Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 6/11/2010

Question
Hello, I was just wondering where I could buy some clean sand for my bog garden. In your e-book you wrote that you had found a cheap place that sand was available. Where is this place? Also I live in portland, oregon.

Oh yeah and in my bog garden there are going to be rocks on the boarder about 7 inches in diamater. Will this heat up the soil for my cobraplant and kill it? I will use a drip system for aeration and underneath the cobraplant area it will be slightly raised so theres no standing water.  

Thanks,

       Bob

Answer
Hi Bob,

If you go to one of the big box stores like Home Depot or Lowes they carry sacks of childrens play sand.  It's usually Sakrete brand.  This is a good quality washed sand.  Don't use Ross Island sand; it's nasty.  If you want premium stuff ask them for sandblasting sand, which is pure silica.  Oregon Decorative Rock, http://www.oregondecorativerock.com/ also carries bags of washed sand.  They also carry pumice and lots of fun rock.

Your bog garden set-up sounds good.  The rocks will be of little concern if you are going to have a drip system.  Since your in Portland, you can use tapwater, and you can leave the drippers on during hot weather.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com