First time making a minibog need a little help.

[bluebird]

I'm hoping on starting a mini bog out of a plastic pot and I don't really know if this is the correct way to go about this since it's my first time making one so far this is my plan.

I've bought a 12 1/4"- 31cm plastic pot and I'm hoping to put a few CP plants in it so far I have two typical VFT and hoping to get a few more to put in it like Drosera, Pitcher plants, and Akai Ryu VFT not too sure on what types of pitcher plants and drosera are good just yet still researching and looking around.

The media i'm thinking of doing is 50/50 Peat perlite and maybe some pine needles mixed with it either all of the media or maybe just the top layer and once I get all the plants I want in I'll probably put a layer of LFS on the top and in the winter I'll use the rest of the pine needles to mulch over and keep it outside for winter except on when it's in the 20s or 10s it'll go into the shed.

If the pot size I have is not big enough I could probably get a bigger one the store had a 15" one I'll just return the smaller one and get a bigger one also the pine needles are from my christmass tree it's a Balsim Fir, so I'm not sure if this kind is ok to use.

I'm going to get the sphagnum peat, and LFS this weekend to set it up for the VFT since they're still dormant or should I wait?

 

[jm82792]

I have used larg plastic drained and undrained pots and have used glass/glazed ceramic pots too bigger the better. Peat perilite is greta but the perilite floats. Pine needles enver tried them but maybe a topping for estetics.
Capensis,Binata,Rosseted drosera(lower non full sun light),smaller sarracenia ,all vfts(do not water log ) and so on like bladderworts and butterworts.

 

[Captain Hamata]

Bluebird, I don't think I would mix pine needles in the media. People generally use pine needles as insulation for their plants during dormancy. Whatever sundews you decide to go with, just make sure they're temperate. That way they'll have the same dormacy requirements as your vfts and Sarracenia. Mini bogs are fun to make. Here are some that I've done.

 

[D_muscipula]

is that pure pat it looks really wet.
I have a sterilite tub and I drilled holes in the side at the ideal water level so it doesnt flood and a pvc pipe in the bog to pour water in is a good idea aice it wont make perlite float.
and dump water all over the top of the plants,that helps if you have dews in there etc.
a 50/50 mix of pea tmoss and perlite is good.
here's my bog I'm working on cant wait until its full of dews.

i should add some pvc like I suggested :grin:

 

[Captain Hamata]

is that pure pat it looks really wet.

Nice Dew planting D muscipula. That picture was from last summer and was a mix of peat and sand. The temps outside were really hot so the water dried quickly. The water didn't drain to quickly though. The plants did okay but could've used more light (which I later moved them to a sunnier spot). I don't remember the exact mix I used, but maybe I lighten it up a bit for better drainage this upcoming growing season.

 

[glider14]

heres mine last year... i think this year im going back to pots because it was tough to move around.

there are several sarrs. several dews(including a forest of D. burmanni) and even U. subulata!

as you can see with D. burmanni you can safely put tropicals(there is also D. capensis in there) out for the summer. youll have enough seeds for the next season if need be.

Alex

 

[Not a Number]

If you're going to plant Sarracenia, 12 inches is probably the smallest size container you want to use. Get a planter with a replaceable drain plug so you can flush out any mineral build up once in awhile. That way you will have to replace the media less often.

 

[D_muscipula]

the dews look way better they used to look like this

I ahd them on a S. window and then I put them under artificial light so they are looking a bit green.
although now they are starting to color up gonna slowly move them outside during spring.


the dews are going to be a tropical bog why not have on of them
a tropical drosera bog.

 

[jm82792]

When I egt my camera i'l show you guys my drosea stuffed tank
Very nicely landscaped

 

[bluebird]

These four CPs are what I'd like to plant, D. binata, D. capensis, Northern Purple Pitcher, and Judith Hindle also two Typical VFT, and a Akai Ryu VFT I don't want to crowd it too much so I'll probably just plant one of each CP does it matter where I plant each one in the pot?

Should the two pitcher plants be closer to the middle or the sides for example?

The 12" Plastic pot that I bought has eight small drain holes on the bottom and a tray for it, but I didn't know about Replaceable drain plugs, but I think I saw something like that at a garden center so this weekend I'll go check to see if they have one for 12" and if I can't return the other pot I'll use it for something else.

Is this a replaceable drain plug how much do these usually cost?
http://www.insideplantslive.org/images/ipl/RSSi/Ariana%20and%20Drain%20Platform%20300x400.jpg

Thanks alot for the pictures of your bogs.

 

[scottychaos]

These four CPs are what I'd like to plant, D. binata, D. capensis, Northern Purple Pitcher, and Judith Hindle also two Typical VFT, and a Akai Ryu VFT I don't want to crowd it too much so I'll probably just plant one of each CP does it matter where I plant each one in the pot?

Should the two pitcher plants be closer to the middle or the sides for example?

The 12" Plastic pot that I bought has eight small drain holes on the bottom and a tray for it, but I didn't know about Replaceable drain plugs, but I think I saw something like that at a garden center so this weekend I'll go check to see if they have one for 12" and if I can't return the other pot I'll use it for something else.

Is this a replaceable drain plug how much do these usually cost?
http://www.insideplantslive.org/images/ipl/RSSi/Ariana%20and%20Drain%20Platform%20300x400.jpg

Thanks alot for the pictures of your bogs.

those plants all sound fine together, except for the D. capensis.
that one should not go in the bog with the others, because it does not need a winter dormancy.

As you view the bog, imagine you have a front and a back.
the front will be the side you view the bog from the most.
Put the Judith Hindle in the back, since it grows the tallest.
Put the S. purpurea dead-center, where it can form a nice rosette.
Put the Binata on one side, right or left.
put one VFT on the other side, and the 2nd VFT right in the front.

For a 12" bog, I wouldnt worry about drain plugs at all.
instead look for one of those large and tall plastic "saucers"..
the same plastic saucers everyone used for "the tray method",
but larger and with higher sides..then you can keep the water level halfway up the bog or better..

Scot

 

[bluebird]

I like your idea of planting them I'll do that so far I just have two VFT and going to order the others when I can also when I do receive the other plants I was thinking before I planted them in it I would put them in the shade and get them used to the sun.

Since D. capensis is no go I'll probably get one later on as a house plant.

Thanks alot for the help.

 

[Captain Hamata]

:grin:

I like your idea of planting them I'll do that so far I just have two VFT and going to order the others when I can also when I do receive the other plants I was thinking before I planted them in it I would put them in the shade and get them used to the sun.

Since D. capensis is no go I'll probably get one later on as a house plant.

Thanks alot for the help.

I wouldn't put your plants in the shade. With less light, growth is retarded and color is faded if not lost. If you want to acclimate them, then start them out with light exposure, but less of it. Then gradually expose them to more and more hours of sunlight. You shouldn't have to worry too much about your plants being used to the sun because naturally they're sun lovers. It's in their genes.:grin: There's no reason you can't put a capensis in your minbog. You'll just have to dig it up in the fall if you want to save it. Otherwise it will grow just fine with the rest of the plants. Hope this helps.

Chris

 

[jimscott]

I found that the shade provided by being under the porch to be beneficial to plants just waking up from dormancy, going from attic to outside:

When we moved I put the whole collection on the porch, in direct sun. Some did well and some fried to death.

Bright shade is a good transition.

 

[bluebird]

Sorry to bring back this thread, but I have a problem the person I'm buying the D. binata ssp. multifida says that it'll not do well in the winter where I live and says that the Drosera binata ssp. dichotoma is more hardy so my question is this true and is the dichotoma better for my minibog in zone 5-6?

I plan to mulch it with pine needles and when it gets below freezing bring it into my unheated garage I'm hoping to use the D.binata multifida with my minibog, but if it's not good for winter I'd rather just grow it inside.

Thanks for the help.

 

[scottychaos]

Sorry to bring back this thread, but I have a problem the person I'm buying the D. binata ssp. multifida says that it'll not do well in the winter where I live .

thats interesting...but the seller is assuming you are going to keep the plants outdoors all winter...he is assuming you are not an educated CP grower who knows all about winter dormancy and who knows there are many CPs you cant keep outdoors all winter.
essentially, the seller is assuming you are stupid..I guess its nice the seller is concerned for the plants he sells, but still...a CP seller should also be smart enough to know that those of us in the northern US have to do special tricks for winter dormancy if we want our plants to survive..

by the sellers logic, you should also never be allowed to buy VFTs or Nepenthes or any Sarracenia except S. purpurea...its really not the sellers place to make that judgement call. He should at least ask you your plans for dormancy first, then if he finds out you really are clueless, then denying a sale might be justified..
but not before he knows how experienced you are..

I would email the seller back, tell him you know all about winter dormancy, and where you live is irrelevant because you know how to give CPs a proper dormancy, and the plant will not be kept outdoors all winter.

Drosera binata ssp. dichotoma is more hardy so my question is this true and is the dichotoma better for my minibog in zone 5-6?

your zone is irrelevant for either..
you could live in central Alaska and it still wouldnt matter.
because you arent going to keep the plants outside all winter.
either will be fine in your garage.
(is your garage attached to the house? or freestanding by itself?)

Scot

 

[jimscott]

I would simply keep the D. binata at a window sill for the winter. It will be drawing heat fom the room and coldness from the outside, as well as respond to the change of photoperiod. Works for me.

 

[bluebird]

The garage is attached to the house there's a window on the door to the outside so it'd get some sun.

I decided to keep the D.binata as a house plant so far it looks good I put it in a tray of distilled water at a south window and I'll probably put it outside once it's warmer out also I was wondering are pitcher plants pretty tolerant of wind and rain or will it break or get bent from it?

The forcast tonight has rain and Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph so I'm wondering will it be ok or should I bring the bog inside for the night and put it out in the morning?

Thanks again for the advice I have pictures of the binata and the bog so I'll post pictures of it tommarow or so since it usually takes awhile since I have dial-up right now. =\

 

[jimscott]

Having tall, thin leaves, they will get blown around. But you can by these mini-trellises to stabilize them, or do something creative to keep them in place better.

 

[JMurphy97]

I leave mine I just made outside. It gets down into the 30's still but it's free water.