Carnivorous Plant Bog and Vegetable Beds

I’ve finished my carnivorous plant bog, putting it out near the boathouse for full sun. I’d originally placed it closer to the house, then I worried that leaves from the camphor tree might change the pH. Now I hope the occasional sprinkling with lake water will not harm it.

Starting with a wide planter from Wayfair, (2 @ $145), I taped over the 2 drainage holes from the outside with Gorilla tape, then filled the holes from the inside with hot glue. For more waterproofing, I put tape over the holes on the inside. Looking back, I probably should have tested it for watertightness, but I was anxious to plant. I drilled 4 1/4” holes about 2” below the rim so extra water will drain rather than flowing over the top. I want it to be wet but not waterlogged. *

Mary and I filled it, with Bella and Remi’s help, with a mixture of equal parts sphagnum peat and perlite, then watered it well. I’d placed a 2” cylinder-shaped pile of small river rocks up one edge so I can get water to the soil without disturbing plants on top.

After waiting a couple of days, I planted my Drosera tracii from which I trimmed off all the old leaves, several Venus flytraps, sundews from Mary, and saracinia and sundews I’d bought at Blue Moon Tropicals. 

I topped the whole thing with sphagnum moss. 

Since I had the other planter and a large pot I’m not using, I created a raised bed for the few radishes that I sprouted. Along one edge, I planted arugula.

I’d managed to get 1 Better Boy and 1 heritage Cherokee Red tomato’s to sprout from the seeds I’d had for years, so they are planted where the tomato ring was last year. The Romas did better. I planted 15 in the west bed. We’d bought a cherry and a grape tomato plant which I’ve planted at the tomato ring in the southwest corner. Unfortunately, there isn’t as much sun there as I thought. We cut down some of the loquat to lessen the shade, however I hated to cut it way back because the birds like the fruit. Next spring, it gets a real haircut. After that, I ruthlessly threw away all of my old seeds.**

My onion starts are all planted, and the bare root strawberries are in the tower, with a few in the ground next to the blackberries. Grant has herbs in the top of the tower, mostly chives and the native onions Jessie Durko gave him. He is planting dill today, and I’m trying to start some thyme since we haven’t found plants for sale.

I’ve bought some 3D printed bottle caps to create micro green planters from pie pans and lava rocks. My idea was to use all the old seeds. Nope, they were already too old and didn’t germinate. So I am ordering some seeds just for this purpose. 

There is one bed empty that had blueberries. I moved the 2 survivors to big pots. One is putting out new growth. The other may be dead. Should I give them 1 more try? The native blueberries in the front are doing great. TBD. Think that’s all the vegetables I’m growing this year. 

* And a good thing I did. On Sunday, it rained 3 1/4” after 5/8” Saturday. My radishes were sitting in 2” of water, so I drilled a 1/4” home below the rim of that pot too. Now I am going to resow my arugula seeds since I assume they floated away in the run off. I managed to pull my back like Ryan when I leaned over to drill. Arrg.

* *Actually, almost all. I did keep some Seminole pumpkin, Florida cranberry, and crowder peas. They get one more chance next spring.