Outdoor bog for CP's

[dmina]

I want to start a big planter for my CP's... I live in zone6b... I want to make a container that I will be able to move... We may be selling this house within the next year or so... I want to be able to take them with me, where ever I move...

I would love some ideas... I also need to know how deep it should be to protect it from our bad weather... I was thinking maybe a whiskey barrel with wheels?? Too small?

Also suggestions on which plants would be the best for a CP garden...

Thank you for looking,
Denise

 

[dozer1028]

I've tried it before I wasn't a big fan. Im in zone 6b also and I used plastic drum cut in half Then wrapped it with wood to hide all the plastic. It worked well enough but extremely heavy. If you can roll it into a garage it would help. And buy qualitywheels because of the weight. I gave up on the idea and went to individual potted plants.

 

[SubRosa]

I live in 6B as well, just outside Philadelphia. I never gave any protection to my half barrels, other than placing them in front of a SW facing brick wall. Last winter, the coldest in living memory, my plants all survived. Dews, VFTs, S. purpurea, a flava hybrid and all my associated plants didn't miss a beat. S.rubra and 'Scarlet Belle' were not happy. S. leucophylla was VERY unhappy. But all plants survived and recovered.

 

[Av8tor1]

I like using livestock feed tubs.
They can be found in rather large sizes, UV resistant, farm tough, come in about any color you can want, mine have rope handles and at the local farm supply.... under 20 bucks.
Deeper is better IMHO, even during august I don't have to worry about watering except on rare occasions

example:http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/fortiflex-large-capacity-plastic-bucket-17-1-2-gal-capacity-black

I have some that have been used for container bogs for at least 5 years, still pliable and show no signs of deterioration.

zone 6A

First container bog, IMHO stay with Sarracenia
Beautiful and will give you much reward for little effort

 

[dmina]

Thanks a lot for your help... Now if just have to figure out which ones to start with... I have seen some photos on here.. so many great setups...

 

[Av8tor1]

I've always drilled a small hole a few inches below the substrate's surface...
In wet years it will help prevent the roots from being waterlogged for extended periods, and it also helps keep roots cool.
Damp sphag will have a good evaporation rate (cools) plus air is a good insulator. A container with a water logged surface in hot sun is a hot bowl of CP root soup.

If you container is deep enough, it will have the moisture reservoir capacity to keep things happy during the dry dog days of summer.

Containers with lots of surface area compared to depth require too much attention (for my schedule anyways)....

Basic physics ;-)