Need ideas for a long bog garden

Becky... If I was going to cover it with anything, I think would just use some pine straw or wheat straw. Wheat straw is better as it helps supress ahpids and thrips. Having that mix of top soil with compost and bog water will be asking for a mass of pathogens to grow when you heat that area up with plastic.

Normal compost piles need to be turned constantly. Once they reach 160F on the inside the good bacteria and microbes die. Anytime you cover an area with plastic, you raise the soil temp faster and take a chance on destroying your soil beneficials.

Covering with plastic, will not allow the soil mixed with that excess water to evaporate and slowly the bottom soil will start to stink and create a stench as the bad fungi and water molds build up. The straw will allow your soil to breath and still conduct aerobic conditions.

The one thing I would definately suggest, is getting a good soil testing kit if you don't have one. Your going to have alot of plants in yoru bog areas and the water from the bog itself plus the rain leaching through the bog soil and running off is goign to deplete your soil of alot of nutrients very quickly.

You will need to monitor different sections of your beds to make sure the pH levels stay at the required level for your plants. It's several bucks more for a better tester, but well worth it. Better to spend some bucks now than go through all that work and expense and have your plants die or not have sufficent growth and flowerign to feed your butterflies and hummers.

I would also suggest, once you have decided which plants you are going to use and where you are going to place them, I would take a soil sample and have the local dignoic lab test it for you. From the list of plants you give them they wil make recommendations as to watch other nutrients you will need to add. Just make sure on the form, you let them know you are bog gardening. Most soils test range between $8 to $12 . Again a very wise investment.

Wow, Starlight, you know your stuff! THANK YOU! Great advice!!!

I do agree with you about NOT covering the area with plastic, which is why I didn't know what to do. Pine straw or wheat straw sounds good. I just have to find a local source now. I know that if I am a serious gardener that I need to have a soil testing kit. It's just one of things that I have been avoiding because it will require me to do something that I know nothing about. And you know me ..... prone to make mistakes! LOL

This message was edited Jan 1, 2007 7:47 AM

Sorry, Becky, I haven't been watching this thread because most pond plants aren't so much bfly or hbird plants. The irises you want to look for are japanese and louisiana, no flag, flag is the bad one- generally you'll see these called i. pseudacoris and i. versicolor (flag iris that is). There are tons of louisiana irises out there, and they'll thrive for you.

Wow Becky! 4 tons!
That's what I had and two loads in a pick-up truck too. They were 2 half pallets. So Matt @ HD just used the fork lift to set each half in the truck, 2 trips. Very fast that way. Guess I was luck to have my nephews Pick-up.

!~waves at starlight and arenzo, great suggestions!!

Ella, is the queen of the bog gardens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone...................... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year to you too, Mark!

Is Ella ...... azeno?

I have a question. (Like always!) I could NOT find wheat straw or any other kind of straw anywhere. So I went ahead and used cypress mulch for the bog garden. (It's supposed to be a termite resistant mulch. Which is good here in termite country in Florida! lol) Will that work okay in a bog garden or should I expect problems using mulch? It's down, so I'd have to rake it all back up. But I really need to know before I start planting in the Spring.

Wow, what great ideas for a boggy spot. I just found this thread and it is wonderful.

However, watch out for that Black Bamboo. Most of what is available is not a clumper but the most invasive kind (at least in the southeast USA). You cannot grow it in a container as it will escape through the drainage holes and spread like crazy. I was advised by a major bamboo grower not to even try it in a container on my deck which is 5" above ground. They told me it would easily send down runners and root. There is a clumping variety out there but it is very difficult to find and it is pricey; a one quart pot for $65.00 last time I checked.

Ouch! Too expensive for me. I still haven't decided on the bamboo yet because of the height. It would shade my pond and other areas which I do NOT want. Thanks for the warning about the SE Black Bamboo, ardesia!

ardesia - Welcome to this forum! Hope you enjoy it and ask away if you have any questions or need advice on anything. There are so many wonderful folks here! :-) :-)

My Black Bamboo is a clumper type....................... yes it is expensive but veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy beautiful!!!!!
When i bought it, it was a twig.............. and even then it was around £12 or in your language $24

BECKY

WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHO IS ELLA?????????????????????????

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA STARLIGHT OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


MARK

Oops! Sorry Ella! I may know you from your screen name, but I don't always remember what your IRL name is! LOL! Sorry about that! :-}

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, How can anyone forget the lovely Ellas name............... Becky, shame on you!!! LOL

YOU are sooooo baaaaad Mark! >:P~~~

Mr. Crocosmia I am saving my pennies for one of those clumpers. You are right, they are beautiful.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Becky, maybe bad, but i am on your side!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

mwahhhhhhhhhhh

Mark

ardesia............................ what a cute name!!!

Yes, they are very beautiful............................. take a long long time to grow though, so if/when you get one, make sure its a decent size!!!!!
Unless you are like me and love to watch it grow a few inches a decade!!! LOL

Mark

Mark - :-P~~~ (I'm razzing you!) LOL

Which brings me to a question. Do you happen to know what the scientific name is for the Black Bamboo that you have that clumps when spreading? With my luck, it would be the wrong kind if I ever decided to buy it and add it to my bog garden. And then I'd have a nightmare on my hands! lol

Becky....................... I know you are you little tinker.............!!!

As a matter of fact Becky................. YES!!!!!!!!!! I do know the name!!!!!

LMAO

Well ..... do ya think ya could share that with ALL of us here on this thread????? LOL

LOL.................................. but i will have to go in the garden and look at the label, and its dark and i may get scared!!!!!!! If you hold my hand i will go.....................

LMAO

You are lucky that you are not that close to me! I'd have to slap some sense into you! LOL LOL LOL

Take a look when you get a chance and let us know, pleeeeease! TY.

LOL......................... oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Becky...................

OK OK, i have had a look and on the label it says Phyllostachys nigra (Black bamboo)

It is a clump formong bamboo, ideal for container growing or an isolated clump!!!!!!

OK, happy now dear?????????????????????? LOL

Yes! Very happy! Now please tell me this variety of BB is not specific to the UK!

Do you think if I later decide to purchase some, that I could find it here in the US?

Nooooooooooooooooooo its grown all over as far as i know..................... originally from China......
also, it is hardy to -18 degrees C aparently!!!! But doesnt like too much wind!!

yes you will be able to get it in USA...................... just had a look at a site!!! 3 gallon container........ (how ever big that is)........ for $100

here Becky............... here is a site for you

http://www.lewisbamboo.com/pblack.html

Oh yeah .... let me see ..... I'll just pull that $100 bill right out of my back pocket and call them right up! LOL

Actually, they have reduced their prices to $80 for a limited time. But even that is WAY over my single plant price allotment. Heck, I'd have to install an alarm system if I put that kind of money into my yard! ROFL!

If it's over $15.00, it's outta my price range! LOL And if it's under that or free ... I feel like I hit the lotto! LOL

They are really beautiful though, Mark. Lucky you! I'll just enjoy the BB through your posts about it instead! ;-)

Well Becky, aparentlly they are easy to propogate................ from cuttings!!!!!
If you find out how to do it etc............... i may give you a piece to try!!!!!!!
BUT
You will have to find out how to do it first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark

Really??? Oh you shouldn't have posted that here! You'll get tons of dmail!

I will certainly look into propagating from cuttings. I am only recently learning how to do that. My most "proud" recent attempt to do that was with some Plumeria that was generously "given" to me from someone here on DG. And guess what? They are sprouting their first leaves! I'm soooo PROUD that it is working! I've been rolling those cuttings in and out of my house if the weather gets too cold for them! I was also given some canna tubers by someone I met on another web forum. And they all have big beautiful leaves already! Not that I have a green thumb, but I'm getting better at it all the time! LOL

Sorry folks, the Phyllostachys nigra is not a clumper in the southeast. I suspect climate might have a lot to do with how much it spreads but it is a bear around here.

I am trying to find where I filed the names of the clumper varieties. Thought I had it in my favorites but it must be under a name that does not reflect bamboo.

Well, its an offer just for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry other people!!!!!!

If you look at that site i posted a few lines up, they show you how to do it i think!!!!! Anyway, i am sure you will find out how!

Most plant will grow sweetie....................... some things like fucsia cuttings i just put in a glass of water and hey presto......... ROOTS appear!!!!!!
Anything with a tuber is easy to grow............................as long as you get a piece of crown with it.
Awwwwwwwwwww excited Becky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love it...........

ardesia - Please find out more and post the info or weblink here. I am really interested to know. Thank you.

ardesia

Really??? Well its a clumper in this country.................. thats why i got it!!!!! Maybe Then Becky you should ask at a local garden centre for advice on what variety to buy that is a clumper!!!!!!

Mark

It does well as a potted
bamboo as long as it is placed in a cool place in
the winter to have a dormant period.

that quote comes from a grower of black bamboo in USA

Mark - Yes, I definitely want to make sure what I am planting before I do so. I've already made a number if mistakes in my garden. I appreciate your VERY generous offer, Mark. And I may still find out that it will work to have in my bog garden. I just need to do some research first. Thank you! :-)

Becky i am emailling this guy in USA to ask him if there is a clump forming black bamboo suitable in your area!!!!
I will let you know what he says when he gets back to me...................

Go to that site you posted and look at the second line; it mentions "running bamboo". There is a bamboo research facility in Savannah. GA and their website say it is a moderate spreader but they are comparing it to all bamboos. The growers and landscapers around here say avoid it at all costs.

Thanks, Mark. I appreciate it!

Bamboo would be nice in one area of my bog garden. Hopefully ... there is a variety that won't cost me an arm and a leg to get it. It would be a nice touch to that area of my garden. But .... I have also learned that "you can't always get what you want" ..... isn't that a song by the Rolling Stones? lol

Unless it says slow spreader or clumper, it would probably be invasive here in Florida. That's disappointing! :-(

Thanks, ardesia for catching that info on that website. I just glanced at the page and didn't read it completely. I know, I know .... always read everything especially the fine print! lol

Found it!!!

Check this one out: http://www.bambootexas.com/Lako.htm

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, we will find you one Becky, i am sure there must be one that is a clumper in your area!!! So dont give up just yet.............
i have sent the email and as soon as i get a reply i will tell you what the guy says!!!!
I told him i am in Florida zone 9a (oh i got that bit wwrong its 9b) oh well........ that wont matter will it?
Anyway i told him i was looking for a black bamboo that is clump forming in that area!!!! Has he any suggestions on this.......

Mark