How to Plant Bowl Lotus: Planting Methods and Precautions for Bowl Lotus
Bowl lotus is an aquatic plant. Although its flowers are not as magnificent as those of the lotus, many people still love its delicate, petite charm. It can be grown both in soil and in water. Today we will learn how it is planted using the soil method, and what we need to pay attention to when planting. Let's take a look below.
How to Plant Bowl Lotus
If what you bought is a seedling that already has sprouts, then when transplanting, choose a bottomless ceramic pot or plastic flower pot with a diameter of 18cm-30cm. Add half a pot of garden soil or river pond mud free of chemical pollution, then add water and soak for about a week. Observe the water quality: if it turns dark green or a large number of bubbles form, the soil is too rich in nutrients, and you need to rinse it with clean water or replace the potting soil until the water appears light green and is clear to the bottom. When transplanting, press the fine roots of the small lotus seedling into the mud, one plant per pot. After transplanting, add an appropriate amount of water, just enough so that the water does not submerge the small lotus leaves.
Planting Methods and Precautions for Bowl Lotus
1. Planting Methods
1. Sowing time: Lotus seeds have no dormant period. As long as the water temperature can be kept above 16 degrees C, they can be sown in all four seasons. Under suitable temperature and light conditions, lotus seeds take 60-80 days from sowing to flowering in spring. The best sowing time: March to early May.
2. Seed treatment: The outer shell of lotus seeds is hard and dense, so before soaking the seeds you must make an artificial opening. One end of the lotus seed has a small pointed tip, and the other end has a small concave dot. Rub the end with the small concave dot on rough cement ground until it breaks, or use pliers to crack open a small opening. Be careful not to damage the seed embryo, and do not remove the shell.
3. Soaking seeds to promote germination: A summer water temperature of 20 degrees C-30 degrees C is very suitable for lotus seed germination. Depending on the number of seeds, use a bowl or basin to hold water, just enough to soak the seeds. Place it indoors and change the water twice a day; they can germinate within 1 week. After sprouting, place them in a sunny spot, strengthen the light, and do not let them lack water. After 2 weeks, fine roots and 2-3 young tender small lotus leaves grow. Once the leaves are coin-shaped and the root system has formed, they can be divided and transplanted.
4. Transplanting seedlings: Choose a bottomless ceramic pot or plastic flower pot with a diameter of 18cm-30cm. Add half a pot of garden soil or river pond mud free of chemical pollution, and add water to soak two weeks in advance. Do not apply fertilizer. When transplanting, press the fine roots of the small lotus seedling into the mud, one plant per pot. After transplanting, add an appropriate amount of water, just enough so that the water does not submerge the small lotus leaves.
2. Planting Precautions
1. Bowl lotus is delicate and tender. At noon in summer, avoid the scorching sun and move it to a shady place. Also, it should not be displayed indoors for flower viewing for too long; do not exceed 3 days at a time.
2. Bowl lotus most忌讳 being kept in a shady place. The flower pot must be placed in a spot with sufficient light or on the outer edge of a south-facing balcony. It cannot be grown indoors like an indoor foliage plant, because insufficient light will make the lotus leaves grow leggy and lose their green color.
What to Do If the Water for Growing Bowl Lotus Is Always Murky
Actually, when growing bowl lotus, if pond mud is used as the soil, this phenomenon rarely occurs, and the water is basically very clear. So if you have the conditions when growing bowl lotus at home, it is best to use pond mud as the soil, which can appropriately maintain water quality. When planting bowl lotus, be sure to use a small wooden stick to stir the soil vigorously, stirring continuously and as finely as possible. After the soil settles, the water will be relatively clear.
Second, when using garden soil, sprinkle sand on the surface. Note that it should be sprinkled in several batches; after each sprinkling, wait until the sand settles before sprinkling the next batch. This can also keep the water clear. However, when using sand, you must wash it beforehand. Also, you can soak the soil for several more days and stir it several more times before use, so as to clean out as many impurities in the soil as possible.
How Bowl Lotus Overwinters
Around Frost's Descent, bowl lotus must be given cold protection measures so that it can overwinter safely. The simplest method is to place the bowl lotus indoors; as long as it does not freeze, it is fine (even slight freezing is no problem). During overwintering, avoid room temperatures that fluctuate suddenly high and low. If the room temperature stays below 5 degrees C for a long time, you can cover the pot with plastic film, then uncover it after the temperature rises. When spring comes and the temperature is suitable, it will naturally sprout.
It should be noted that even in winter, the potting soil must be kept moist and have water. If you find it lacks water, add water promptly. It is best to water at noon when it is warmer, and use water that has been set out in the sun beforehand, so that the temperature of the bowl lotus potting soil and the water temperature remain consistent. If you are in the southern region and overwintering outdoors, you can use the method of wrapping it in a plastic bag for cold protection.
It seems that keeping the water for growing bowl lotus clear does require certain little tricks. Everyone can give them a try. That way, your bowl lotus will truly live up to the saying “It emerges from the mud unsoiled, and bathes in clear ripples without being flirtatious.” In addition, during the growing process, I still want to remind everyone that you must give bowl lotus sufficient sunlight, otherwise its growth will be affected.