What soilless cultivation methods are there for lotus?
Soilless cultivation of lotus generally uses bowl lotus as the cultivated variety. Bowl lotus is also known as white lotus, lotus, and lotus flower, and is a perennial aquatic herbaceous flowering plant of the genus Nelumbo in the family Nymphaeaceae.What soilless cultivation methods are there for lotus?Let's find out together!
1. Soilless cultivation methods for lotus
1. Preparatory work
Growing medium
Although bowl lotus is grown soillessly, it still needs some medium. This is because soilless cultivation requires consideration of its stability, so that it will not float with the water.
Therefore, the medium for its soilless cultivation is the water used, and the fine sand or gravel used for anchoring. Some flower growers also use a whole pot of seed lotus roots for anchoring during soilless cultivation, and the effect is also quite good.
Growing container
The choice of container for soilless cultivation of bowl lotus is relatively free. Round glass jars or those of other shapes, and flower pots made of glazed, purple clay, or porcelain are all good choices. Special hydroponic flower pots can also be used. These pots are quite convenient, consisting of an upper and a lower part, with the plant in the upper part and the nutrient solution in the lower part. Similar vessels can also be made by yourself.
Nutrient solution
When bowl lotus is maintained by soilless cultivation, it cannot absorb nutrients from the soil, so a nutrient solution is needed. The nutrient solution can be prepared by yourself; you can use inorganic fertilizers to make an aqueous solution, or use plant nutrient solutions rich in various elements. When preparing the nutrient solution yourself, you can use well water or tap water as the solvent. If you find self-preparation too troublesome, you can buy a special nutrient solution on the market, which is more convenient.
2. Soilless cultivation and management
Soilless cultivation
Because bowl lotus can be planted using seeds or seed lotus roots, this can also be done during soilless cultivation. When planting with seeds, they must first be germinated so the seeds grow into seedlings. When the seedlings grow to about 10 cm, they are transplanted. Using seed lotus roots is relatively simpler and they are also easier to keep alive.
The cultivation time can be chosen when the temperature is above 15°C, as this temperature is relatively suitable for the growth of bowl lotus. First place the medium in the container for anchoring, then place the seed lotus roots or seedlings into it in a lying position, and add water. Be careful to bury its terminal bud in the water, and there should be a 5 cm water layer between the water and the medium.
Care and management
The growth of bowl lotus requires an appropriate amount of nutrient solution, which should be used once a week, and adjustments should be made according to its growth condition. As it grows, the root system will gradually enlarge, so the amount of nutrient solution used should be adjusted, and enough space should be left for its root system to grow further. The container should also be cleaned frequently.
According to the growth habits of bowl lotus, do a good job in daily care and management. Keep the temperature between 20 and 30°C. As for sunlight, it needs sufficient light, but avoid exposure to strong sun. In addition, during its growth period, attention should be paid to the prevention and control of pests and diseases, and they should be discovered and treated promptly.