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Water level for whisky barrel bog

I finally broke down and put together a whisky barrel bog, mainly because the Sars are overcrowding the VFTs in my existing planters. Anyway, I got a half whisky barrel and one of the black plastic tubs that fit inside the barrel. I put down a PVC pipe to monitor the water level and have a palce to remove excess water when it rains. The soil is a 50/50 mix of peat and sand.

Now for the question. How close to the surface should I keep the water level? I have a mix of plants I want to put into the planter, including:

Sar. tarnok
Sar. rubra
Sar. minor
Parrot Pitcher
Dros. filiformus
Cape Sundew
VFT

Rich
 
I know that the minor and the parrot pitcher like it wetter than others. You may want to slope the bog, so that these are closer to the water level. You might have erosion problems in heavy rain, though.

I'd add a fast-growing utric, as well, to hold the soil on the surface together.
 
Do you guys think that a container type bog like that would work under a covered patio that recieves no full sun.
 
Keep the VFT in another bog and depending where you live you can keep this ones water leval as high as you want it. What filiformis ssp? I think either will not mind.
 
Nick, I have grown some Sarracenia with only indirect sunlight. They grew okay just not as big and robust as normal. I had them growing under an overhang on the northern side of the house. I also am in So Cal so I don't know if that makes a difference. I hope this helps.
 
I made this bog last spring:

CPdormancy01.jpg


it is 22" long by 17" wide by 5" deep.
I put a row of drainage holes along the backside, 3" down from the soil surface.
I have no "monitoring pipe" because the bog can never fill to the top, because of the drainage holes..so it can never over fill, but the water level can go low and I have no way to monitor that..but that isnt a concern for me because I simply fill it every day or two until water drains out the holes..then I know it is "full" again..
so water will be 3" below the surface at the maximum, and will lower an inch or two below that as water evaporates..as long as I dont let it go too long, it wont dry out..plus there is a good amount of pure liquid UNDER the drainage holes at all times, so it would take several hot days to dry out dangerously..
in the summer I monitor my CPs every day anyway, so I always just add a little water to the bog as I am filling all the other small trays, and the water level stays fine in the bog..

I filled the bog with a 50/50 mix of pure peat and perlite, then did a one-inch layer of pure LFS over the top.
then planted.
the LFS "covers" the peat/perlite mix..after a year, only a few white perlite grains have worked their way to the top..
I keep it out in full sun and full rain, wide open to sky, erosion hasnt been a problem..
as long as you have enough drainage holes, erosion shouldnt be a problem.
(as long as the bog can drain FASTER than the rain falls! which isnt difficult to achieve.. )
Scot
 
Nice bog. I never put drainage holes in mine anymore. Where did you get the liner and how much was it?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Treaqum @ Feb. 22 2005,6:13)]Keep the VFT in another bog and depending where you live you can keep this ones water leval as high as you want it. What filiformis ssp? I think either will not mind.
I've been considering keeping the VFTs in another bog. Last year the birds totally tore them to pieces trying to get at the moss growing on the surface of the planter (more of a pot then a planter really). I used to have 5 fairly large plants and now only have two babies (time for some shopping I guess
smile.gif
). I think it will be easier to protect them in a smaller planter through the nesting season (@#$% grackles!).

I don't recall the specific ssp of filiformis. I do know they are some of my best growers, second only to the rubras.

I'd rather get the right mix of plants in the planter then trying to slope it. Less of a headache and maintainence that way.

My current planter is covered with a great moss (the kind that grows on rocks, not living long fiber sphagnum). I like the utric idea. Any recommendations? I've never grown utrics but have always wanted to try.

BTW, I live in the Dallas/FT Worth area and the planter is currently (I may move it if it doesn't work out well) in a place where it gets filtered light for most of the day and about 2 hours of direct sun in the evenings.
 
filiformis ssp. filiformis has red coloration/tentacles and is thinner then the all green filiformis ssp. tracyi. fili. ssp. tracyi will work out better in wetter areas in my experience.
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Treaqum @ Feb. 23 2005,6:26)]filiformis ssp. filiformis has red coloration/tentacles and is thinner then the all green filiformis ssp. tracyi. fili. ssp. tracyi will work out better in wetter areas in my experience.
Then I must have tracyi given that they are pure green. But, now that I think of it, they were labled ssp filiformis. We all know how reliable the lables are though.

My web album will not allow me to link directly to pictures, but you can see my planters as they were a couple of years ago before the Sars started to take over at http://tinyurl.com/3mphx.

The 10th image (counting from left to right) is a good shot of the filiformis.
 
  • #11
Myth,
we cant see your photos:

An error has occurred.
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can you open it up for "public" viewing?
right now only you can see it..

Scot
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] (scottychaos @ Feb. 24 2005,1:06)]Myth,
we cant see your photos:

An error has occurred.
You do not appear to be the owner of this album.
Make sure you are logged in.
Please push the Back button on your browser to correct this problem.
Thank you.


can you open it up for "public" viewing?
right now only you can see it..

Scot
DOH! I gave you the wrong link (the other link was to the admin viewing page, not the public page). Use this one instead http://community.webshots.com/album/97562410BDVEyi.
 
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