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A beginners attempt


MikiandHenry

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Hi all, so I know I've posted lots of pictures today but these are the last few! I got a vegtrug the other week and decided to try to turn it into a bit of a bog garden. I've watched YouTube videos and seen lots of pictures and have started to give it a go so fingers crossed I'm doing it right. The liner of the vegtrug lets a lot of water out so I lined the bottom so that the bottom inch collects water, I then used a drinks bottle with the bottom cut of to create a 'pipe' that I can water into so that it's kind of like watering into a saucer at the bottom. I've filled the container with a mix of coco peat, perlite and a bit of vermiculite. My plan is to add a layer of sphagnum moss on top, add the plants then fill in any gaps with some live moss. I really hope this is going to be ok for the plants! 

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Note: this isn't where the vegtrug will be placed when finished! It just allows me to work on it while my son is playing!

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I'm not planning on having too many plants in this one. I'm hoping on adding a sarracenia or two, maybe a Venus fly trap, a cobra Lilly or maybe a sundew. I'm not really too set on what plants, I like to just add the first couple then work from there. Now I just need to get my hands on some live sphagnum moss!

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Thank you! I've just planted the first few plants, just some bits I've picked up from my local garden centres today.

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The great thing about the trug is that it's portable, I've moved it into the conservatory while it's still a bit cool here so that I can begin planting. I picked up the nepenthes cheap at the local garden centre, it's not in the best condition but hopefully I can get it into good health, I'm not sure how it will do in the trug but I thought I'd give it a go, the plan is to bring the trig into my new greenhouse over the winter but will change plants etc. If they don't seem to be thriving.

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Fingers crossed I'm heading the right way! I've ordered some sundews from Hants but I think I'll be doing a separate planter for them.

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Just one comment, the ventrata (Nepenthes) isnt a bog plant, whereas some of your other plants are.  If its too wet you will kill it.  Its also a tropical plant whereas your other plants are temperate.

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It depends how wet your keeping it, if its in peat/perlite and kept damp/wet rather than sodden then it could be ok.  Actually big planters are good for nepenthes because it helps keep the conditions stable.  The other issue though is temperature, some of the other plants will need a cold winter rest and thats not going to work with the Nepenthes.

its really better to keep the two distinct groups of plants seperate.

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So far the planter isn't holding the water so it's sodden, it just stays damp. I'm planning on keeping the planter in my greenhouse when it's built so the temps will hopefully be good enough for the nepenthes over winter but I will probably have to think about moving the other plants to a colder area for the winter. I wish there was a way I could create a 'mini greenhouse' over my nepenthes!

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the nepenthes looks good to me (also i have a weak spot for nepenthes). dont be alarmed by a bit of a setback. Nepenthes dont like change, and it can take quite some time to recover.

like manders says, unlike the nepenthes,  the temperate species need a winterrest. i grow all my nepenthes in the windowsill where its warmer. I leave my temperate plants outdoors, also when its freezing. When they are big enough they will do fine and even better with a cold period. my sarracenia's and VFT's are standing permanently in rainwater with their feet ( little less water in the winter) and they do great in that. you have a good soil mix. The whole idea of a portable bog garden is very smart! Well done, it looks good!

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Thank you! The nepenthes are the first Carnivorous plant that really caught my attention so my new greenhouse is pretty much centred around their care then I'll see if there are any other spots that will be good for other species. I've just started using a grow light with some of my orchids so I can see myself incorporating a light into the greenhouse too for when the light isn't great.

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I don't know if the video will show up but I filmed a bit on my bog, I'm going to see how the plants do and then decide whether to keep the Nepenthes or the temperate plants in it before winter as I think it may be too dry for the temperate plants. I've also added a second sarracenia to it.

 

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  • 3 years later...

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