Whiskey barrel bog garden

[Gringo]

I built a bog garden with the 36 Sarrs. I purchased from PFT this spring in a large metal tub ~30 gallons and they are doing great. I live in Columbia, SC and as the weather heats up, so does the container and soil. At best I am able to keep the soil temp about 8 degrees F below the outside temperature (credited to live sphagnum), which means soil temps will approach 98F this summer. Will that be too hot for the plants? I think so, but would like experienced advice.

To solve this problem, I am looking for a new container that will 'breathe', allowing external condensation to evaporate and cool the container. I see two options: a large rectangular clay pot, or 1/2 of a whiskey barrel that still smells like burbon, but will look very nice on my porch. Both will allow some evaporative cooling through the container, but I worry about burbon residue harming the plants...

What do you think?

 

[RamPuppy]

Hey Gringo,

I personally think 98 would be to hot, I know flytraps start choking when their roots get above 90, but I am not sure about sars.

I would suggest, that rather than disturb your bog you find w way to insulate it. Have you thought about building a decorative brick structure up around it? You could even build in little shelves that other pots and plants could sit on.

My personal opinion, the best way for you to insulate the bog is to put, or build, something around it with a gap so heat can not transfer from the cover to the bog. You could even just put a lot of bushy plants in pots around it so their leaves shade the bog pot.

Oh... and it's metal, so is it corrosion resistant? did you line it?

Your whiskey barrel should be fine, just line it with plastic and go.