How to Propagate Lotus: Detailed Explanation of Propagation Methods and Precautions

As early as May 1985, the lotus (detailed introduction) was selected as one of China's top ten famous flowers, and through the ages there have been countless words of praise for the lotus. Lotus can be divided into two major categories, ornamental and edible, so many friends will wonder: as an aquatic plant, how exactly does the lotus propagate?

Lotus (detailed introduction)

For potted lotus by division, all kinds of preparatory work must be done in advance. If you want to grow large lotus flowers, you need to prepare a tub with low sides (the bottom of the tub must not have drainage holes like those used for growing other flowers); put fertile planting soil in the tub (lotus likes fertilizer), add water and make the soil into a paste (be careful to remove impurities and stones), and apply chicken manure, pigpen manure or yellow manure as base fertilizer. The soil in the pot or tub should account for about 2/3 of the pot or tub depth, with the remaining 1/3 reserved for holding water. The planting time should be at the end of March or the beginning of April, and it is best to do it when the temperature is 25 degrees. Lotus likes to grow in a warm environment with plenty of sunlight, so the pot or tub should be placed in a south-facing, sunny, wind-sheltered spot. In addition, dig out the lotus root retained as seed from last year, choose a short section with an intact, thick and strong terminal bud and two complete root nodes, place it tilted with the terminal bud facing down into mud 15-20 cm deep, with the tail end slightly facing up. Do not add water within one week after planting, so that the seed lotus root can settle firmly in the soil and be encouraged to sprout. The first young tender small leaves to emerge have long, slender and soft petioles, and the leaf blades float on the water surface; these are called floating leaves. As the floating leaves appear and the standing leaves grow, gradually increase the amount of water, finally adding until it is close to the surface of the tub. Potted lotus takes about 100-110 days from planting to flowering.

When propagating lotus by sowing, it is generally done in early April. The seed of the lotus is the lotus seed, which has an extremely hard seed coat. First take the selected good-quality lotus seeds with the coat still on, use a sharp knife to cut off 2-3 mm of the seed coat at the top so that water can soak in, place them in water and soak for 2-3 days, and after the seeds absorb water and swell, sow them in a pot (the pot soil treatment is the same as for the division method), then immerse the pot in a large water vat, keeping 3-4 cm of water above the pot surface. At a temperature of 25-30 degrees, after 8-10 days, fine sprouts can emerge, and afterward leaves gradually grow; by the second year it can bloom.

How to Grow and Care for Epiphyllum and Precautions

Epiphyllum is a beautiful ornamental plant; it is a type of cactus family plant, with bright flower colors and an inviting floral fragrance. Many people like to grow it at home, but they always fail to grow it well. I will now write out the growing methods and precautions for Epiphyllum, so that after everyone understands them, they will know how Epiphyllum should be grown.

1. How to Grow Epiphyllum

When growing Epiphyllum normally, it should be placed in a warm and humid environment, and it is best not to expose it to strong light. It also likes fertile soil with good drainage. It grows fastest when the outside temperature is between 20 and 25 degrees. It blooms every April, and in winter it must not be placed in an environment below 5 degrees.

2. Fertilizer and Water Management for Epiphyllum

When growing Epiphyllum, extra attention should be paid to its fertilizer and water management. Normally, when it is in the peak growing season, it should be fertilized once every ten days to half a month, and thin fertilizer should not be used; it is best to use relatively stronger fertilizer so that it can grow healthily. In addition, when growing Epiphyllum normally, it is also necessary to water and loosen the soil in time. When watering, it must be watered thoroughly, and during high summer temperatures, water should also be sprayed on its leaves to cool them down.

3. Repotting Management for Epiphyllum

Repotting is also something to pay attention to when growing Epiphyllum. Under normal circumstances, Epiphyllum should be repotted once every two years, and the repotting season should be chosen in spring or autumn. When repotting, good pot soil should be prepared in advance, and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied. After repotting, it must immediately be placed in a cool, ventilated place for four to five days before it can be moved to a sunny spot.

How to Grow and Care for Echeveria and Precautions

Echeveria is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Corallodiscus in the family Gesneriaceae. Its shape is very similar to that of a lotus flower. The leaves are all basal; the outer leaves have long petioles, while the inner leaves are sessile. The leaf blades are leathery, with ovate and fan-shaped forms. It generally grows on hillsides, forest edges and in stone crevices in Yunnan, Sichuan and southeastern Tibet. Its adaptability is very strong, and it is a very attractive foliage plant. Echeveria also has certain medicinal value and can treat damp-heat acne and so on. So for such a foliage plant, how should we grow it? Below, the editor will introduce to everyone the growing methods and precautions for Echeveria.

Propagation Methods for Echeveria

There are two growing methods for Echeveria, division and cutting, and it is suitable for pot cultivation, placed on bookshelves, desks, or in the rooms of the elderly. It is a beautiful ornamental flower with thick, fleshy leaves and a very beautiful shape, giving people a feeling of comfort and peace. Echeveria is very sturdy after flowering; when propagated by seed, it blooms sparsely over many years. When propagated by division, it can be divided in all four seasons, and late spring and early summer are especially the most suitable. Take the small seedlings sprouting near the base of the stem and on the creeping branches, remove two of them, then place them in a moist sand tray, and after about one month, when they have more or less fully developed, they can be potted for planting. For Echeveria cuttings in spring and summer, both stem cuttings and leaf cuttings are acceptable. Cut a leaf from the Echeveria, then insert it in moist sandy soil, with the leaf surface facing up and the leaf back facing down, and place it in a cool place. After one week, small leaves and new roots will appear, and when the roots are 2 to 3 cm long, it can be potted and planted.

Growing Methods for Echeveria

1. Soil: It requires loose, fertile soil with very good drainage and aeration. A mix of leaf mold, peat, bone meal and coarse sand is quite good. If the soil is relatively moist, there is no need to water too much, which is beneficial for root recovery and growth.
2. Temperature: Echeveria likes a moist and semi-shaded growing environment. Generally, it is 20 to 30 degrees Celsius; in winter it must not go below 5 degrees Celsius, and watering and fertilizing can be done appropriately. In summer, Echeveria enters a dormant state and can be placed in a corridor or on a balcony; at this time, watering and fertilizing should be stopped to prevent the plant from rotting.
3. Light: Spring and autumn are the long growing seasons for Echeveria. During these seasons, sufficient sunlight is required, so that the leaves look thicker and fuller, the plant shape is compact, and the leaf color also looks brighter.
4. Watering: Echeveria needs the principle of not watering until dry, and watering thoroughly when you do water. Do not water for a long time, as this will cause water accumulation and root rot, but it also must not be too dry, otherwise growth will not only be slow, but the leaf color will also be rather dull and lacking vitality. In the high-temperature summer season, the leaves lose a lot of water through evaporation, so some water can be sprayed on the leaves to keep them moist.

Precautions for Echeveria

Echeveria often suffers from the harm of rust disease, leaf spot disease and root-knot nematodes, which can be controlled with wettable chlorothalonil powder and carbofuran granules. Among insect pests, there is damage from the black weevil, which can be killed by spraying with carbaryl. A common pest is scale insects, which are usually quite numerous on the leaves; they suck sap and affect growth, and can also cause leaves to fall off and induce sooty mold. In summer, Echeveria can be placed in a ventilated place and watering controlled, thereby reducing air humidity and keeping it appropriately dry. Add water and laundry detergent to rinse and kill the insects. Medicated sprays can also be used, and the effect is also very good.