Matt's sidewalk bog

[Matt BS]

Hi folks,
Here's a picture of my bog in Corvallis, Oregon. I bought a plastic feeding trough at the local feed store and sunk it into the ground in front of my house next to the sidewalk.
So far no one has stepped in the bog, nor stolen any of the plants.
I've had plenty of people comment on it though - I think of it as my educational bog.
Ok, so it's still March and there isn't much action, but I thought I'd start with a picture and add new ones every few weeks once things start cranking. All of the plants you see are remnants from the 2006 growing season.
Matt BS

[Matt BS]

Here's an update from 4.14.07
Top left there are at least 10 Darlingtonia buds, middle front a S. purpure bud,
top right a S. oreophylla bud. With some warm weather things should take off very soon.
Looks like I need to figure out how to upload bigger photos!
Matt BS



Here's the Darlingtonia bud

[maraxas]

See if the info I posted here helps for resizing.

(Down toward the midle of the post)

icps.proboards105.com/index.cgi?board=photos&action=display&thread=1176433846


By the way, the bog looks great.

[Matt BS]

Here's the update from May 12, 2007.
Things are still growing sooooo slow!
The S. Oreophila is showing the most growth in the top right of the photo.


Twelve buds came up this year. I was debating whether or not to cut most of them off to encourage more pitcher growth - but the flower display is amazing so I am glad I kept them.


Here's a closeup of the darlingtonia flowers

[brokken]

How cool! Love the look of Darlingtonia, but I don't think it would do well here in San Jose without special care.

[Not a Number]

As I recall San Jose isn't much different from Los Angeles weather-wise - maybe a bit more humid. As long as the summer evenings are cool (LA summer evening often drop 10-20 degrees F from daytime temps). They should do ok. Several LACPS members grow Darlingtonia without any elaborate setups.

Plant them in thick walled large pots (unglazed clay or polyurethane foam). A size larger than you would an equivalent sized Sarracenia. Use an airy, light mix - 2/1 Perlite/Peat, pure LFS or live Sphagnum moss. Top water frequently - on particularly hot days used chilled water or ice cubes (from proper water of course). Some suggest a double pot method so the water flows out rather than a tray.

[Matt BS]

I find that growing these plants in tubs burried in the soil keeps the roots cool - which according to the books is what they need.

[Matt BS]

Here's the update from 6.4.07



The Oreo. is filling in nicely in the top right.
My favorite is the copper top - second from back right.
The minor is just coming on. there are a few flowers now.
The S.psitacina has about 10 flowers - I guess I should cut some back

[Bogiron]

Matt BS,
I really love your bog idea. The plastic feeding trough almost looks like what I've seen as cement mixing tubs at Home Depot. How deep is it and did you put holes on the side? I'd like to try a backyard bog. My property is 9.5 A so I have a lot to play with. I can imagine a larger bog later on after I do some experiments.

We just visited a bog in New Jersey that was picture perfect with all colors of sphagnum complementing the colors of the Purps, filiformis, intermedia, rotundifolia and bladderworts. I would love doing some thing natural looking in my backyard. When we first built the house in the early 80s we did what was called a perk test. You dig a hole and then fill it with water. It needs to drop at a certain rate. Well, overnight I don't think it went down at all. Lots of clay. We ended up putting the septic at a different location with better drainage. It might make an easy bog for me.

[jm82792]

Nice I'm hoping to do something like that my 2 sarrs are not going to look good untill autum since they have the leucophylla "dinky summer pitchers" parentage. But my drosera are great.

[sheepboy]

thats amazing i am very jealous, one day i will have darlingtonia just like that. nice job