Plant description
Highest Virtue Lotus is simply elegant, with just a breath of color over 1st day blooms and on the tips of the petals on 2nd and 3rd day blooms. Highest Virtue Lotus has beautifully formed flowers with unique characteristics. Bright green center on the Highest Virtue Lotus adds interest, sometimes green tipped inner petals that add to the allure of Highest Virtue Lotus! Grows to 4 feet or taller when planted in wide containers (24 - 48 inches) or wider. Highest Virtue Lotus is statuesque and stunning. One of the most elegant lotus in the world! Beautiful in containers on your deck or balcony. A delightful addition to your pond!
Tall/Changeable/Semi-Double
Planting instructions
Plant your lotus tuber in large sized, wide, no-holes container (24 - 48 inches wide in diameter, or wider) using loam soil. Fill the container 3/4 full with soil. Dig a trench in the surface of the soil and gently place your lotus tuber in the trench. Cover all but the growth tips with an inch or two of soil while leaving the growth tips exposed. NEVER use potting soil as it will float right out of the pot!
Add 4 - 6 inches of water above the soil and place in full sun (8 hours daily). Always replace water that has evaporated from your container. Soon coin leaves will appear on the surface of the water.
DO NOT fertilize until you have aerial leaves growing out of the water. Fertilize at half strength the first time you fertilize! Fertilize throughout the summer months during the growing/blooming season with Waterlily World Fertilizer Tabs Humates for robust plants and best bloom!
What Is Loam Soil?
Loam soil is a good mixture of Topsoil and Sand
If you are lucky enough to have good topsoil in your backyard, by all means, use your topsoil. All you will have to do is add fertilizer. If you are not so lucky--and your backyard is sand or heavy red or yellow clay, you can mix up a batch of loam soil.
You can create your own loam soil by mixing these two ingredients together
- 2/3 Inorganic Topsoil (Little or no organic material added)
- 1/3 Pool Filter Sand
Mix together thoroughly with a little water. Your soil should clump when squeezed. If your soil is mixed properly, it will not muddy your pond water.
You can purchase inexpensive bags of inexpensive / poor Topsoil at Lowes or Home-Depot. Good soil clumps together as a ball in your hand with only a little moisture.
Don't buy brands like Scott's or Miracle-Gro, as they will contain too much organic matter that can foul your water. Buy an unbranded bag of topsoil instead.
You can purchase Pool Filter Sand at any store that sells pool supplies.
Loam soil is well suited for all aquatic plants (except oxygenators). Oxygenators rarely need to be planted, just anchored in the substrate or in a container filled with sand or 1/8 inch pea gravel.
Sand holds little water but does allow for aeration and drainage.
Some DO's and DON'TS regarding Aquatic Planting Soil
DO NOT use potting soils ( as they are too light and will float right out of the pot). Potting Soil has organic material that will rot and foul your water!
DO NOT add too much composted material (as it is too rich in organic matter and it will ferment underwater and destroy the ecology of your pond).
DO NOT use 100% calcined clay as there is no nutritional value in calcined clay.
DO NOT add rocks, stones or pebbles to the top of your planting container as this will inhibit the growth of your plants. Plants do not grow in rocks and stones in nature!
DO NOT purchase API Aquatic Planting Media or Microbe-lift Aquatic Planting Media as these products are NOT suitable for waterlilies, lotus or most other pond plants. They are suitable for submerged grasses ONLY!
