Re: Re: Bog Water

dave evans (T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU)
Wed, 01 May 96 18:07 EDT

> From: "Phil Semanchuk" <semanchuk~pj@GLAXO.COM>
>
> That's what I was thinking too. I was wondering if anyone else
> had tried an "unprotected" bog. I'd prefer to use as little peat
> as possible, though. I'm not comfortable with supporting the peat
> mining industry. I plan on using shredded pine needles to form
> some of the non-sand matter in my homegrown bog. I have no idea
> how this will work out, but the pine needles will acidify the
> area if nothing else. We've had conversations before on this list
> about substitutes for peat and no one seems to have come up with
> one unfortunately.

That's because there isn't one. You would probably have to use
a fair amount of peat moss but cutting it with sand and pine
leaf/bark mulch will help reduce the volume of peat you use. In
my protected bogs, it took the Sphagnum about a year to get
established. The same rate goes for Sarr's as well. I've seen
S.purpurea growing in a backyard before. Down along Florida's
panhandle, they were growing in sandy clay with a bunch of peat and
they were being mowed along with the grass! The trees were mostly
pine but I'd have to say that the soil wasn't very poor in nitrogen.
Just enough. If they had fertilized their lawn, the plants would
most certainly have died. My point is, you should be able to get
your bog going unless you have a lot of fertilizer in the soil.

Dave Evans