When to plant small water lilies
Do you know these? When to plant small water lilies and the planting methods and timing of flowers, the following is an introduction for you
Water lilies are distributed from northeast to southwest, from northwest to southeast in China, and are common aquatic ornamental plants in gardens and parks, used to decorate ponds and lakes; when potted, place the pot in a wide-mouthed large water tank, an aquarium with goldfish, or a lotus tank. Decorating the courtyard with it is especially interesting, with its fresh and bright flowers and green leaves, especially eye-catching. In addition, it can also be used as a cut flower. Among aquatic flowers, besides lotus, this kind is the most beautiful.
How to plant water lily seeds
1. Sowing time:莲子 (lotus seeds) can be sown all year round. As long as the water temperature of the water lily is kept at about 16 degrees Celsius, it usually takes about two months from sowing to flowering in spring. The sowing time in autumn is longer, taking 60-80 days.
2. Seed treatment: When sowing water lilies, the seeds need to be manually broken open. The end of the seed with a small depression can be ground open on rough ground or gently broken with pliers to create a small opening.
3. Soaking and germination: Soak the water lily seeds in water at a temperature of 20-30 degrees Celsius to promote germination. It can be placed indoors, changing the water twice a day, usually about 7 days to germinate. After the water lily sprouts, it needs to be placed in a sunny place. In about half a month, it can grow fine roots and 2-3 pieces of tender young leaves. After the root system is formed, it can be transplanted.
4. Seedling planting: Plant the germinated water lily seeds in a bottomless ceramic or plastic pot with a diameter of 20cm to 50cm, using river mud as the growing medium, so there is no need to fertilize. Press the fine roots of the young lotus plants into the river mud, with one plant per pot. After planting, some water can be added.
5. Fertilization and water management: Water lilies cannot be without water during their growing period, and additional water is needed in summer. During heavy rain, it is important to drain the water. For fertilizing water lilies, apply thin fertilizer frequently.
Water lily propagation methods
Water lilies prefer a sunny, humid, and well-ventilated environment, are cold-resistant, and grow best in fertile loamy soil rich in humus. They can be propagated by division or by seeds. Division propagation: dig up the rhizomes and cut them with a sharp knife for separate planting. Sowing: sow mature seeds in the potting soil, press them down, immerse them in water with the water level 3-5 cm higher than the soil surface, and increase the depth of the water in the pot as the seedlings grow.
After sowing, maintain a temperature of 25-30°C, and the seeds can germinate in 10-15 days, blooming the following year. When potting, the pots should be divided every year, otherwise, due to the拥挤 of the rhizomes, their development may be hindered, affecting flowering. Place horse hoof slices or cattle and sheep horn chips as a base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot, then immerse it in a large water tank or shallow pond, maintaining a water depth of 20-40 cm, and place it in a sunny and well-ventilated area. Before winter, move it into a cold room or cellar for overwintering. For pond cultivation, the water in the pond should be drained in early spring, the rhizomes should be loosened, and a base fertilizer should be applied before refilling the water. From spring to summer, the water depth should be gradually increased, from 20-30 cm in spring to over 1 meter in summer to prevent the pond bottom soil from freezing and the rhizomes from being damaged by frost. During the growing period, insufficient sunlight and poor ventilation can weaken growth and make the plants susceptible to aphid damage, which can be controlled by spraying 1500 times the solution of dimethoate.
To make water lilies bloom in October, a delayed development method can be used. In early March every year, mix heavy river mud and green manure in a pot, add a small amount of water to keep the soil moist, then add water in mid-April, place the pot in a place where it can be directly exposed to sunlight, and it will germinate in mid-May, with vegetative growth from June to July, and bloom until late September.
The efficacy and uses of water lilies
The rhizomes can be collected for medicinal use and are also edible, as are the flowers.
Flavor: sweet, nature: neutral. Effects: clearing heat, relieving cough, calming the mind, and counteracting alcohol poisoning.
Applications:
1. For heat-clearing and hangover relief, also for restlessness and insomnia: 15-30 grams of water lily rhizome (30-60 grams of fresh product), decocted in water for oral administration.
2. For treating acute and chronic infantile convulsions: 7 or 14 water lily flowers, decocted in water for oral administration, or 8-16 grams of water lily rhizome, decocted in water for oral administration.
3. For treating nocturnal emission and盗汗 (night sweats): Water lily flowers, soaked in boiling water, used as a tea, or 15-30 grams of water lily rhizome, decocted in water for oral administration.
Disease and pest control of water lilies
Hydrilla pipeaphis, also known as water lily overflow pipeaphis, can harm not only lotus and water lilies but also plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, morning glories, celosia, red leaf plums, and榆叶梅 (ulusinia).
The wingless viviparous female aphids of Hydrilla pipeaphis are oval, plump, brown or dark green; the winged virgin females are ovate, 2.3 mm long, with black heads and thoraxes, and brown-green to black-brown abdomens.
Control methods:
To control aphids on aquatic plants, spray 50% diazotophos emulsion 1000 times solution, or 50% bisulfophos emulsion 2000 times solution. If there are no fish in the water of potted lotus and water lilies at home, other insecticides can be used.
When harvesting lotus seeds, be sure to spray non-toxic, low-toxic, or plant-based pesticides, and never use systemic insecticides, as this can lead to poisoning if the莲子 (lotus seeds) are eaten by humans.
Cotton water moth
Cotton water moth is widely distributed in China and harms the leaves of water lilies, often leaving only the net-like veins when the infestation is severe, presenting a yellowish-brown scene.
The adult moth has a wingspan of 25-28 mm, with a mixture of black-brown, yellow-brown, and white scales on the back of the thorax, white on the ventral side of the thorax; the back of the abdomen is yellow-brown, and the ventral side has a mixture of white and black scales.
Control methods:
Timely use of nets to catch floating protective sheaths on the water surface and kill the larvae hidden inside.
Stocking fish in the water, as fish can eat the larvae.
Using black lights to attract and kill adult moths.
The above introduces when to plant small water lilies and the detailed planting methods and timing. Have you understood it?