Hi Folks
got an idea some time ago for growing Darlingtonia and Pinguicula macroceras outdoors in full sun and heat, without them over-heating. Has worked pretty well so far.
At the fish counter in most decent food stores, you can ask for the styrofoam fish boxes and get some. They are only going to be thrown away anyway. These are usually long, from 18"-36" by about 12" and usually 4-6" deep. They usually smell of fish, so wash them out a bit. Dont sweat it much as you wont be able to tell soon enough and the plants dont care.
I cut some 3-4 inch long by 1 inch wide slits in the bottom side/edges, to allow water to flow freely through the box. These were stuffed with live sphagnum moss to keep peat moss inside from getting out. The boxes were weighed down heavily with chunks of serpentine rock. This has to be done carefully to keep the box floating level. Now fill the box with soggy wet peat moss and plant the plants in this. Top dress with live sphagnum moss. I have one that I did that has just serpentine and live sphagnum moss in it, and others with no live sphagnum except as to keep the holes in the side plugged. These are just serpentine and peat moss and are for the Pinguicula and seedling Darlingtonia and Drosera rotundifolia.
I am thinking of trying Sarracenia and vft this way also. It allows the plants to stay contained and wet, while keeping the pond for Utricularia or other pond plants. I have goldfish and Typha in mine. This way I do not have pots in the pond subject to drying out if the water level drops... the islands float and stay at the water level of the pond.
Over time the live sphagnum grows and covers the edges of the boxes so they look more natural.
Now I have to figure out how to post the photos of these islands to this posting... jpgs from my desktop... I do not see anyplace to attach them.
Best wishes
Andrew
got an idea some time ago for growing Darlingtonia and Pinguicula macroceras outdoors in full sun and heat, without them over-heating. Has worked pretty well so far.
At the fish counter in most decent food stores, you can ask for the styrofoam fish boxes and get some. They are only going to be thrown away anyway. These are usually long, from 18"-36" by about 12" and usually 4-6" deep. They usually smell of fish, so wash them out a bit. Dont sweat it much as you wont be able to tell soon enough and the plants dont care.
I cut some 3-4 inch long by 1 inch wide slits in the bottom side/edges, to allow water to flow freely through the box. These were stuffed with live sphagnum moss to keep peat moss inside from getting out. The boxes were weighed down heavily with chunks of serpentine rock. This has to be done carefully to keep the box floating level. Now fill the box with soggy wet peat moss and plant the plants in this. Top dress with live sphagnum moss. I have one that I did that has just serpentine and live sphagnum moss in it, and others with no live sphagnum except as to keep the holes in the side plugged. These are just serpentine and peat moss and are for the Pinguicula and seedling Darlingtonia and Drosera rotundifolia.
I am thinking of trying Sarracenia and vft this way also. It allows the plants to stay contained and wet, while keeping the pond for Utricularia or other pond plants. I have goldfish and Typha in mine. This way I do not have pots in the pond subject to drying out if the water level drops... the islands float and stay at the water level of the pond.
Over time the live sphagnum grows and covers the edges of the boxes so they look more natural.
Now I have to figure out how to post the photos of these islands to this posting... jpgs from my desktop... I do not see anyplace to attach them.
Best wishes
Andrew
Meanwhile, my boxes have lasted as long as 4 years floating, and even longer used as planting boxes. Problem I have here is the chickens like to eat styrofoam and peck holes in them. Fish boxes usually are pretty tough and strong. Mine floating islands have been frozen solid many times, lodged in as much as 4 inches of ice, one was there when the pond froze solid and killed my pet bluegills. Still going strong. Havent had a problem with the goldfish nibbling on the roots as no roots stick out of the holes. This could change though, and if it happens, I will feed my fish more often. They have plenty of water-lily, typha and algae, as well as duckweed and azolla to feed on though, and all the mosquito larvae I can get for them... on top of goldfish pellets... I also have a ton of anacheris and elodea in there too... I am careful come winter however, the Pings go dormant and form hibernaculae. These float off if the island gets too low in the water and the fish will eat them. Not a problem with Darlingtonia however.
