QuestionQUESTION: Hi,
I live in Walnut Cove, NC in zone 7 and plan on having a bog garden soon. I want to include cobras. I remeber being told that the best soil mix for Darlingtonia would be peat, lava rock, and bark. Would adding long fiber sphagnum and live sphagnun on top be a good idea or bad idea? I might use the same mix for my flytraps except for the live sphagnum when I put them in my bog. My other question regards dormancy in general. I know that in zone 7 anytime between mid November and early December is the time to put my mulch down. Can a thick layer of mulch alone be enough to work during below freezing temps? If this can't work then how do I know what temp is the lowest my bog can handle until I need to roll out the tarp?
ANSWER: Hi Daniel,
Live sphagnum on top of the bog is great. If you are just trying to have some erosion control, long- fiber dried spagnum can be good for that. I just don't recommend mixing it in the soil media.
For dormancy, the mulch will be good most of the time. A tarp would be in order if the temperatures are in the teens overnight and it's not getting above freezing during the day. Just be sure to remove the tarp if the temperature spikes back up. I noticed that you're having weather like that right now; very cold at the moment, but in a few days you're supposed to be in the 60's.
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for the tips. Quick follow up. If the temps were to be above freezing during the day but still drop below twenty at night for a few days would the tarp still be appropriate? Thank you!
Daniel
AnswerHi Daniel,
It's a bit of a judgement call. If plants are covered in snow, I would say no they'll be fine. But if you have clear dry conditions, especially with wind, I would say yes. What the covering does is limit dehydration. Dehydration is usually what kills plants, not the freezing.
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
