Bog all year in Belgium?

[TheDroseraOne]

So I want to make a little bog in the summer for my CP's, but I have some questions.

Can I keep my D. Capensis and Aliciae outside in the bog too?

When winter comes around can I keep my plants outside? I live in Belgium and it can get to around -20°C (-4F) and how can I isolate the bog if it get's too cold?

Maybe it would be better to get them inside in the winter, but it would be nice if I could keep them outside all year round, so I thought I would get your opinions.

 

[Steve Booth]

Hi DroseraOne

To a certain extent it depends on how big your bog is, the larger the better really, as it will have a higher thermal mass so wont cool downd and heat up rapidly which is what tends to kill plants in planters, and indeed what sort of plants you want to keep. I have sarracenia (all varieties) temperate drossera and indeed venus fly traps, that make it through a UK winter with a small amount of protection, (this may not be needed but I diont want to chance it) , probably purpurea and perhaps some of its hybrids would be fine with no protection at all.

From my experience Capensis dies back in winter to its roots, even when protected by a layer of fern fronds, leaves etc, but even at -17C last year mine still grew back, late in spring though. Alaciae wont survive i'm afraid.

There is a site where there are sarracenia and other plants grown outdoors all year in a zone 6 climate, and it details what he does to enable them to survive. The temperatures in zone siz are -17C to -23C so are similar to yours. Have a look at the site, definitely have a go, because it is well worth it, and good luck.

http://zone6b.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/today-we-have-a-guest-bog-to-blog-about/

All the best
Steve

 

[Cthulhu138]

You seem to have a very similar climate to me. D. capensis will sometimes come back but D.aliciae will not. All Sarracenia will do well in your climate as well as Dionaea. As far as Drosera goes, I keep the following in my bogs outdoors all year : D. intermedia, D. rotundifolia, D. filiformis filiformis, D.f.f. 'Florida Giant', D. binata binata, D. b. dichotoma, D.linearis, D. X anglica, D, X 'Ivans Paddle'.

 

[TheDroseraOne]

Thank you for your responses! c:

I think that I'm gonna keep the Aliciae's inside and have a bunch of Sarracenia's outside together with some VFT's and perhaps my Capensis. Probably a few purpurea's since they seem to be the most durable CP to keep outside.

Edit: Thanks for the interesting link! ;D

 

[lance]

I have several D. capensis in my sarr pots where they stay out all winter and I experience the same low temps... I find that the dews resort to a dormant like bud and resume growth in the spring ... very hardy! Sarracenias live in cold sometimes snowed in conditions in the winter so I dont think they would be affected at all. If there is a cold snap coming, then you can simply cover the divisions in compost and leaf to protect them.