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Belfast sink bog garden


Lemsip

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Hi again,

Does anyone have any experience with making a carnvious bog garden in a Belfast sink? Since I won't be able to put holes in the side so it doesn't flood will this be a problem?

I hope to pick it up tomorrow then I can start on it some time next week. Also I see a lot of posts about having upturned pots as a water reservoir in the mini bogs is that a good idea for bigger ones too?

I'm hoping to put a few of theses in, probably not the Leucophylla, the baby Venus flytrap and the ping isn't looking too good since I moved in December. I tried having it in my kitchen window but I don't think it got enough sun so have tried it in my greenhouse but still doesn't seem any better, any advice would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks

Craig

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Fred's idea is of an extension pipe and bung, is your best option for regulating the water level in the sink, you don't want a high level of water in it for long periods it can cause rot, but short inundation's are fine.

From my limited knowledge of Belfast sinks I think they are about 350mm deep? If so and if you are growing sarracenia, the reservoir idea of upturned pots will rob the sink (which has a relatively small volume) of root growing space, I would be inclined to put say 50 mm of inert material in the base and use your usual medium to fill the rest of the sink.

The VFT will be fine although they obviously don't do as well as in a greenhouse and the capensis will be fine, it will die in winter but mine usually come back from the roots in early June, That ping as Loaksey says will surely die over winter if not removed to safety, but you can get native pings that look fine and can stay out all year round, the Purp will be fine, the other sarracenia may need some minimal protection over winter but should survive well, mine do.

Cheers

Steve

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Guest paul y

I have 3 Belfast sinks and by far the easiest is like Stephen says, let the overflow that's already there do the work, plus all the plants you are growing don't mind really wet conditions, if you are concerned and don't mind a little digging what I did with mine as a little insurance against the type of winter we just had is this,

decide on the sinks final position and dig a 6 inch square by 8 inch deep hole right underneath the plug hole, line the hole you dug with an inch of gravel, place the Belfast so the plug hole is bang over the hole you've dug, cover the plug hole inside the sink with some plastic mesh and then a sheet of capillary matting, fill the sink with peat and perlite to an inch of the over flow and plant away, peat holds enough water to keep the plants wet and any excess soaks through the capillary mat and down the plug hole into the drain you dug in the garden, the plastic mesh stops the capillary matting from sliding down the hole and also stops the peat from clogging everything up

hope this helps paul

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a diamond bit will cut a hole through the sink if you need to.

This type I use for cutting bolt holes in stone bases for my bronze sculptures

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIAMOND-COATED-GLASS-CERAMIC-MARBLE-DRILL-CORE-BIT-HOLE-SAW-CUTTER-/281240730121?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&var=&hash=item417b40fa09

or the type used for drilling holes in tiles will also work

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You seem to have an identical collection of plants to me. Plus I also have a Belfast sink in the garden, though it is currently unused.  I couldn't use it for a bog now, as we have rabbits in the garden and they would quickly make a meal of all my plants.  I have had to use plastic troughs raised a metre or so above the ground.

 

I'd agree that your Butterwort looks Mexican as it looks the same as mine.  As does your Cape Sundew.  Both of these have been living happily on a south-facing indoor window ledge for at least the last five years, and would not do well in a bog.  The capensis in particular doesn't do very well out in the sun anyway.  It goes red and dries up if I don't put it in some kind of shade.

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The capensis in particular doesn't do very well out in the sun anyway.  It goes red and dries up if I don't put it in some kind of shade.

If you leave it in direct sun the new leaves to form will be adapted to the new conditions. I have mine outside in direct sun and they love it

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If you leave it in direct sun the new leaves to form will be adapted to the new conditions. I have mine outside in direct sun and they love it

 

I didn't know that!  I've manged to get a bunch of seedlings into another pot.  I might sacrifice them in the cause of experiment then.  Speaking of capensis, would they do ok in an outside bog then?  And what about binata?

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I left mine out all winter (in pots) they didnt even die back completely. however it was very mild this year. normally they die back completely but most regrow from the roots in the spring. I dont grow binata so cant comment

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I didn't know that!  I've manged to get a bunch of seedlings into another pot.  I might sacrifice them in the cause of experiment then.  Speaking of capensis, would they do ok in an outside bog then?  And what about binata?

 

I have both binata and capensis in an outside bog. No problems at all. 

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Hi, thanks for the replies, it's not your typical Belfast sink so no overflow hole so I think I'll probably give the pipe out of the plug hole idea a try. Also don't think it's deep enough to have any upturned pots so just filling with peat, sand and perlite.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

After receiving some sphagnum moss of the very kind gardenofeden, it's starting to look more like a bog. Can anyone tell me if I should cut the flower stalks of the sundews or leave them? Not sure what's going on but they were like this before I planted them in the bog. tapy9e3u.jpgaze7y5ep.jpgjuzyvuzu.jpgajubu6an.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks, yeah it's something I'm going to have to watch. One question I have a tree above the bog do I need to make sure the leaves don't get in the bog? At the moment I've got a makeshift cover but not sure if it's needed. Thought I'd ask the pros.

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  • 5 years later...

Hi,

 

I have a sink very similar to yours that doesn't have an overflow. I've read that you used a pipe from the plug hole to regulate the water level. Would this stop it from overflowing in heavy rain? Also, how far up the back of the sink would I need the pipe to be? I am growing VFTs, sarracenia but also intend on other plants too. 

 

This is  picture of the sink that I have. It is about 20cm high.

sink.jpg

Edited by George
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