How to propagate lotus? Detailed introduction to propagation methods

Lotus is a perennial aquatic herbaceous plant. Relatively stable, calm shallow water, lakes and marshes, swamps, and ponds are its suitable habitats. It is divided into two major categories: ornamental and edible. It has a cultivation history of more than three thousand years in China. Its propagation methods mainly include rhizome division propagation, lotus shoot propagation, lotus whip propagation, and seed sowing propagation, etc. Now let us take a look at these propagation methods of lotus!

Rhizome division propagation

Lotus rhizome division propagation is usually carried out from mid-March to mid-April. Planting too early may be affected by cold waves, and the seed rhizomes are prone to frost damage. In northern regions, transparent agricultural film can be used for covering when cold waves occur. Before planting, the pot soil should be mixed into a paste. When planting, insert the top end of the seed rhizome obliquely into the mud along the edge of the pot at 20 degrees. For bowl lotus, the depth is about 5 cm. For large lotus, the depth is about 10 cm, with the head low and the tail high, and half of the tail lifted up so that water does not enter the tail of the rhizome. After planting, place the pot in sunlight so that slight cracks appear on the surface soil, which helps the seed rhizome bond completely with the soil. Then add a small amount of water. After buds grow, gradually deepen the water level, and finally maintain a water layer of 3-5 cm. For pond planting, the early water level is the same as for pot lotus, and later it should be kept at a level that does not submerge the lotus leaves.

Lotus shoot propagation

Lotus shoots are the terminal buds at the front ends of the main rhizome, secondary rhizomes, and tertiary rhizomes. They are all vigorous meristematic tissues, wrapped externally by thick scales, with internal tissues nested layer upon layer, containing young leaves, terminal buds, axillary buds, and flower bud organs of successive levels. Cutting the terminal buds for cuttings and raising seedlings is a technique that uses the continuous growth of terminal buds to reproduce a new generation. It usually must be carried out in spring when the temperature rises to 15°C and the buds begin to sprout. Using terminal buds to propagate lotus is most suitable for culinary lotus rhizome production. It not only saves a large number of seed rhizomes and facilitates transportation, but also can reduce diseases. It is a propagation technique worth promoting.

Lotus whip propagation

Lotus whip propagation is usually carried out during the growing season when the lotus whip elongates and many standing leaves grow from the whip nodes. For pond planting, one can enter the pond following the direction of the rhizome, feel for the shoot bud area, leave 2 leaves, break off the lotus whip, take it out, and transport it to the pond to be planted or plant it immediately in the same pond. For lotus grown in tubs or pots, from June to August, when flowers are abundant, leaves are lush, and new rhizomes have initially formed, one can turn over the pot to take lotus whips and new rhizomes, retain a few lotus leaves, and transplant them into another pot to encourage reflowering. When using lotus whip propagation, materials must be obtained locally and planted on site, and the terminal buds and standing leaves must be protected from damage for success.

Seed sowing propagation

1. Seed selection: Lotus seeds have a very long lifespan. Seeds several hundred or even a thousand years old can still germinate, and their sprouting ability is very strong. Sometimes, in order to speed up propagation, in mid-July, when the seed coat changes from green to yellowish-brown, sowing immediately can also result in germination. However, if sowing is to be done after the following year, harvesting should wait until the lotus seeds are fully mature, when the seed coat appears black and hardens. The harvested seeds should be dried in the shade and stored indoors in a dry, ventilated place. Therefore, when selecting seeds, mature and plump seeds should be chosen for propagation.

2. Sowing: Sowing lotus seeds is more suitable when the daily temperature is around 20°C. In order for seed lotus to reach the number of lotus seeds harvested in the same year, the general sowing period is early to mid-April. Flower lotus is sown from early April to mid-July, and generally all can bloom in the same year. Sowing is also possible from late July to early September, but because the later temperature is relatively low, only plants can form and the goal of flowering cannot be achieved.

3. Germination promotion: The method for promoting germination is to cut open the hard shell at the flat concave end of the lotus seed tail with scissors so that the seed coat is exposed, while being careful not to injure the embryo bud. Place the cracked lotus seeds in a germination basin and soak the seeds in clean water, generally maintaining a water depth of about 10 cm, changing the water once a day. After 4-6 days, the embryo bud can appear. During high temperatures in summer, sowing should be properly shaded, and water changing should be increased to once each in the morning and evening. At this time, because the temperature is high, lotus seeds need only 2 days to reveal the embryo bud.

4. Seedling raising: The main methods of raising lotus seedlings are pot culture and seedbed culture. For pot culture, place thin pond mud in the pot, with the pot soil accounting for 2/3 of the pot. For seedbed seedling raising, generally use a seedbed 100 cm long and wide and 25 cm high, then add 15-20 cm of thin pond mud and level it. Finally, arrange the germinated seeds at a spacing of 15 cm, sow them into the mud in sequence, and maintain 3-5 cm of water.

5. Transplanting: When the seedlings grow to 3-4 floating leaves, they can be transplanted. Plant one seedling per pot, and transplant as you take them, carrying soil during transplanting to increase the survival rate. For field planting of seed lotus, generally 700 seedlings are planted per mu. After transplanting, in order to promote normal growth of the seedlings, shallow water should be maintained in the early stage, and the water level should be gradually raised according to the growth of the seedlings.

How to propagate the orchid cactus? Propagation methods for the orchid cactus

    The orchid cactus is also called lingjian, red peacock, lotus orchid cactus, peacock cactus, etc. It is a perennial succulent herbaceous plant in the Cactaceae family. Because its stem is flat and slanted, shaped like an arrow token, and its flowers resemble water lilies, it is called the orchid cactus.

    The orchid cactus is commonly propagated by two methods: cuttings and grafting:

    Cuttings propagation

    It is best to do this between March and April each year. First cut a healthy flat stem 10 cm long as a cutting. After cutting, let it dry for 2-3 days, then insert it into moist sandy soil or vermiculite, with the depth set at 1/3 of the cutting. Keep the temperature at 10-15°C and mist it frequently. Generally, it will take root in about one month and can then be potted.

    Grafting propagation

    It is suitable to do this at 25°C. The rootstock can be cactus. Use a knife to cut a wedge-shaped opening in the rootstock, then take a healthy orchid cactus stem segment 6-8 cm long as the scion. Cut one slice on each side of the scion to expose the stem pith, making it wedge-shaped, then immediately insert it into the split opening of the rootstock, tie it firmly with hemp fiber, and place it in a shady place for care. After about 10 days, the grafted part will join together. Remove the hemp fiber and carry out normal care.

    Old perennial plants often produce many branch clusters from the lower part, so division propagation can also be used.

Propagation methods for lotus

Seed propagation

In fact, seed propagation is the most commonly used method for growing lotus at home. The specific method is relatively simple. Just soak the opened seeds in water and change the water frequently. They can sprout in about a week, and after rooting in two weeks they can be transplanted. When transplanting, note that the water layer should be shallow and the lotus leaves should be exposed outside. With a little care, they can bloom in the same year! (Is it very simple? Of course not. You will understand after reading the planting process of lotus seeds.)

Rhizome division propagation

The prerequisite for rhizome division propagation is that you have a mature lotus plant.

Time

Mid-March to mid-April is the best period for rhizome division. The temperature at this time is suitable, and the seed rhizomes will not be frostbitten due to low temperature.

Rhizome division method

Preparing soil

Before planting, prepare the soil. Mix the pot soil into a paste, do not add any fertilizer, and set it aside for later use. (There is great knowledge in a little soil. If you want to know how to prepare soil, see what soil to use for potted lotus.)

Taking out the seed rhizome

Take the prepared seed rhizome out of the soil, properly remove silt and aged rhizomes at the edges, and rinse appropriately with clean water.

Planting

When planting, hold the top end of the seed rhizome and insert it obliquely into the mud at 20 degrees, with the tail lifted so that water does not enter the tail. For small varieties, the medium depth is 5 cm. For large lotus, the depth is about 10 cm.

Care

After planting, place it directly in sunlight. When slight cracks appear in the surface soil of the soil layer, add a small amount of water. After the seed rhizome sprouts, appropriately increase the water amount to 3-5 cm. In northern regions with lower temperatures, plastic film can be used for wrapping to increase the temperature.