Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 6/15/2011

Question
Hi. I would like to plant an in-ground bog for my north american carnivorous plants in my flower bed. The area gets hit by my sprinkler system (not heavily, lightly. But still it gets hit every day!) The water is from an irrigation system. It is runoff water from the mountains, runs through irrigation ditches in the desert, then to my sprinklers. Will this hurt my carnivorous plants? (my grass obviously loves it. and the flowers and plants in the flower bed don't mind either.) I also thought that water will probably fill the Sarracenia purpuea pitchers up... this wont harm them in some weird way will it? I would really like to grow them here because its sunny, would look good, and is sheltered by the wind (a huge bonus in mountain home!!!). Or should i move my location somewhere else?

Thanks,
Lance

Answer
Hi Lance,

Will the sprinkler water hurt carnivorous plants?  Yes!  Your water in that area (like most desert areas) is very hard being full of minerals.  It also may have fertilizer in it from what you describe as runoff water.  All that would be quite toxic to them even though regular plants like it.  If you can't avoid the sprinkler, you should locate your bog garden somewhere else.

For a bog garden you're going to need larger quantities of water, so you may need to consider a reverse osmosis unit in the future.  That would give you plenty of low mineral water for both you and your plants.

Good Growing!

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