How do you protect your plants from heavy rain?

[Yossu]

Go on, tell me this is a dumb question, but I'm only a beginner!

 

Over the past few weeks, we've had some pretty impressive downpours, and some of the (non-carnivorous) plants in the garden are looking a bit beaten. If I were to plant a bog garden, wouldn't I lose some of the plants because of this? I can imagine that heavy rain could batter some of the more delicate ones (think drosera), and possibly knock down some of the bigger ones (sarras, etc).

 

Any comments?

[Ian Salter]

Hi.

Drosera I would think would straighten themselves out when drier as they would have to cope with rain in nature.

Taller Sarracenia would often have supporting vegetation and more often have good overhanging lids to prevent the pitchers flooding.

For outside growing think of plants that can cope with wind and rain, this could be S. purpurea or sturdy Sarracenia flava with good lids but support may still be required in exposed area's. Hybrids that are semi upright or have good lids and S. minor and hybrids of, S. oreophila too.

In my bog are the following but by the end of the season S. rubra and S. flava are quite spread out.

S. rubra ssp rubra, S. purpurea ssp purpurea and venosa var burkii, S. flava var flava (a stocky variety), S. oreophila, S. minor taller form. and Pinguicula grandiflora. (all of the above plants are growing as large colonies).

 

Ian.

[Yossu]

Hi Ian, thanks for the reply.

I was wondering about making a clear roof over the bog garden, which would protect them from the direct rain, and having the roof slope down, so the water falls into a rsservoir that is connected to the bog. That way the bog would get watered, but the plants would be protected from any heavy rain.

I just don't want to lose any plants!

Thanks again.

[ada]

time for a greenhouse!

[Ian Salter]

You won't lose plants they just at worse would end up shabby looking and natural.

I have to agree with Ada though, the best growing is under cover but if you want to go with just overhead protection then that is fine and would work ok but there could still be wind, and slugs, and aphids, birds ripping up your moss/plants, the occasional rats, mice and hedgehogs looking for nice decomposed insects but this is occasional and unlikely to be that bad. :)

Ian.

P.S just go for it and have fun.

[mantrid]

also plants will adapt themselves to the conditions. new leaf growth will be tougher with more fibrous tissue giving strength. pigmentation will change tlo protect from uv. Also tall willowy growth will be replaced with stouter shorter growth. The delicate indoor growth will become battered but subsequent growth will cope much better.

Edited September 19, 2015 by mantrid

[FredG]

 ok but there could still be wind, 

Oh yes I agree, I often have wind in the greenhouse.

[North West Neps]

Dropping one in the greenhouse is not recommended, especially if it's a warm, humid, nep house.

Trust me

[Yossu]

 

You won't lose plants they just at worse would end up shabby looking and natural.

I have to agree with Ada though, the best growing is under cover but if you want to go with just overhead protection then that is fine and would work ok but there could still be wind, and slugs, and aphids, birds ripping up your moss/plants, the occasional rats, mice and hedgehogs looking for nice decomposed insects but this is occasional and unlikely to be that bad. :)

Oh, and I thought I would have problems!

 

I have thought about the birds, slugs and rodents. I intend to build a moat around the bog garden, and a chicken wire cage around that, which should keep all those out, as well as footballs and small children!

 

P.S just go for it and have fun.

Oh I was going to - both!

 

Thanks for the reply.

also plants will adapt themselves to the conditions. new leaf growth will be tougher with more fibrous tissue giving strength. pigmentation will change tlo protect from uv. Also tall willowy growth will be replaced with stouter shorter growth. The delicate indoor growth will become battered but subsequent growth will cope much better.

Hmm, good point. Short term loss for long term gain. I like it!

time for a greenhouse!

One stage at a time  please. Let's get the bog garden done first, and we'll think about a greenhouse after that!

[billynomates666]

Hi Yossu

 

As mantrid says you will find that if the plants are outside all the time, they tend to be more turgid, although you are right high wind can topple tall sarracenia and rain can loose the dew on the sundews but hey that happens to the dews in the wild anyway.Where there is no supporting vegetation, I tend to use a stick in the ground at the rear of the taller pitchers and wire round the front of the plant back to the stick, so it isn't too obtrusive, just to stop the wind blowing them further than 45 degrees as that can break the pitchers and they never look the same after.

 

Everybody is right that a greenhouse is better for growing conditions for specimen plants or bigger and more blousey softie plants, but I wouldn't loose my outside bogs for one, they are differently better.

 

Cheers

Steve