How to Grow Ornamental Lotus? Detailed Explanation of Pond Cultivation Techniques

In recent years, with the need for greening and beautifying the environment, many government offices, factories, and schools have adapted measures to local conditions, using their own spaces to establish ponds and fields for cultivating ornamental lotus, which not only beautifies the environment and purifies the air, but also produces fresh lotus roots, achieving two goals at once, and is very popular among people. The cultivation techniques are introduced as follows.

1. Select good varieties. Generally speaking, varieties used as ornamental lotus include red lotus (pink flowers) and white lotus. The former has a shorter growth period and is an early-maturing variety, easy for ornamental cultivation, but fresh lotus root yield is relatively low; the latter has a slightly longer growth period, but high yield and good quality. Therefore, for dual-purpose ornamental and production use, the latter is mostly chosen.

2. Land preparation and fertilization. Lotus has a relatively high fertilizer requirement. Before cultivation, apply 2500 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 50 kg of superphosphate, 35 kg of ammonium bicarbonate, and 15 kg of potassium chloride per mu. After the beginning of spring, first build ridges around the field (pond), about 50 cm high, and compact them firmly to prevent water leakage. Just before land preparation, spread all fertilizers evenly in the pond, then use a rotary tiller to plow finely and harrow thoroughly, achieving a state of fine, broken soil like mud paste, then irrigate with shallow water and wait for planting.

3. Planting. For planting time, in areas north of the Yangtze River, 7 to 10 days after Qingming is suitable; too early and the lotus buds are prone to late frost damage after emerging from the mud. When planting, first dig seed lotus from the seed reservation pond, select individuals with thick, uniform rhizomes, disease-free and undamaged, and they should be dug, selected, and planted immediately. The planting density is preferably 2 m row spacing and 1.5 m hole spacing, with a depth of 10 to 15 cm, based on the principle of not floating up and not shaking. Planting too deep, due to low mud temperature, will lead to slow sprouting and affect early growth and rapid development.

4. Post-planting management. Four timely actions must be taken: First, timely adjust the water level in the pond. After seed lotus is planted, because the early spring temperature is relatively low, it is advisable to maintain a shallow water layer of 3 to 5 cm in the pond. This helps the soil warm up and promotes early rooting and rapid sprouting of seed lotus. Later, as the temperature continues to rise, floating leaves and standing leaves appear one after another, and evaporation increases, the water level should gradually deepen to about 15 cm. Second, timely topdressing. After late June, the plant shifts from vegetative growth to simultaneous reproductive growth, and at this time the fertilizer requirement is relatively high. Per mu, 20 kg of urea, 25 kg of superphosphate, and 15 kg of potassium chloride can be applied as topdressing. After the flowers fade, to promote rapid expansion of lotus roots, apply 35 kg of compound fertilizer per mu, and spray the leaves with a mixture of 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 1% urea. Third, timely arrange the lotus runners (also called creeping stems). After lotus runners emerge, they are often exposed on the mud surface due to rain washing. If not arranged in time, it will affect the growth and development of the entire plant. Therefore, around noon (because at this time the lotus runners are soft and not easily broken), turn those extending toward the pond edge back into the pond, and turn those too dense in the pond to sparse areas, and the turned runner tips should be buried in the mud. Fourth, timely prevent and control pests and diseases. The main insect pest is aphids, with the most severe damage in May, often causing lotus buds to wither and scorch. Once found, spray 90% crystalline trichlorfon at 1200 times dilution or 10% Yibianjing at 2500 times dilution. The main diseases include brown spot disease and leaf spot disease, etc., mostly occurring in July, and infection is most likely after heavy rain. In the early stage of disease, spray 70% thiophanate-methyl at 800 times dilution, once every 7 to 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive treatments.