Heatherly Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Hi, everyone! This spring I planted a very small bog garden outside my home and planted some Sarracenia, one Drosera and two Dionaea. The Drosera seems to be pretty fickle and I thought it died twice. It came back the first time, but I'm not sure if it's going to make it. The temperatures are starting to hover just above frost point at night now, so I'm getting ready to gather up some pine needles to cover them for the upcoming (usually harsh!) winter. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping they'll make it. If they do, I've built another area four times the size of my current bog garden. I'm pretty excited about the possibilities for that one. If any of you have advice for my current plants on how to ensure their survival over the winter, I'll be eternally grateful. Here is a picture of my current bog garden (which was surprisingly easy to build and maintain): Happy Monday! Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandalf Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 (edited) Nice bog! Edited September 21, 2009 by pandalf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Looking good I hope they survive the winter - I know that Jimscott who lives close by to you keeps his plants in tubs and then moves then to a friends garage to protect them from the weather. Pine needles or straw sounds like a good idea to help protect them..... Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimscott Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 It can be done, but you would have to heavily mulch it. I need to find the excellent thread by a WeildBill, in Connecticut, that illustrates it. Otherwise, it would be too cold for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottychaos Posted September 30, 2009 Report Share Posted September 30, 2009 Heather, the bog looks good! you should be aware that we live in a very iffy environment for overwintering VFTs and Sarracenia outdoors.. ir *can* be done, but its very risky..its possible you could lose plants.. and this winter is predicted to be colder than normal.. personally, I would move them if you have a suitable dormancy location.. Im near you, up in Rochester.. I have some thoughts on dormancy for our climate, if you wish to read it: http://gold.mylargescale.com/scottychaos/CP/ Im planning to start an outdoor bog garden, possibly next spring. and I plan to attempt to overwinter some plants outdoors..but not many.. the majority of my collection will still be brought "indoors" for the winter (cool, dark dormancy) Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimscott Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 To supplement our fellow Western New Yorker, here's what WildBill, in CT did: WildBill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherly Posted October 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Hmmm. Now I'm torn.... If I bring them in, none of my windows get very much sun. Is that going to be a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsivertsen Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 What I've done for a few years is cut down the pitchers after Thanksgiving, or early Dec, before the killing overnight frosts, and rinse off the rhizomes, clean them up, and wrap them up in paper towels, or semi-dry (just barely damp) sphagnum, put them in a zip-loc bag or container, labeled and all, and keep them in the bottom of the refig until March. I check on them about once or twice a month for molds and mildew. It helps to have a spare small refig in the basement for these things. - Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottychaos Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 (edited) Hmmm. Now I'm torn....If I bring them in, none of my windows get very much sun. Is that going to be a problem? well, you cant "bring them in"..(referring to the VFTs and Sarracenia) a warm windowsill in your normal "living space" at 70 degrees all winter is much worse than leaving them outside.. You really have two options: 1. Leave them where they are, in the bog, mulch them heavily, and see how they do! they might be fine! you never know unless you give it a try.. 2. Move them somewhere that is cool..but not indoors on a windowsill, which is far too warm. you need a winter resting space that is between 35 and 55 degrees..(2-12C) fridge, cool basement, unheated room, attached garage, etc.. If option 2 isnt feasable, if you have no suitable location, the only choice is option 1.. so do you have any suitable locations for option 2? let us know the choices, and we can help you pick the best one.. If its below 45F (+7C) degrees, light is a non-issue all winter, because the plants will be deeply dormant and will not grow at all.. my plants spend 3 and a half months at 35F (+2C) degrees, wrapped tight in black plastic! totally dark..they always do fine, and come back healthy and happy every spring.. Scot Edited October 2, 2009 by scottychaos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherly Posted October 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 I have both an unheated room (a porch) and a dank, 150-year-old basement. The porch freezes often, so I don't know if that would work. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottychaos Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 (edited) I have both an unheated room (a porch) and a dank, 150-year-old basement. The porch freezes often, so I don't know if that would work. Thoughts? Heather, without knowing more about the porch and basement, its hard to say.. if the porch gets enough heat from the house, and its sealed relatively well, it might work fine.. but if its very drafty it wont hold any heat and wont be much better than outdoors.. does it face south? how warm do you think it stays in the winter? If it warms above freezing during the day, but below freezing at night, the constant freeze-thaw would be bad for the plants.. The basement sounds more promising to me..is it heated? (not heated is what we are looking for) is there a really dark damp corner away from the furnace? that might work.. could be cool enough to stay in that magic 35-55 zone all winter, and being below ground, basements are usually nicely stable in temp..if the basement is heated though, then thats no good.. I would pick what you think is the coldest corner of the basement, and put a thermometer down there right now..watch the temps over the next few days..we are supposed to have temps only in the 50's all week.. its its also 50's in the basement, you are probably golden..when its really cold the basement might stay in the 40's.. (and its unlikely your basement will actually freeze..like the porch would..its too well insulated being underground, and gets heat from the house above..) Scot Edited October 3, 2009 by scottychaos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherly Posted October 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 If it warms above freezing during the day, but below freezing at night, the constant freeze-thaw would be bad for the plants.. The porch faces south, and it does the constant freeze-thaw all winter. I'm thinking that the porch is out. The basement sounds more promising to me..is it heated? The basement is not heated. It's a steady, cool 50-ish degrees year 'round. It's a dug earth basement (original to the house, which was built 150 years ago), very dark, very damp. There's a furnace down there, but it's never used, because I had a pellet stove installed last year, so the basement temperature never fluctuates. So, cut the pitchers, rinse with rain water, sphagnum, bag 'em up and stuff 'em in the basement. Yes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottychaos Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Heather, the basement sounds good! I would rather see 35F (+2C) than 55F (+13C), but I bet in the dead of winter when its 10F (-12C) outside it will be 40F (+4C) in the basement, especially since you have no heat source down there.. I would get a thermometer and keep it down there with the plants, and check the temp on unusually warm or cold winter days, maybe move the plants near a basement window if its staying a bit warm. with no light, I would shoot for 40's rather than 50's..although 50's is probably fine if thats the best the basement can do. So, cut the pitchers, rinse with rain water, sphagnum, bag 'em up and stuff 'em in the basement. Yes? yep! but not yet..give them more time outdoors, its still too early.. if there is frost forecast in the next few weeks, just cover the plants with a sheet.. I "put the plants to bed" when nightime lows are staying below freezing on a regular basis..usually early November. make sure the spagnum isnt too wet, squeeze out all the water by hand so its just damp, then wrap the roots in the spagnum, and bag each rhizome individually in a zip-lock sandwich bag.. (vfts are tiny..several Vfts could go in one bag..the rules arent set in stone) you just want some diversification (multiple bags) in case one bag gets a bad mold outbreak.. mold is a concern (a mild concern IMO), I usually only have light mold growth over the winter, that doesn't harm the plants. make sure the bags are sealed tight, so no water escapes, and you wont need to add any water all winter. you could dip the plants in fungicide, but personally I dont think its really necessary.. and the fungicide is pretty toxic..(wear gloves)..some people use it, but personally I dont consider mold a big enough concern to need fungicide..I have been doing this for 16 winters in a row, and have never once used fungicide.. If you want to experiment, you could leave a few plants out in the bog! if you have enough you want to risk.. mulch the bog heavily (like a foot of pine needles and/or leaves totally burying the bog..sides too) but since its only your first year, you probably wont want to risk any..but in a few years you will have a large enough collection that you wont mind! ;) Im considering building an outdoor bog next spring, and next winter I will probably leave about 10 VFTs and 10 random sarrs in the bog over the winter..see how they do. Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherly Posted October 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Scot, thank you so much for your advice! This is wonderful advice and greatly appreciated! If you want to experiment, you could leave a few plants out in the bog! if you have enough you want to risk.. mulch the bog heavily (like a foot of pine needles and/or leaves totally burying the bog..sides too) but since its only your first year, you probably wont want to risk any..but in a few years you will have a large enough collection that you wont mind! ;) I'm all about taking risks, and I would be very interested to see if any could survive. They grew so much this year (more than I expected them to!), so I think I'll leave a few of the sarracenia in the bog, mulch and burlap them as suggested, and hope for the best! I will let you know how they fare. Im considering building an outdoor bog next spring, and next winter I will probably leave about 10 VFTs and 10 random sarrs in the bog over the winter..see how they do. I'll be building my second bog garden next summer (already have the garden built - just need to line it and add the soil). You are absolutely welcome to come out and see what I've done! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommyr Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 My VFTs and Sarrs go in my fridge when temps get steadily to freezing. I'm in Poughkeepsie,N.Y. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottychaos Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Scot, thank you so much for your advice! This is wonderful advice and greatly appreciated! If you want to experiment, you could leave a few plants out in the bog! if you have enough you want to risk.. mulch the bog heavily (like a foot of pine needles and/or leaves totally burying the bog..sides too) but since its only your first year, you probably wont want to risk any..but in a few years you will have a large enough collection that you wont mind! ;) I'm all about taking risks, and I would be very interested to see if any could survive. They grew so much this year (more than I expected them to!), so I think I'll leave a few of the sarracenia in the bog, mulch and burlap them as suggested, and hope for the best! I will let you know how they fare. Im considering building an outdoor bog next spring, and next winter I will probably leave about 10 VFTs and 10 random sarrs in the bog over the winter..see how they do. I'll be building my second bog garden next summer (already have the garden built - just need to line it and add the soil). You are absolutely welcome to come out and see what I've done! :-) Heather, no problem! :) im happy to help! and I will take you up on your offer to visit! perhaps next summer when plants are back in full growth.. my wife and I drive down your way all the time..(my parents live in the southern Finger Lakes area.. so I drive down through Canandaigua/Naples a lot..) and if you are ever in the area up here and want to stop by, let me know! im out in the western suburbs of Rochester, Spencerport-ish.. Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsivertsen Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 My VFT's go on the southern exposure windowsill in winter; it's cool enough for them there, and they get a lot of sun to help them wake up in the spring with a good burst of flowers spikes. They have never survived outdoors for me here in northern NJ, or in NY. Just my 2 cents. - Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocketcaver Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) Great stuff in this thread! Edited October 20, 2009 by Rocketcaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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