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Newbie here!

Hello all,

I'm new to this web-site and new to Carnivorous Plants.

I am planning on installing a pond and at least one bog this spring.  

There is a sump outlet in the middle of my back-yard under a large silver maple tree (about 15 feet from the trunk).  This area does not get that much sun, maybe 3-6 hours a day, early in the day.  It's very well-watered, most of the time. Would this be an appropriate spot for pitcher plants? sun-dews?  VFT's? Skunk Cabbage? I have slightly acidic soil in that area.  I am already growing cardinal flowers(lobelia cardinalis), turtle-head(chelone), swamp milkweed(asclepias incarnata), blue flag iris and joe-pye weed(eupatorium something-or-other) in this area, and they all are doing fine (they are very slightly beyond the drip-line of this tree's branches and getting 3-6 hours of sun).  

On the other hand, my front yard is full sun in quite a few places.  Would it be better to make a bog there?  Not that I wouldn't put one there, anyway!  

My little friend "Crunch" gave me 2 common VFT's that he bought from his allowance money! He made the dirt himself, too.  He wants me to have some good plants for my bog.  I am just totally thrilled with his gift, and the idea of having some native carnivorous plants.  

I'm into the idea of gardeners who are into native plants, like I am, helping to save threatened/endangered/rare native species.  That's a part of why I have the lobelia cardinalis, it's endangered in my area. And it's beautiful, too.   I realise, since this/these will be my very first bog/s, that I should start with the least finicky carnivores.  When I get more experience, I hope to help in the preservation of rare species and genotypes. That's my goal, anyway.  

Sorry this is soooooo long....any suggestions?  April Hughes
 
Yeah do about nothing you mentioned. Full sun is best for most Carnivorus Plants. Sarracenia, Dionaea, native Drosera (depending on where you live) are all good starter plants. The bog should be a liner or undrained container at least 1.5 feet deep (preferably sunk in the ground) filled with a mix of sphagnum peat and sand (leveling sand at home-depot). The approximate cost of filling a bog garden will be $15-20 but could be as low as $10 depending on the size. Check out www.sarracenia.com for more info and links to more info.
 
you really do need to give them as much as as you can.
 
Well thank you!  I live not too far from LauraZ5, in NE Illinois.  I will site my bog in the front yard.  The CP's look like plants that do well in full sun, now that I examine them more closely.  I am also happy to hear of the low cost of filling a bog!  april
 
I would recomend a rubbermaid/sterlite container for your first bog to keep prices down. For starter plants:
Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea
Drosera rotundifolia
Drosera intermedia (with locations from somewhere up north)
Drosera filiformis ssp. fiiformis
Drosera anglica
(Ask her about plants in her bog if she has one)
 
Hi April and welcome to the forums! I understand "Crunch" is Laura's 9 year old son. The advice given above is sound. Yes, they do need as much light a you can give them. However, I wouldn't abandon the the natural area. You can do a little of both, as an experiment.

I plan to put in a mini-bog at the edge of a stream that runs behind our home. It is few feet away and is naturally swampy.
 
Hi Jim, Crunch is my 9 year old son who signed up here all by himself while I was on vacation.  When the cat is away, the mice will play. Seriously, I am glad he did as he is learning a lot.

April, I am so glad you made it over here to these forums!  Good for you!  

Correction, Crunch received quite a few VFTs as a gift from a member here.  He gave some to you so you would have your first and he gave some to the school so they could have more.  The "ingredients" for the planting medium he bought with his own money as well as the distilled water which you have.  The plant he bought with last year's birthday money is still here but he would gladly give it to you.  

Couple thoughts, That area in your back yard which is quite shaded would make a great rain garden. Your front yard is by far the best location for CPs unless of course you want to get rid of the Silver Maple and I don't think you want to do that.  Rather than going with a Rubbermaid, or comparable brand,  trough from a place like Fleet and Farm where you will pay a lot of money for the size you want, why not consider an actual .045  epdm liner.  Better yet, a roofing liner from Firestone.  They are basically the same product however the roofing liner will be considerably cheaper.  There is a film on the roofing liner that would need to be rinsed off that is not present on pond liners.  

Please go and read this thread-
http://www.petflytrap.com/cgi-bin....t=16962

You can borrow the mortar mixer and the 150 gallon Rubbermaid trough that I mix in. If you try to mix in a bog that has a liner in it, I can guarantee you will shred the liner.

I am thinking Tre's on the money as far as what your costs to fill the bog will be. Sand in our area will have to be delivered which is an added expense but I think I might know somebody who would be more than happy to help you out there (smile).

The plants that Tre recommended are all very good picks in my opinion and all are native to North America.  The range of D. anglica would be about 200-300 miles north of us and the range of D. filiformis var. filiformis would be more to the east of us a few states over. All would be great plants to start with.  There are several Utrics that are native to our region for that nice new preform pond of yours that you'll be sinking in the ground.
 
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