Planting bog plants

[Lodger]

Hi all, just finished building a bog filter and wanted to understand peoples’ thoughts on how best to plant it. E.g. soil on or off roots, etc.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[addy1]

I just stick naked plants in, ie no dirt.

 

[mrsclem]

Agree , remove soil and plant in gravel

 

[Lisak1]

I knock off the dirt, but don't worry about a bit clinging to the roots.

 

[GBBUDD]

I'll take the plants and dunk the roots in a 5 gallon bucket of water and shake them gently. There are OR CAN BE microscopic hairs on roots that get ripped off if you just try to knock the dirt off. some plants have no problem when they loose these shoot's/ hairs wile others benefit greatly the more your able to save. then just plant them in the gravel and as was mentioned they don't need to be washed to the point there's no dirt at all on them.

 

[Faebinder]

sorry I’m on the opposite side and I promise you that your soil is not a big deal. It will keep the plant roots more intact if you don’t try to remove the soil and the roots will find it easier to get accustomed to the new setting.

 

[poconojoe]

sorry I’m on the opposite side and I promise you that your soil is not a big deal. It will keep the plant roots more intact if you don’t try to remove the soil and the roots will find it easier to get accustomed to the new setting.

What you're saying makes sense, but everyone else's opinion is no soil.

I dont know if the soil is bad for the bog and will cause clogging, or what the reason is.
I'm guessing if you were to keep planting things full of soil, eventually all that soil will accumulate enough to clog up the gravel.

All my plants, no matter what I've stuck in the bog have flourished without soil. Literally everything I've tried, hostas, begonias, marsh marigold, grasses, tomatoes, creeping Jenny, iris, parrots feather, cat tail, umbrella plant, etc, etc. Nothing has suffered at all or died.
I'll keep doing it without soil.
Fear not.
Dont clog up your bog!

 

[GBBUDD]

Soil is the primary ingredient for all plants to grow it has the basics for plants to grow. The bog is the idea that the stone gives Anchorage to the plants roots to grow between but it gives no nutrients . Thus making the plant look else where for the minerals to grow and in our case its the water not soil where the plants find what they need to grow thus the more soil added the less the plants do to remove organics for plants to clean the water

 

[Faebinder]

The soil will not help the plants forever. It’s a limited amount of soil after all. It’s not like you are adding more soil all or adding growing supplements to the plant. I like keeping the crown protected from drowning.

I’ve done both with and without. With soil is the easier way and eventually the plant will grow out of its soil and go into the pea gravel.

Also I don’t know where you buy your plants from but usually the small pot they come in is mostly roots rather soil. I just keep it and in a Year it won’t matter.

 

[poconojoe]

So, isn't this akin to hydroponics?

 

[LuckyDog]

Hi all, just finished building a bog filter and wanted to understand peoples’ thoughts on how best to plant it. E.g. soil on or off roots, etc.

Thanks for any advice.

Interesting that you're thinking of planting in your new bog now. I'm in the UK, too, and I've just finished my "bog in a box" but wondered if it's appropriate to plant up just coming into winter. I'll put bacopa in as it usually keeps going, but not sure about the rest.

 

[Sisha]

Assuming the plants are in potting mix, they probably have fertilizer in them and that's the problem. A gentle rinse in a bucket to get most of the mix off and hopefully all the fertilizer will force the plants to take up nutrient from the water which is what the bog is for. I keep a space open in the bog for tadpoles but otherwise it's fully planted and works brilliantly. Have fun planting.

 

[GBBUDD]

Interesting that you're thinking of planting in your new bog now. I'm in the UK, too, and I've just finished my "bog in a box" but wondered if it's appropriate to plant up just coming into winter. I'll put bacopa in as it usually keeps going, but not sure about the rest.

Most Plants don't thrive in the winter that's common knowledge however many plants do still grow. Some plants will survive having the soils washed off the roots while others will die. It's a 50 50 you won't gain to much in a cold climate to plant now