How to repot a bowl lotus
This article provides a brief introduction to the knowledge of bowl lotus hydroponics, how to repot a bowl lotus, let's learn about it together.
Some enthusiasts don't know how to repot a bowl lotus. Theoretically, repotting should be done every year, which can remove aging rhizomes. During the repotting process, one finds that the potting soil is densely surrounded by fibrous roots, which affects the development of new rhizomes. Additionally, repotting is a process to increase the fertility of the soil. I have tried it before; it's fine not to repot for one year, but if not repotted for two years, the bowl lotus will no longer bloom.
The bowl lotus is a miniature version of the lake pond lotus. As the name suggests, it is a type of lotus that can be planted in a bowl. It can be played in a bowl, but it's麻烦 to care for when planted in a bowl. In the hot summer, water needs to be added several times a day to maintain the moisture in the bowl. Most of my bowl lotuses are planted in bowls bought online with an inner diameter of 25cm and an inner height of 15cm. The weather has started to warm up these days, and I have begun to repot my bowl lotuses.
Before repotting the bowl lotus, let the soil dry slightly, then turn it over to easily remove the old soil without damaging the rhizomes.
Then carefully remove the rhizome, be sure not to break the bud. This pot yielded three rhizomes, the brown one is last year's planting rhizome, which has completed its mission and can be discarded!
The soil for planting bowl lotuses can have various options. It should not be too fertile, as it can burn the roots. It's better to slowly add fertilizer during the growth process of the bowl lotus. The soil I use is sieved outdoor soil with large chunks removed and mixed with water to form a slurry. Only one rhizome is placed in each pot; more will only affect each other's growth. Plant the rhizome with the top along the edge of the pot at a 20-degree angle, about 5 centimeters deep, with the head down and the tail up. The tail is half-raised to prevent water from entering the rhizome tail. After planting, place the pot in the sunlight to let the surface soil slightly crack, which helps the rhizome adhere to the soil. Then add a small amount of water, and gradually deepen the water level after the bud grows, finally maintaining a water level of 3-5 centimeters. This is the commonly mentioned "hide the head and show the tail" planting method for rhizomes. The second image below is one I found online.
According to the description in "The Illustrated Book of Chinese Lotus Varieties," bowl lotuses are those that can bloom normally in pots with a diameter of 26 centimeters or less and must meet the following three indicators: the average flower diameter does not exceed 12 centimeters, the average height of the standing leaves does not exceed 33 centimeters, and the average diameter of the standing leaf blades does not exceed 24 centimeters.
Bowl lotuses are strong positive plants and should be placed in an area that receives 7-8 hours of sunlight a day to promote more blooms and continuous flowering. If there is less than 6 hours of sunlight a day, flowering is rare, or it may not bloom at all. Therefore, bowl lotuses should be placed in an open area or on a balcony with full sunlight. If moved indoors for appreciation, it's fine for one or two days, but it must be moved back outdoors in sunlight for care on the third day.
Bowl lotuses are warm-loving plants, generally starting to germinate at 8-10°C, and the rhizome tendril begins to extend at 14°C. The temperature should be above 13°C for planting. Otherwise, the seedlings will grow slowly or rot. When the temperature is between 18-21°C, the lotus begins to produce standing leaves, and flowering requires temperatures above 22°C. Bowl lotuses are very heat-tolerant, and temperatures above 40°C do not harm them much.
Lotuses are aquatic plants and require water at all times during the growing period. In the early growth stage, the water level should be controlled at about three centimeters to help raise the soil temperature. As the floating leaves grow and the temperature rises, the water level can be gradually deepened until full. Summer is the peak growth period for bowl lotuses, and the pot must not be short of water. It is especially important to check for water supplementation. If the soil is still moist after water loss, growth will slow down, but it can recover after 2 days of watering. If water loss is continuous, the leaves will wither and growth will stop, even if watered, it is difficult to save.
The rhizome of the bowl lotus grows along the edge of the pot, so it's best to choose a round pot for bowl lotuses, and never use a pot with sharp edges, as it may affect the growth of the rhizome.
The above is a comprehensive introduction to how to repot a bowl lotus and bowl lotus repotting records (with pictures), hoping to bring some knowledge about green plants to green plant enthusiasts.