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Carnivorous Plants/When Should I take the cover off of my bog
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Question
I was wondering when I should take the cover off of my bog garden, our low temperatures are supposed to be above freezing by the end of this week, but the plants could still get a hard frost. I live in zone 5a, Barrington IL, and am growing most of the American Carnivorous Plants in my bog. Thanks
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Hi Peter,
There really isn't any hard and fast rule when to remove the mulch. (I'm assuming that you used mulch and not just a simple plastic sheet to cover your plants.) The general idea is to remove the mulch when you have a stretch of frost-free nights. For you, this might be sometime in April.
Based on what you have, the first plant that would be the first to show new growth is the flytrap, and possibly the Darlingtonia. Typically we see them emerge from dormancy in May. However, the risk of frost in your region still remains until the end of May. Your plants are well adapted to frost, but you may lose the new growth, and that's part of the risk. The plants won't die. It'll just set them back a bit. You can protect the new growth by covering the plants with a sheet of plywood. When the frosty weather has passed, remove the plywood.
(I recommend plywood in your particular situation since your soil level is sunk down a couple inches. The air space will help moderate the temperature and hopefully preserve any new growth. If you don't have plywood, you can use a sheet of black plastic.)
Also make sure to spray your plants with another application of sulfur fungicide. For more information about winter care, watch Volume 1 of the Grow Carnivorous Plants DVD series.
Good growing!
Jacob Farin
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Answers by Expert:
Sarracenia Northwest
Expertise
If your plant is showing poor growth, discoloration, abnormal leaves or possible infestation, the growers at Sarracenia Northwest can help! Carnivorous plant experts Jeff Dallas and Jacob Farin will help you diagnose the problem and get your plants on the right track. Their no nonsense approach has helped thousands of growers all over the world. They can help you too!
Experience
With over 40 years of combined experience, Jeff and Jacob has definitely taken a straight forward approach to growing carnivorous plants. They have encountered many types of diseases, abnormal growth and infestations related to carnivorous plants, and they know what it takes to get plants looking beautiful and healthy again.
Education/Credentials
Authors of Secrets to Growing Beautiful Carnivorous Plants for Your Home and Garden and producers of the Grow Carnivorous Plants! DVD Series. They also produce a monthly video podcast to illustrate how plants cycle through the seasons.
No terrariums. No myths. No nonsense.
Just the straight facts from guys who grow and propagate
thousands of carnivorous plants each year.
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