I didn't know that Sarracenia minor could have red flowers. Interesting.
Absolutely gorgeous!! Love twisted sister and all the flytraps. I have an old below ground spa here that I was thinking of converting into a bog garden one day. Thinking it will cost me a fortune to fill it with peat though.... :-( Do you think you will have to replace the planting media in your bog eventually?
I am fortunate enough to be able to use my city water from the hose (low TDS levels) and only need to water during the late spring through summer months because we get a lot of rain from fall through early spring that keeps the bog sufficiently hydrated. My city water bill does go up a bit during the growing season mainly due to watering the large bog. In hindsight a smaller bog would have been more appropriate for my budget. The rewards have been well worth the expense though
Thank you all for your kind comments!
Thank you! Except for the funky pitchers, “Twisted Sister” is one of my favorites due to its rich color. It does not seem very vigorous at forming new crowns, but I hope to have divisions to share in the next couple years or so.
I think a below-ground spa would make an excellent bog garden! I have an in-ground preformed 250-gallon fish pond I have considered converting into a bog garden. It took about 4-5 years for the soil in my bog to start breaking down the first time and I re-soiled it in 2015. Yes, it can get expensive filling it with peat and watering can also be an expense depending on your water source. I am fortunate enough to be able to use my city water from the hose (low TDS levels) and only need to water during the late spring through summer months because we get a lot of rain from fall through early spring that keeps the bog sufficiently hydrated. My city water bill does go up a bit during the growing season mainly due to watering the large bog. In hindsight a smaller bog would have been more appropriate for my budget. The rewards have been well worth the expense though
Out of curiosity, what are your TDS levels? My mini bogs are potted (but not as aesthetic as Rachel8T4's, which I recently drooled over in her post), and I've thought that the plants would really be happier in a larger/cooler in-ground bog situation. I've hesitated because I didn't think my rain barrels could sustain a larger planting area over our dry summers. But, if I could amend with tap water when the barrels ran out...that might be do-able. Our TDS is about 60, but I haven't really charted whether it changes much through the year.
Twisted Sister really is very a beautiful colour! If I could get 5 years out of the media before having to replace it, then I might be able to justify filling up the old spa lol. It would have been there since the 70's or 80's and it's pretty massive. It would call for a hell of a lot of peat and it's about $6 for a small bag at our only garden centre. It's a large oval shape and would look very nice as a bog I think. I have a lot of seeds sown atm so if I get good germination (though I'm not overly confident in that area lol) then I'll have plenty of CPs to plant it out! We do have a little rain water tank, though I think our tap water might be ok as well or at least when need be. The spa is deeper in the centre so would allow for some sort of reservoir tank set up - when I finally get around to doing it i'll have to post some pics and get some input from the forums. I also have an old preformed fish pond that was part of a water feature in the centre of our pool - I think the people that built this house might have been modelling it on the playboy mansion....lol
I would love to see pics of your bog build when you do it! I think the ICPS website has info on setting up bogs and bog pots, and also a search of the forums I am sure will offer lots of tips. Half whisky barrels also make excellent bog plantings.
I know right? Rachel’s mini bog is certainly drool worthy!
My tap water TDS fluctuates throughout the year, the highest I have tested I think was 67. I just tested it yesterday and it was 37. A TDS of 60 ppm is not bad for outside pots/bogs that get flushed by rain periodically. I think under 100 ppm is okay for outside plants getting flushed by rain at times throughout the year.
Quality of the peat you use also plays a factor in overall TDS levels as some brands are high in impurities such as salts, so it is good to test that as well before and after rinsing it before use. I soak peat in water in a container for a day or so, then squeeze out enough water to test it with the meter. I have gotten some brands of peat moss (I get it in bales) that test in the 200 to over 300 ppm range! Always a good idea to rinse well soil media such as peat, sand, and perlite before using it.