What are the cultivation methods and precautions of dry lotus?

How to cultivate lotus

The lotus is suitable for planting in loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy soil. In spring, autumn and winter, it should receive sufficient light and provide a growing environment of 18-24℃. The temperature in summer should not be above 30 degrees. In winter, it is necessary to take measures to keep warm. Reproduction can be done by sowing or cuttings. In addition, common diseases and pests should be prevented and controlled, and weeds should be cleared in time.

Watering method

The lotus is not tolerant to waterlogging, so do not over-water it during maintenance. However, it requires more water within a week after planting, so it should be watered enough. Control watering after germination, especially when flowering. Do not water too much. Watering should be done in "small amounts and multiple times". If the air is too dry, spray water appropriately. The air humidity should be kept at around 80%.

Fertilization method

When planting lotus, you can use dry chicken manure or well-rotted compost as base fertilizer. After the bulb grows two leaves, you can apply liquid fertilizer once or twice. During the growing season, you can apply a compound fertilizer with balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. No fertilizer is needed during the flowering period. After flowering, apply 1-2 times of liquid potassium dihydrogen phosphate or compound fertilizer.

Pruning methods

It is not suitable to pinch off the tips of lotus flowers (topping) too early. It needs to be judged according to the condition of the seedlings. It should be done at least when the branch length exceeds 10 cm and 6-8 leaves have grown. If the branch is very short, there is no need to consider topping even if there are many true leaves.

Precautions for cultivating lotus

1. When growing lotus, you must pay attention to changing the pot in time. You should change the pot every 1 to 2 years, otherwise the nutrients in the potting soil will not be able to meet its normal growth needs. If you do not change the pot for a long time, the lotus will grow slowly and will also have adverse symptoms such as yellowing and falling leaves.

2. Lotus is a climbing plant. When cultivating it, you must build a suitable flower stand for it, give it sufficient water during the cultivation period, and often spray water on the leaves to increase the air humidity, especially about 20 days before it enters the flowering period. It is necessary to apply fertilizer in time, and it is best to water it with an appropriate amount of thin fertilizer water.

3. If the lotus is not properly maintained, it will suffer from diseases and pests such as mosaic disease, ring spot disease, and aphids. After discovery, the diseased leaves need to be trimmed in time, burned in a concentrated manner, and sprayed with pesticides for prevention and control. In addition, attention should be paid to clearing weeds.