Detailed Guide to Lotus Root Cultivation Techniques, Easy for Beginners to Master

First prepare a suitable lotus field, with an appropriate water depth. Then select suitable lotus seeds for sprouting; after sprouting, choose an appropriate time to plant. When planting, first dig a hole, then leave the tail end of the lotus root outside the soil, and bury the bud end tilted downward. After planting, do not rush to water; when the soil is slightly dry, water appropriately, and just carry out good management afterward.

1. Lotus Field

Prepare a suitable lotus field. For the soil, choose deep, organic-rich, slightly acidic or nearly neutral clay soil, with fertile paddy field soil being better. If it is shallow-water lotus root, a low-lying field, ordinary paddy field, or rice field with a water depth of 10-30cm is required, with the deepest not exceeding 80cm. If it is deep-water lotus root, a water level of 30-60cm is required, with the deepest not exceeding 1m, and it is suitable for cultivation in ponds, river bends, and lake shallows.

2. Lotus Seeds

Choose mother lotus roots or fully mature daughter lotus roots with plump lotus heads, intact terminal buds, thick and large lotus bodies, small lotus nodes, thick and strong rear sections, and bright color. After selection, carry out sprouting; after about 20 days, when the lotus buds grow to 10 cm, they can be planted.

3. Planting

In the north, plant in early May; in areas south of the Yangtze River, plant from March to early April, preferably on a sunny morning. When planting, first dig a hole; the size and depth of the hole should be determined according to the size of the selected lotus bud. Then, leave the tail end of the lotus root outside the soil, bury the bud end tilted downward, and when adding water, just ensure that both the head and tail ends have exposed parts. Do not rush to water newly planted lotus buds; when the soil is slightly dry, water appropriately.

4. Management

Lotus root is an aquatic plant and cannot do without water throughout its entire growth period, especially in summer, when the pond must not lack water. In lotus fields, generally maintain 5-6cm of shallow water in the early stage, 15-16cm of water depth in the middle stage, and then release shallow water again in the later stage. Lotus root likes fertilizer and also has a relatively high demand for it, but too much fertilizer should not be applied; apply thin fertilizer frequently. During the growth period of lotus root, add human urine fertilizer 2-3 times: apply the 1st fertilizer when standing leaves begin to appear, apply the 2nd fertilizer when 5 leaves have grown, and apply the 3rd fertilizer when lotus roots begin to form. Generally, in mid-to-late May, manually pull weeds once; do not use pesticides for weeding.

5. Pests and Diseases

Common lotus root diseases include lotus leaf wilt disease, lotus root viral disease, lotus root black spot disease, and lotus root rot disease, while pests include aphids, cotton leafworms, and slug moths. Attention should be paid to prevention and control. Water maggots suck the sap of lotus root roots, stems, and leaves, and lime can be applied to repel and kill them.