Date: Fri, 04 Apr 1997 15:55:59 -0800 From: Wim Leys <leyswi@lin.vlaanderen.be> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1275$foo@default> Subject: RE: Questions (outdoor bogs)
Hi David,
Thanks for the WP-file. It contained a lot of interesting stuff
regarding the construction of an outdoor bog.
A lot of the experiences in it are comparable to mine.
- make the bog deep enough (60 - 90 cm) to store a lot of water to span
drier periods
- use a mixture of peat with sand, perlite (and pine needles). Pure peat
tends to "collapse". Don't use perlite in the top 10 cm layer, the
Shagnum needs time to cover the whole area and the white grains look
ugly. I also don't use pine needles in the top layer, just in case it
might damage the Sphagnum (being too rich in nutrients ??).
- shape the bog in sutch a way that the whole area is accessible. I use
a wooden pole to access the middel of it.
- When my bogs were created, I was a student and for economical reasons,
I did not use heavy duty UV stabilised fish-pond plastic but cheap
polyethylene (PE). That was a mistake as this PE becomes brittle
wherever sunlight can reach it. Water can seep away between the cracks
and little pieces of plastic fall into the bog and kill whatever grows
beneath. I thought it was because of the lowered water level the peat
decomposed, but that seems to be the case in every artificial bog.
- It took 3 months for the peat to get soaked. Dry peat has difficulties
absorbing water.
- provide drier "hills" (Sarracenia's), wetter "valleys" (D. intermedia,
S. purpurea) and open water (aquatic Utricularia's) to grow different
kinds of CP's. I used an old aquarium whose bottom was broken to keep
the Uttrics in. It also served to monitor the water level in the bog.
- don't stick to CP's only, use non-CP bog plants too. Your bog will
look more natural.
- In my second bog, there are no holes in the plastic for the water to
seep away. I don't see any advantage in doing so. The water evaporates
soon enough.
- a net covers the whole bog to protect it from brirds (blackbirds).
During spring they will use Sphagnum to build their nest and later on
seek for food for their chicks. During this process they pull out
Shagnum and small plants (Drosera, VFT, ...). When you return home on
evening, all those plants are nicely dried and excellent material for an
herbarium.
Hope this helps
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 02 2001 - 17:31:01 PST