My new VFT and Drosera minibog

[PitcherCrab]

I just put together a VFT and Drosera minibog and I wanted to post some pics to get all of your opinions on it. The potting mix I used was 5 parts peat, 2 parts sand (washed) and 3 parts perlite. Before putting it into the planter I drilled 2 holes on each side about 3" up the side of the container and lay down a layer of long fiber sphagnum. Once planted I top dressed with LFS. It is sitting on my deck and should get a good 5-6 hours of sun.

In the bog I put 1 pretty large (large comparied to all my other plants!) Drosera binata, 4 Drosera capensis, 1 Typical VFT I got from a carnivorous plant supplier, and 1 typical VFT which I managed to split up into 5 plants that I saved from a nursery. The result can be seen in the photos below. Please tell me what you think and if there is something I could do better. Will I have any foreseeable problems keeping the VFTs and Drosera in the same container? Please let me know what you think!

 

[millworkman]

Looks really good to me, just make sure they do not fall off the rail and land what looks like 3 stories down. The binata is beautiful btw.

 

[mass]

I never understood how the tube works? Can someone give me the low down?

 

[petmantis]

I never understood how the tube works? Can someone give me the low down?

It's usually used to monitor the water level in the minibog, so you know how much you must add. I guess it can also be used to water the minibog slowly without disturbing the soil.

 

[scottychaos]

looks good!

the only potential issue is having the D. capensis in with the others, because the capensis doesnt need a winter dormancy, while the others do...you will have to remove it this fall, but until then, its not a problem..

(some say D. binata doesnt need a dormancy either, but thats a grey area..personally I always give my D. binata the same dormancy as the VFT's and Sarrs..its been happy with that for 15 years..)

I believe the tube is so you can visually check the water level..peer into the tube to see how high the water is..
personally I think the tube in unnecessary..just pour in water until it leaks out the drain holes!
then you know its full..I have found there is no need to be able to see the water level.
but if the tube works for you, thats fine too..there is nothing *wrong* with using the tube.

Scot

 

[GrowinOld]

There's a Tube!

It's a bong disguised as a bog, of course!

 

[thez_yo]

Wow, nice red binata there, and that background garden in the first pic looks great too (is it yours?).

 

[Nep Lover]

yes it must be a bong, that would make perfect sense

 

[mass]

ahh.. now I see where you guys got your green thumbs.

 

[jimscott]

What Scot said!

 

[limeslide]

There's a Tube!

It's a bong disguised as a bog, of course!

You can't imagine what me and my dad found in our yard...

 

[RL7836]

the only potential issue is having the D. capensis in with the others, because the capensis doesnt need a winter dormancy, while the others do...you will have to remove it this fall, but until then, its not a problem..

Depends on how he does his dormancy. If he places the bog where the lows stay above freezing, his capensis may be fine. I've been doing VFT, Ceph, D. binata overwintering in a basement backroom under lights for years. The lows are in the 40's*F and they all get the rest they need.

On a different note, the capensis & binata may spread through the bog with their thick, black roots & start popping up .....

 

[GrowinOld]

Lime...
you are wrong!...
I have a very good imagination!

(I wondered where we left that!) :grin: