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So I buried a trash can in my backyard last Spring.

The title says it all. Living way down south with no rain to speak of and really hot summers I've been trying for a few years to grow Sarrs. Well this year I've had my first success.

I took a 18"ish tall trash can and drilled drainage holes about 6" up all around the trash can then filed it with peat/sand. This would allow the top 12" of medium to drain while keeping some water in the bottom of the container. Dug a hole, picked up a Sarr from the local chain store and off the experiment went.

Following local watering rules I only watered twice a week at most and here are the results. Nothing amazing but the first Sarr to live through the 110 degree summer!

The Ping was more of an afterthough while repotting some indoor stuff late summer.
DSC_0767 by randallsimpson, on Flickr

It looks so much better now than when we "saved" it from the store.
DSC_0768 by randallsimpson, on Flickr

If everything goes well over the next year I might have to build a proper bog, seems depth is the key with the drought/heat.
 
Wow thats really neat! I never thought of using trashcans like that :) Was it hard to dig the hole?
 
Wow thats really neat! I never thought of using trashcans like that :) Was it hard to dig the hole?

Not for me, my son was grounded! Every 15m or so I went outside and said "Nope, not deep enough yet. Keep digging"
 
^ ha ha ha!

Something of a side note, there was a segment on NPR recently about the watering bans and the people who tend to break the watering rules, usually they're the politicians who are campaigning for the watering bans while the rest of the citizens follow the rules... :lol:
 
Nice job OP!

Something of a side note, there was a segment on NPR recently about the watering bans and the people who tend to break the watering rules, usually they're the politicians who are campaigning for the watering bans while the rest of the citizens follow the rules... :lol:

Not to get too off track…but yes. This is a recurring theme. Here in CA we had state senator Leland Yee hard lining against firearms, introducing bills to further restrict our 2A rights in CA, and championing "public safety." Meanwhile he was working to import and traffic automatic weapons and rocket launchers from terrorists in the Philippines in return for payments and campaign contributions. Thankfully it was an FBI sting.

They have no shame.
 
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Cool - I did something similar for my bog last year. The only real difference is that i drilled my holes about 6 inches from the top, rather than 6 inches from the bottom. Larger reservoir of moist peat meant less watering.

I live in an area that is generally not dry though. Droughts and watering restrictions are rare here. But once my bog was settled, I have not had to water it more than once per year.
 
I was surprised that you put the drainage holes so far down. I would have had them at 4 - 6", more in line with Jen's.
 
I was surprised that you put the drainage holes so far down. I would have had them at 4 - 6", more in line with Jen's.

My thought as well.





 
  • #10
Not for me, my son was grounded! Every 15m or so I went outside and said "Nope, not deep enough yet. Keep digging"

Grounded ≥ Slave
 
  • #11
I have a similar problem in summer, but I just drag them into the laundry to chill out in shade whenever it's >96F.

Do you think you'll have a problem with salt intrusion?
 
  • #12
I really have no idea since this is more of a trail run. I'd prefer a much larger bog once I figure out what I need to do.
 
  • #13
I was surprised that you put the drainage holes so far down. I would have had them at 4 - 6", more in line with Jen's.

I don't put drainage holes in any of my bogs, I find the need for drainage to be completely unnecessary and even counter intuitive in most situations. My oldest bog is going on 14 years in the ground, all the plants are still doing great despite the fact that the bog gets absolutely no watering or maintenance except for an occasional weeding.
 
  • #14
Nice, great success.
 
  • #15
So.....I had my once again grounded son pull out the trash can for some more testing. It survived a year above ground with no real attention from us.

As of today.

DSC_0081
by randallsimpson, on Flickr

DSC_0080
by randallsimpson, on Flickr



Well a few grounding later and we end up with....A much deeper hole complete with a pond liner and even connected to our A/C condensation drip line running into the bog. Gogo recycling! So I don't need to check on the water! Got that batch of Sarrs from last years NASC auction they are just starting to produce pitchers and we have some more arriving later this week from this years auction. The flowers are on there last leg I really should have taken the photos last week when they were in there prime but I did not.

So I guess the morale of this story is that you can grow Sarrs outdoors in TX if you have a grounded kid.

DSC_0078
by randallsimpson, on Flickr

DSC_0079
by randallsimpson, on Flickr
 
  • #16
I fear that this may cause you to abuse your ability to ground your son, but I don't know your son. So you might not have to. Good growing.
 
  • #18
Oddly the critters around here dug it up. I woke up one morning to a big hole and lots of little leaf pieces, like they ate it. Really odd, they also keep digging holes in the trash can but don't bother the pitcher side just the other side.

They don't go into the bog so maybe I'll retry another ping in there. I think they don't like the wet feet part of the bog.
 
  • #19
Perhaps the local critters decided to make their own yoghurt
 
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