Bpb Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 I'm becoming fascinated with the prospect of starting a bog garden of carnivorous plants. I'm nearly as interested in outdoor gardening as I am in reef keeping/planted tanks, just don't have quite the same skill level but I'm a sponge, always learning, and willing to spend some dough to make stuff happen. I can't do much indoors with so many cats in the house. Contrary to popular belief that cats are carnivores, for some reason my cats will never pass on the opportunity to eat any leafy greens which means all ornamental plants in the house are out of the question. This will all be done outside. Anybody into carnivorous plants or even succulents. Any places in austin or good websites you can recommend for acquiring specimens and supplies. I know nowadays everything under the sun can be ordered online but I like to actually see things. Also happy to take any advice anyone can give. I know these types of plants can really be a challenge to grow outdoors in our heat, since most prefer about 80 degree temps, but I'm hoping the shade will be my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckyuv Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 You should get a desert rose. I hardly know anything about plants except that Im only allowed to water them on sundays with watering restrictions. I do know that my desert rose is super cool and easy and is always covered in flowers. I think its a succulent but I may be wrong, I also know that it does not eat meat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12_egg_omelette Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 My wife is hard core into succulents, we had a crap ton at our wedding that my wife grew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 Love some advice on succulent substrate. I totally bombed my last attempt and they all died Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makena95GT Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Im in that same boat bpb. I love plants and gardening but tend to murder everything. Succulents are my favorite. I had a venus flytrap for a few months that was super fun till it died. I've never been but I've heard really good things about a place called Green n Growing here in Pflugerville. I'm sure if you call they'll offer advice via phone Sent from my LGLS660 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Actually just picked this up this weekend. Haven't messed with carnivorous plants much so giving this one a try: We got into them suculents from leftovers from a wedding as well. We've get most of any others from natural gardener down here in oak hill. Most HD and Lowes have a bunch of them and most local nurseries do as well and are probably cheaper for the same size. Most of the ones we've actually purchased were around $2- $3, where they are typically $4 - $7 for the same size ones at the chain stores. We basically use a mix of good garden soil with some compost in it, perlite, and small gravel. Biggest key is that it must drain very quickly and you need to let it dry out before watering again. Doesn't quite need to be the mojave desert but shouldn't have much moisture left when you water again, then completely drench it. If in doubt, you're better off neglecting them. I've had more problems messing with succulents than just leaving them alone. I'd say the same thing about pretty much any other cactus, agave, yucca, etc., mess with them less than you feel like you should. If you have a screen it helps to get roughly the same size grains of everything. Something like 1/8" is about right. Unless you can find very large grain sand, most of the lowes/hd stuff is too fine and works against you, use small gravel instead. I actually use some FW aquarium gravel that I had leftover from my last discus tank. We had about 100lbs of it remaining. Definitely try to screen the perlite if possible to get out the dust and super small particles. Like the sand, they tend to prevent water from flowing through the substrate. If you have another larger screen ~1/4", you can get the super large particles out as well. They work fine, but they don't look very good especially in small containers. Still experimenting between peat moss and garden soil. Peat holds a lot of water, so I'm still leaning away from it. There's some good soil recipes online, but a lot of them end up being super expensive. The ones using turface and bark and other graded material end up costing about $15 - $10 per gallon, which is absolutely crazy. You can buy bagged cactus soil for cheaper than that and it works well without any work. Just a personal tip, put pea gravel or other small gravel on top of the soil after planting, and it really helps prevent the soil from running away when you water it. Also helps prevent getting fungal gnats in your plants. We do it with any potted plant, especially if they're an indoor plant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 That's a fantastic pitcher plant. That thing is massive. I've been reading a ton and it sounds like their care is easy enough just a couple no nos. no terra cotta pots (gotta change mine out), never let the dirt dry at all, as in keep them in standing water at all times, high light, but they hate high temps, and no fertilizer. Only Unammended peat, sphagnum, sand, and pearlite. Otherwise they're supposed to be stupidly easy. Been looking at the plant of the month winners on terra forums and they're spectacular. Such variety and color. I love the ones that get covered in the dew drops which catch the bugs. Anyhow. Lots of research in my future before my build starts Torn between a 40 gallon terrarium in the garage, or trying to set up an actual raised bog garden on the table on the back porch. I'm worried the heat me be too big a factor, but I like the idea of not spending money on lights. That would save me a couple hundred bucks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12_egg_omelette Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I'll ask my wife, she mostly forgets about them and I end up watering them. I think there's some spores in some because after every rain the thing just goes nuts and makes mushrooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 I have a TON of turface, multiple 5 gallon buckets full of it. And it's already mixed with miracle gro cactus soil and bark. I know they're desert plants but is it possible they just got nuked by the sun in the past? I have one left over that is doing well but killed like 15 last year. They get all mushy and disintegrate Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12_egg_omelette Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I think my wife uses a succulent soil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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