Question
QUESTION: I have an outside tray of live sphagnum moss, with Darlingtonia seeds sown in it for winter stratification. I live in Beaverton, OR, not too far from you guys, and as you know it has been bitterly cold lately. I've been watering every few days, just enough to keep the moss looking fresh, but should I cover it with anything?

Thanks,
Danny

ANSWER: Hi Danny,

Sphagnum mosses are very tough.  They grow up north of the Arctic Circle.  Just try to keep it hydrated, and a cover will help that.  Minimizing the drying will help it rebound quickly.  Even if the tips of the moss die some it will still come back.  If you cover it, make sure the cover isn't clear so you don't cook the moss in the sun.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Shall I do the same to my bog garden? Everything in it has pretty much gone dormant.

Thanks Again!
Danny

Answer
Hi Danny,

The time to ask about covering up plants is long before the temperatures are dropping into the single digits.  Yes! you should have your bog garden covered when it's this cold.  If your bog garden is in the ground the plants are already better protected than they would be in containers.  We also haven't had much wind with this arctic blast which is fortunate.  When plants die in the cold it's usually because of dehydration.  Covering helps prevent this.


Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com