Thread: Bog gardens
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Old 20-01-2004, 02:32 AM
J Kolenovsky
 
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Default Bog gardens

Xref: kermit rec.gardens:262495

Wow, that's a nice pond! Yeah, rec.ponds. I forgot about them. Thanks.


Phisherman wrote:
=


On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:11:44 -0600, "FrankS"
wrote:
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I'm thinking of creating a bog garden this year but haven't been able =

to
find much info on how to do it. Basically, I'm thinking of digging a
shallow depression about 10 ft in diameter and 10 to 12 inches deep an=

d
refilling with about 6 inches of topsoil. I have a natural slope to m=

y yard
so keeping it wet shouldn't be a major problem for me. I would like t=

o
create as much a natural environment as possible with cattail, bulrush=

es,
horsetails and any other bog type plant I can find. I have about 4 to=

6
inches of topsoil over a thick bed of clay. I live in the extreme no=

rth of
zone 4 so winters are long and brutal while the summers can be hot as =

hell.
I want this to be a low maintenance area and I'm not interested in
attracting any wildlife although, if it works, I imagine frogs and gar=

ter
snakes may show up.

Does anyone have any experience or info to share with me?

thanks frank

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I have a pond, about 7,000 gallons or so. It took me 3 weeks to dig
it out. Frogs were watching me dig it out and immediately took it
over. The pond is fed by an underground natural spring. I installed
a standpipe that takes the overflow to a nearby stream. Later, I
surrounded the pond with flagstone. The water was muddy for about a
month, then cleared up. I planted a few aquatic plants. The elodea,
parrot feather, cattail, miniature horsetail, and lilies grew quickly.
Currently I have azola invasive problems and use it to feed the
compost. One year I had to evict a muskrat. Water snakes and herons
can be a problem at times for the larger fish. There's a pond
newsgroup you should check out. I'm in zone 7 with very little pond
freezing.


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Celestial Habitats by J. Kolenovsky
2003 Honorable Mention Award, Keep Houston Beautiful
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