wrote:
On 31 Mar 2005 07:21:21 -0800 in
Myrmecodia
wrote:
The thought was to build a bog garden as outlined on Tony Avent's
site. But the tub approach would mean I don't have to double
check where the septic field is before starting.

Always a good idea to avoid digging in the drainfield!

How big of a tub would you suggest?

Probably the larger the pot the better, because it won't dry out as
rapidly in summer or freeze as much in winter. I had good results with
14 and 24 inch plastic pots that I bought from Lowes. I found some
that lacked drainage holes, so I could just drill a single hole about
half way up the side. If the pot has holes at the bottom, I'd plug
them with 100% silicone caulk first. I used a peat/perlite mix, but
the top inch was pure peat because perlite looks ugly when the rain
washes it out. I also top-dressed with a little sphagnum which grew
nicely from spores in the dried stuff.

I currently have an 4'x8' bog made of landscaping timbers lined with
plastic sheeting. The orchids all seem fine, but I've lost a few
Sarracenias. Probably too much shade.

If you can find a source of P. blephariglottis, it looks really nice
growing with P. ciliaris. I've also seen natural hybrids of the two
growing down near Holly Shelter. I had a beautiful P. blephariglottis
for several years, but the tree rats ate it. They also decimated my P.
ciliaris, but those seem to be slowly coming back from fragments of
root or tuberoids. I doubt that i'll see any flowers for a few years,
though.

Nick
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