QuestionHello! I'm sure I read this somewhere from you before, but apologize that I can't seem to find the information regarding winterizing my bog garden.
I live in Zone 6, and we are beginning to have our first frosts. My bog is filled with temperate CPs, some of which are not native to my zone (VFTs, Southern Pitchers, Drosera tracyi, Cobras etc.).
My bog is fed by a natural spring, which I pump water into.
My first question: should I stop the water from flowing into the bog during the winter so it can dry out?
My second question: how much mulch do I need to cover my bog with in my zone? There seems to be a lot of conflicting info. out there. Some say that even with mulching, most of the plants will die in zone 6. My bog is large, and I can't store all of the plants in a sheltered area like a garage, but could move at least those that are the least freeze-sensitive out of the bog, since they're all in pots. I was thinking that maybe I should just take out the most senstive plants, e.g. the Cobras and Drosera tracyi and place them in the garage.
Thank you in advance!
AnswerHi Joseph,
Even throughout winter dormancy, keep your bog well hydrated. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Even at our nursery, our plants are always sitting in water throughout winter dormancy.
With proper care, your plants will survive your winters just fine. We have customers in Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois and New York that have successfully overwintered their plants in outdoor bog gardens. One grower in Toronto (zone 4) also maintains an outdoor bog garden rather successfully.
There are many factors that causes plants to die during winter dormancy. Some of these factors include, but not limited to,:
1) fungal infection
2) dehydration
3) improper insulation
4) poor health at the onset of winter
Follow the recommendations located at:
http://www.cobraplant.com/cold-region.html
You need to tweak it to accommodate your particular growing situation. If you have additional questions, please write back as a follow-up.
Good growing!
Jacob Farin
