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Okay, I put my bog garden near a larch acorn tree, so I spend a good deal of time takeing acorns out of it, but recently the squirrels have it out for my garden. So I have a ground covered in acorns, WHY do they need to go up on a chair, onto a small bog garden, and dig it up to hid their acrons? I am tempted in putting devils claw in my garden bog garden and see how they like that.

They're doing this because the soil is easy to dig. You can a) put red pepper flakes all over the soil or b) lay down some chicken wire over the whole thing so they can't dig in it. Wanna guess what I'd do? Pepper. It works, is cheap, and is easy.

2007-10-07 18:41:08 by Hestia

Like Bonsai, I have appreciated carnivorous plants for a long time. About 10 years ago I began to keep a few. In the summer of 2007 I created this ...

I have a venus fly trap and I want to know the best way to plant it.

Dig out the soil in the area where you want the bog garden. For example, four feet wide by two feet deep. I'd go about 10" deep. The go to Home Depot, Lowes, or any other home improvement store that sells pond liner by the foot.

Line the cut out area with the pond liner. Leave a little to overlay on the top edge, which you can line with rock, bark, or whatever is already in the area.

Now, using the dirt that you excavated from the bog, refill the box with about two inches of the dirt. Don't pack it down, but don't sprinkle it either. Next, layer some small river rock - also found at a home improvement store, or a landscaping supplier. About $3 a bag...and one bag is more than you would need for a bog this size. Layer about 2" of the river rock. Then get gravel...the type you'd find in aquariums. Walmart has it cheapest. Put about 1" of the gravel in a nice thick layer over the river rock. Lastly, use the rest of the dirt to fill the bog area up. Again, fill it sufficiently, but don't PACK it down. You will have extra dirt...so discard it elsewhere.

Thoroughly water the bog, and for a healthy bog, use a bit of "De-Chlor" also found in the aquarium section of Walmart. This will removed the dangerous chemicals from the water. Also, this would be a good time to mix in potting soil enriched with fertilizers.

From this point forward...the idea is to keep the bog moist...but not FLOATING with water. The natural bacterial that will accumulate with serve as a great environment and natural fertilizer for years to come. And there are many great plants that can live in a bog...creating a little tropic forest in the middle of a dry area.

It's a fun project...which you can expand to livestock...snails, little turtles, and frogs. Then it's not just a bog, it's a habitat.

Have fun!

2006-04-11 14:16:03 by queencobra

Price: $20.99 $20.99

Here's step by step instructions to assist you:
http://www.nbizz.com/bearvalleystore/lis tings/325.html

Here is a list of what needs to be done:

Examine equipment and make sure it is all in good working order.

* Ponds consisting of a plastic liner or a pre-formed shell should be checked for cracks or punctures that may need to be patched.

* Check any electrical cords for fraying or cracks. Check the pump. Make sure the housing is intact and that the water intake is not blocked.

* Rinse off filters and remove all visible debris that may have collected on them. Biological filters should also have all components cleaned and the pads replaced. This will assure that water flows through unrestricted and that algae growth is not promoted by the breakdown of decaying plant material.

* If the pond includes a fountain or waterfall, make sure that the tubing is not bent or cracked, and that all connections are secure. Kinked or leaking tubing will reduce water flow, resulting in ineffective pumping and possible damage to the pump itself.

* Remove hardy plants that have been over-wintered in the pond taking care not to let them dry out in the sun.

A general cleaning and a partial water exchange can then be done.

* First, using a pump or siphon, remove 20--30% of the water in the pond.

* Clean out debris, dead plant material and "muck" from the bottom of the pond with a pool skimmer and add this to the compost pile.

* If there is a lot of small debris left, you may want to use a wet/dry shop vac to vacuum out the bottom. To avoid also picking up loose rock or gravel from the bottom of the pond, first affix a piece cheesecloth or netting to the end of the suction hose. Cycling it through the wet vac can filter the remaining water. To do this, place a piece of inexpensive quilt batting over the tank of the vacuum before fastening the top. Water that is then vacuumed from the pond will be filtered as it passes through the batting. The filtered water can be returned to the pond via a hose attached to the drain at the bottom of the vacuum canister.

* dding a bacterial/enzyme product will help with the breakdown of any remaining small amounts of debris.

* Once this procedure has been completed, the pond can be refilled. Using a garden hose, allow water to slowly trickle in over several hours. Filling too rapidly with cold water will decrease the water temperature and this could prove harmful to the fish when they are returned to the pond.

* Add a dechlorinator, being careful to following the instructions on the label.

* After the pond has been filled, restart the pump to circulate the water.

* Leaves and other debris should be skimmed from the pond weekly after the initial cleaning.

Fish, still sluggish from their winter sabbatical, can be easily caught while the pond is partially empty.

* Remove the fish using a fish net and place them into a bucket or tub of the water that has been emptied from the pond. Cover the container with netting to prevent predators getting in or fish jumping out.

* Keep the covered container out of the direct sun.

* Carefully examine the fish for injury or disease.

* Once the water has been refilled, the fish can be returned to the pond. A water conditioner should be added at this time to protect the skin and gills of the fish.

* As the weather becomes warmer and the fish become more active, feeding them can resume.

Hardy plants that were removed during the cleaning should also be inspected before being returned to the pond.

* Examine plants for signs of new growth. If none is evident, check the roots for possible decay. Also check for evidence of disease or insect infestation. Some disease spores and insects can over-winter on dead plant material.

* Trim off any dead plant material that may be left from the previous growing season.

* Divide and repot plants as needed.

* Add time-release aquatic plant food tablets, being sure to place them deeply into the soil.

* The plants can then be returned to the pond, letting them sink slowly to prevent the soil from escaping into the water.

Spring algae bloom occurs when the temperature warms and the pond receives increased sunlight. Do not be alarmed. At this time, the nitrogen produced by the fish is merely greater than that being used by the plants. As the plants grow larger, they will use more nitrogen and the green water will begin to subside. Adding floating plants, to reduce the surface of the pond that receives direct sunlight, will aid in controlling algae as well.
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4 DMG/Water/sprngpnd.htm

2006-07-02 04:31:04 by Aldan

Price: $69.95 $64.00

Slip-on design
Natural rubber outers
4-way inner stretch bootie

Hi, please could please suggest how i make a bog.

1.How do you stop the bog smelling

2.Is there a ratio for show much water there should be in the soil
If you know anything about a bog please post
If you know anything about a bog please post
If you know anything about a bog please post

Dear Guy G,
Apparently this Boggles your mind. :-)

Anyway, for your life zone, I suggest that you contact your local County (Agricultural) Agent for the information you seek and guidance required to construct such a smelly place. Bog odor comes from nitrogen. Reduce the N by increasing the O and the odor goes away. That's a basic composting law.
Cheers

2009-03-22 14:36:52 by Guy G

Recently I moved into a new house on a new estate. Everything was going well until it started raining and we realised the rain was not draining away and the garden was a big mass of clay and mud. I cannot afford the fee of a gardener and ben told with a lot of hard work can do it ourselves does anyone know what do do or direct me to a related link

thanks

dig a trench running downhill, put pea gravel in the bottom, put perforated drainage pipe in then more pea gravel, then cover with soil. if you can't just aim it in to your neighbours garden dig a big deep hole at the bottom end and fill it with big stones so that there are lots of gaps for the water to run in and cover with soil.

2009-01-27 11:13:37 by Bing