas water lily blooms and leaf pads float n the water’s surface (with the exception of tropical water lily flowers which also bloom above the water line). Zones 5 to 10, which includes most of North America, are suitable for Lotus.
Planting Procedure:
Use a container that is watertight and has no drainage holes. Your planting container will be this.
Soil should be at least 4 inches deep in the container.
Just enough water to drench the ground (no standing water).
Place the tuber gently on the surface of the soggy soil.
Now, with the growth tips pointing upward, cover the tuber with a thin layer of dirt, about 4 inches. The majority of the tuber should be buried, but the growing tips should stay exposed. (Leave the growth tips just barely above the earth).
Add a little layer of gravel or sand over the soil. When you insert this growing container into a bigger pond or container pond, this holds the tuber in place and prevents the water from getting muddy.
After planting the tuber in the moist soil, add more water until the tuber is submerged above the tips. The growth tips should always be covered in water, which should be replenished everyday or every other day as it evaporates.
Put it in a sunny area.
Soil and Sun Requirements
Lotus plants require at least six hours of sunlight each day to blossom and grow.
You can use heavy topsoil or clay as soil, or you can purchase soil designed specifically for pond plants. Avoid using garden soil, peat moss, or other organic materials with a high peat content since some of these materials can float in water and too much organic matter in the soil will cause newly planted seeds or tubers to rot.
However, you can add a little compost to your soil. Consider combining topsoil or clay with 20% composted soil. Mix well before adding water.
Light and heat
Even in warmer locations, lotuses may tolerate some shadow, but for the maximum growth and blooming, they need full sunlight. The only exception is in scorching desert regions, where shade cloth is preferred. To thrive, lotuses need summertime temperatures of at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit for at least three months.
Repotting
Lotus tubers can be carefully separated to create new pots when leaf spikes first appear in the spring. For older pots that are overcrowded and have used up their soil, this may also be essential every few years. Lotus tubers’ growth points are extremely brittle and quickly break off. Each tuber normally has a few sprouting points, but even if you remove them all, no matter how large or fat the tuber is, it won’t sprout.
Fertilizer
Use a reputable aquatic plant fertilizer, either slow-release or fast-release, and adhere to the directions. Use twice as much fertilizer per gallon of soil as the manufacturer suggests for tough waterlilies because lotus grows quickly. Lotus produces floating leaves first in the spring, followed by upright leaves. Since it is difficult to over-fertilize a lotus that is growing quickly but simple to do so when they are just starting to sprout, it is advisable to start fertilizing when the lotus is beginning to make standing leaves. Stop fertilizing in the fall to let the lotus use up the fertilizer in their pot in preparation for dormancy.
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