Bog plants

[GBBUDD]

gravel

Also, dwarf papyrus did well in mine and the deer left them alone. They are an annual here, though. But they looked so cool, I don't mind buying them each year!

just watch out for their roots they can get nasty to pull out if they grip a wrinkle in the liner or boulders.

 

[addy1]

COMPLETELY AGREE!! When I was a newbie I didn't believe everything I heard about pond plants growing so fast and within a year or two after looking at my pond, I realized the advice was indeed true. Regardless of which plants are used, maintenance is a must.

I chop down my bog around 3x a summer, cut yank toss. OW way overgrown.

 

[Lisak1]

Do you have them in gravel or just free floating?

Mine are in gravel.

You can consider adding annual plants as well to the bog - impatiens for example do great with their feet in the water, get HUGE and are so colorful - you won't get that much color out of any perennial plants. And the nice thing is they die back in early fall and are easy to remove. AND you never have to water them - the number one reason I stopped planting impatiens in my yard... they are water hungry twice a day. With a constant water source they will thrive, even in full sun, with no help from you.

Here's an example - that's one tiny impatiens plant (I buy the plugs that come 24 or 36 to a flat) iup top and a second one below it. You can also see the horsetail rush to the right - that's been there for years and I just keep it to that size. In the middle there is my out of control watercress. You can't see it, but that's all in the waterfall. I took the picture right before I yanked out that cress.

 

[apondguy]

How exciting!! I'm currently considering adding on to my pond as well. As for experiences with pond plants, I've found about all will eventually spread if there not separated each year. I currently have sweet flag, pickerel and horsetail in my bog and will definitely remove the horsetail in early spring due to excessive spreading. Although the Blue Iris and Taro are gorgeous plants, they also require yearly maintenance.

Good Luck!!

Thanks!

Taro is a good looking plant, but it's a tropical no?

I've wondered if more tropical species could be kept in a bog that's on and always wet instead of off and freezes over in lower zones.

 

[apondguy]

Mine are in gravel.

You can consider adding annual plants as well to the bog - impatiens for example do great with their feet in the water, get HUGE and are so colorful - you won't get that much color out of any perennial plants. And the nice thing is they die back in early fall and are easy to remove. AND you never have to water them - the number one reason I stopped planting impatiens in my yard... they are water hungry twice a day. With a constant water source they will thrive, even in full sun, with no help from you.

Here's an example - that's one tiny impatiens plant (I buy the plugs that come 24 or 36 to a flat) iup top and a second one below it. You can also see the horsetail rush to the right - that's been there for years and I just keep it to that size. In the middle there is my out of control watercress. You can't see it, but that's all in the waterfall. I took the picture right before I yanked out that cress.

View attachment 156092

A beaut.

I haven't really considered annuals as I'm lazy and prefer to let nature do it's thing after some initial guidance. But,

I think I might change my mind

 

[Lisak1]

I put tropical cannas in my bog every year. They are relatively cheap, easy to plant, and grow to an incredible size in just one season. Plus - pretty flowers! I could pull them before they freeze and save them for the next year, but - lazy gardener. However, they are equally easy to remove at the end of the season which is also important - you don't want things that get so huge that you have to have an all day battle to get them out. I had an epic day with a clump of irises that I turned my back on for just one season - had I not gotten them out, I would have had an iris bog by the next year. And even though I think they're gone, they still pop up in a few spots every year!

So for me, it's always the three easys - easy to buy, easy to plant, easy to get out when the time comes!

 

[Lisak1]

I've wondered if more tropical species could be kept in a bog that's on and always wet instead of off and freezes over in lower zones.

And the answer to that one is no - the surface of the bog will still "freeze" even if the water continues to flow. Tropicals can't tolerate any freezing at all.

 

[apondguy]

I put tropical cannas in my bog every year. They are relatively cheap, easy to plant, and grow to an incredible size in just one season. Plus - pretty flowers! I could pull them before they freeze and save them for the next year, but - lazy gardener. However, they are equally easy to remove at the end of the season which is also important - you don't want things that get so huge that you have to have an all day battle to get them out. I had an epic day with a clump of irises that I turned my back on for just one season - had I not gotten them out, I would have had an iris bog by the next year. And even though I think they're gone, they still pop up in a few spots every year!

So for me, it's always the three easys - easy to buy, easy to plant, easy to get out when the time comes!

Nice, I may try a taro or canna this season.

I've read irises are a pain in the bog, even though they're already on the property and an easy target, I withheld!

 

[GBBUDD]

More so with yellow iris less to with other strains.

You can build a tee pee over some tropicals. And if you have enough flow and sun you may get lucky . In New England there are folks that plant outside there zone and succeed doing such.

 

[apondguy]

More so with yellow iris less to with other strains.

You can build a tee pee over some tropicals. And if you have enough flow and sun you may get lucky . In New England there are folks that plant outside there zone and succeed doing such.

That's interesting, any luck yourself?

Might give iris a try.

 

[GBBUDD]

Yellow ,blue and peacock Iris will take a freeze no problem.

No I have not I'm a lazy Gardner I'll let someone else tend to the tropicals over winter and I'll buy a couple in the spring. I try to keep most of my plants as perennials. Any tropicals are kept to a minimum. And right now I'm landscaping with a lot of moss , looks great no maintenance.

 

[Jhn]

HAve bought cannas and taros that are borderline for zone 7 and with minimal effort in my part have made it, most years. If they don’t no biggie just get more.

 

[elpalito]

I bought an elephant ear and a neighbor gave me a couple of canna bulbs a few years back...I plant them in April and dig them up before the first frost...now I have two boxes full of bulbs for each since every piece can create a new plant.
But I only plant in dirt.
I have a pea gravel bog now...ferns and creeping jenny are all I have so far. I'd like to put a taro or canna in there. How do you all plant them? Just put the bulb under an inch or two of rocks? Just leave it on the surface? Do you wait to have an actual plant before you transfer to the bog?

 

[addy1]

I have a pea gravel bog now...ferns and creeping jenny are all I have so far. I'd like to put a taro or canna in there. How do you all plant them? Just put the bulb under an inch or two of rocks? Just leave it on the surface? Do you wait to have an actual plant before you transfer to the bog?

I save a bog canna every fall I pull out a few healthy tubers stick them in a bucket with some water in the basement ignore.

As soon as we are past any hard freezes I dig some of the gravel to the side, just as big as the tuber, stick the tuber in the hole cover up with gravel, done. With them in the bucket they do grow a bit all winter, right now about a foot tall.

 

[elpalito]

I save a bog canna every fall I pull out a few healthy tubers stick them in a bucket with some water in the basement ignore.

As soon as we are past any hard freezes I dig some of the gravel to the side, just as big as the tuber, stick the tuber in the hole cover up with gravel, done. With them in the bucket they do grow a bit all winter, right now about a foot tall.

Ah, you keep them in water. covered or just a little bit of moisture? I do the opposite...I put them in a cardboard box with litter to dry out. leave in the garage. Come spring, they are dry - but alive. the canna always show signs of waking up first.

I put a canna and an elephant ear in the bog. We'll see if they take. If not, I'll keep some tubers in a bucket with water next winter and see if that is better