Mini bog for zone 5

[pappydew]

I'm thinking of getting a mini bog setup with some temperate species since I have a S. purpurea currently residing in a terrarium already. So I plan on moving that in there as well as some North American dews. So far it seems as if rotundifolia and filiformis are good candidates and I've seen conflicting info on whether intermedia would work. Also, would the tracyi subspecies of filiformis work or would I want just the typical form? I can't find specifics on its cold tolerance.

I'm specifically going to be overwintering them in the UP of Michigan. Supposedly zone 5 since winters are a bit more mild in terms of temp (reaches below 0F maybe once or twice a season) than some of the surrounding southern areas but we usually get a lot more snow (200+").

Any ideas on what would and wouldn't work? General pointers are always appreciated as well!

 

[Brokken]

I think that you'd be singularly well suited to grow D. linearis as part of your bog.

 

[jimscott]

I would strongly consider mulching the bog for the winter with pine needles.

 

[pappydew]

I think that you'd be singularly well suited to grow D. linearis as part of your bog.

Hmmm, wonder why that name didn't show up in my searches. Similarly, I wonder if D. anglica would work. Seems to be distributed right around where I am anyways.

I would strongly consider mulching the bog for the winter with pine needles.

Even for these temperate plants? Not that I wouldn't if it would mean the difference between death and returning from dormancy but I thought that the point of these species was they didn't need mulching. I must be confused lol.

Do I need commercially sold pine needle mulch or could I even just use those that fall in my yard?

 

[petmantis]

With D. linearis... be careful. It's slow growing, and needs very long winters - in which, of course, it has the tendency to rot. Go figure.

 

[pappydew]

Long winters aren't a problem here, although, how would I go about stopping the rot?

 

[petmantis]

Long winters aren't a problem here, although, how would I go about stopping the rot?

I wouldn't really know. The 2 specimens I had rotted away during dormancy.

However, there are a few knowledgeable growers on the CPUK forum who grow this plant with a fair amount of success, you may want to ask on there.

 

[pappydew]

Hmm, I will try but in the end I may just skip that one.

So far I have:

-S. purpurea
-D. rotundifolia
-D. filiformis
-D. anglica
-D. linearis (?)

Any tweaking I should do? I'm having doubts about the filiformis doing well since it is found mainly out east. Would it survive with mulching? That goes for all of them, really.

 

[petmantis]

There are some very hardy Filiformis varieties, especially from the 3 Canadian sites (which are in extremely bad shape right now :-/ ) Those are definitely hardy, but there may be other hardy varieties out in cultivation.

 

[pappydew]

Is the tracyi variant included in that?

 

[Huntsmanshorn]

Is the tracyi variant included in that?

Trayi is from the Gulf Coast region. Florida Panhandle-ish. Pretty far south. You might get away with it if you mulch like jimscott suggested.

 

[jbradt]

Sounds like a great list so far, Pappy. Can't wait to see your progress!

 

[FlyedPiper]

I would be worried about the roots freezing and dying in a pot (I'm assuming you're talking about an 'above ground' mini bog right?). In the ground they would have some protection from hard freezes, but in a pot I think they would croak- even species native to your area... In the UP it would be a solid block of ice by November
I'm in southern MI, and I'm still winterizing my purpurea with my other sarrs and VFT's in a garage just above freezing.

I'm new to this too though- am I wrong?

I must say I'm interested to hear others feedback on this. A mini-bog I could leave out all year here would be SWEET.

 

[uphwiz]

i have lots of intermedia, if you want i could send you a few, if they dont make it no great loss,
mine are very invasive here(zone 7) just when you thought you lost them from last season, they show up in every pot near where they were last year, their some what small the first season so can be easily pulled out if you don't want the extras, but i like mine its almost like carpet in some of my pots.
click on pics for closer view

 

[Huntsmanshorn]

I'm new to this too though- am I wrong?

You are correct. Conventional wisdom holds that none of the plants listed (linearis ?), would live though a zone 5 winter, in an above ground pot, left exposed to the outside elements. I wonder though, what might happen with 200+ inches of snow? That is a lot of snow. Would this provide protection from the brutal winds of winter? Maybe, at least, for a few of the cold heartiest of the CPs ?

 

[xvart]

Here is a good thread for bogs in similar (or worse) locations. Too bad a lot of the pictures aren't online anymore, but Dom had an outdoor bog going in Quebec. This post in particular is impressive when you think about having a bog under all that!

xvart.

 

[pappydew]

Trayi is from the Gulf Coast region. Florida Panhandle-ish. Pretty far south. You might get away with it if you mulch like jimscott suggested.

Ah, ok. I wasn't sure if D. filiformis tracyi was the same as D. trayci itself as there is some controversy over naming I didn't realize.

I would be worried about the roots freezing and dying in a pot (I'm assuming you're talking about an 'above ground' mini bog right?). In the ground they would have some protection from hard freezes, but in a pot I think they would croak- even species native to your area... In the UP it would be a solid block of ice by November
I'm in southern MI, and I'm still winterizing my purpurea with my other sarrs and VFT's in a garage just above freezing.

I'm new to this too though- am I wrong?

I must say I'm interested to hear others feedback on this. A mini-bog I could leave out all year here would be SWEET.

Good point, something I didn't think of...I suppose there is always the chance I could move them inside or mulch if this isn't possible.

i have lots of intermedia, if you want i could send you a few, if they dont make it no great loss,
mine are very invasive here(zone 7) just when you thought you lost them from last season, they show up in every pot near where they were last year, their some what small the first season so can be easily pulled out if you don't want the extras, but i like mine its almost like carpet in some of my pots.
click on pics for closer view

That would be awesome! Expect to be hearing from me soon.

You are correct. Conventional wisdom holds that none of the plants listed (linearis ?), would live though a zone 5 winter, in an above ground pot, left exposed to the outside elements. I wonder though, what might happen with 200+ inches of snow? That is a lot of snow. Would this provide protection from the brutal winds of winter? Maybe, at least, for a few of the cold heartiest of the CPs ?

Hmmm, another interesting point. I figured I would try to keep them a bit "shaded" from the snow like on the front porch or someplace like that but I wonder if the snow would help keep the roots from being over exposed to the cold.

Here is a good thread for bogs in similar (or worse) locations. Too bad a lot of the pictures aren't online anymore, but Dom had an outdoor bog going in Quebec. This post in particular is impressive when you think about having a bog under all that!

xvart.

Thanks!

Looks like the key for some Droseras would be to keep them from flowering. I assume one would just remove the stalks (pedicels?) then before the flowers fully form?

 

[pappydew]

Ok, so I'm still not exactly sure what to do when it comes to mulching the bog. Anyone with experience have some pointers?

So the planned stock was:

-S. purpurea
-D. rotundifolia
-D. filiformis
-D. anglica
-D. linearis (?)

Would all these do well with mulching? Or should I just plan on bringing them inside?

 

[pappydew]

Seems like anglica is almost impossible to find. I think I'll be substituting in intermedia then. And it seems like linearis isn't exactly the easiest plant to keep alive for very long.

I think I'm going to stick with rotundifolia, intermedia, filiformis and the Sarr.

 

[Huntsmanshorn]

Would all these do well with mulching?

Yes, they should be fine.

Or should I just plan on bringing them inside?

If the mini bog is above ground, like a big undrained pot, then simply put the mini bog in your garage over the winter. Check the pot periodically to make sure it doesn't dry out, and for mold. In the spring put it back out in the sun, and your all set. If you want to you can bag them, and stick them in the fridge for the winter, but its a whole lot easier to just put them in the garage. Your choice.

And it seems like linearis isn't exactly the easiest plant to keep alive for very long.

Sadly, all too true, and its even harder to find than anglica.

I think I'm going to stick with rotundifolia, intermedia, filiformis and the Sarr.

You could also try Pinguicula macroceras, and/or Pinguicula grandiflora. Both are fairly cold hardy, but they're kind of tricky. I didn't have much luck with either last year, but I'm giving it another try this year, and as Commander Peter Quincy Taggart would say "never give up, never surrender!".