If you're looking for an interesting and unique plant that's sure to stand out in your collection, consider a carnivorous pitcher plant.
Sarracenia, or the American pitcher, is a cold-hardy perennial native to the boggy areas of eastern coast of North America, from northern Florida through New England. The carnivorous plants are easy to grow in containers in a sunny location and eat an abundance of insects every summer. In autumn, they stop growing and go dormant, some even dropping the tall pitchers and then regrowing them in spring. My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, potted two specimens, Sarracenia 'Conversation Piece' and Sarracenia 'Bug Bat,' in a container with peat moss, Perlite, sand, charcoal, and gravel to mimic a bog-like environment.
Enjoy these photos.
Pitcher plants have special leaves shaped like hollow tubes, open on top. They feed on insects attracted to a sweet nectar-like scent that leads them down the tube where they are trapped and eventually digested.
Sarracenia ‘Conversation Piece’ has slender lime green pitchers with red hoods and distinctive veining. Flowers appear in summer as tall, nodding blooms. In fall the pitchers turn burgundy with black veins.
Pitcher plants love bog-like environments. Potted bogs can be made easily in containers without drainage holes and layers of coarse gravel for drainage, and a mix of peat moss and sand as the growing medium.
Ryan selects a glass container that is at least 10 inches wide and several inches deep.
This is Black River Gravel. Gravel helps create a more porous potting mix, which is important for preventing plant roots from becoming waterlogged.
Ryan covers the bottom with an inch or two of the coarse gravel.
Charcoal increases the fertility of mix, improves water retention, and helps prevent erosion.
Ryan pours an even layer into the container over the gravel.
In a trug bucket, Ryan combines two parts peat moss with one part horticulture sand and perlite. Peat moss is a brown, fibrous material that’s a combination of decomposed plant matter and organic debris that accumulates in wetlands.
Sponge rock, also known by the name Perlite, decreases compaction of mix, increases aeration and helps to retain moisture. Sponge rock is a volcanic glass that expands when heated and becomes very porous.
And lastly, Ryan adds a layer of horticultural sand.
And then mixes everything up thoroughly…
Here, Ryan adds the bog mix to the container.
And spreads the even layer across the container leaving about and inch at the top.
Carefully, he plants the bog-loving Sarracenia ‘Conversation Piece’ into the mix, ensuring the roots are covered.
Here he is planting the other pitcher plant, Sarracenia ‘Bug Bat.’ It shows taller, more slender copper-colored pitchers topped with rounded, arching, reddish hoods.
After planting, Ryan tamps down carefully to ensure good contact between the plant and the potting mix. The pot should remain consistently damp.
Most bog plants thrive in partial sunlight, but check specific plant requirements. Ryan places the bog pot in an area that gets at least five hours of direct sun a day.
Ryan gives it a generous drink. I have well water, but if needed, one can use distilled. Do you know the difference between a bog, a swamp, and a marsh? Marshes form near ponds and lakes. Reeds, grasses and other soft-stemmed plants grow there. Swamps have more trees and woody-stemmed shrubs. Bogs begin as shallow ponds that slowly fill with rotting leaves and plants. Then mosses and other plants grow spreading out across the surface.
For maintenance, aside from keeping moist, Ryan will monitor the temperature, as some bog plants may need protection from extreme heat or cold.
I think they will thrive here on this windowsill in my head house. What do you think of carnivorous plants?
Here at my farm, we haven't put away any hoses or sprinklers just yet - it's been so dry with no rain in the immediate forecast.
I'm fortunate to have a strong well system, so we could keep all the gardens adequately hydrated. I designate one member of my outdoor grounds crew to oversee watering efforts - make sure sprinklers hit the most crucial areas, hand water young seedlings and newly planted specimens, and fill any birdbaths for thirsty wildlife. It's paramount that we only water what is necessary, and not waste the water we have. And hopefully we'll get some significant rainfall soon.
Enjoy these photos.
Here in the Northeast, while many of us are enjoying the mild autumn weather and colorful foliage, we’re missing the rain – there hasn’t been any rain here in weeks. The region is actually in a moderate drought. New York City is currently under a “drought watch.”
Here at my farm, the stream beds are filled with leaves, but no flowing water.
Because of the lack of rain, our hoses and sprinklers have been extremely busy. Here’s Phurba watering a newly planted Japanese Maple by my Tenant House. For newly planted trees, it is important to keep their root balls moist until they are established.
Already established trees with strong, deep root systems will be more drought tolerant, but some younger plantings do need supplemental watering during times like this.
Throughout the day, Phurba moves the sprinklers, so plantings get at least a half-inch of water. He keeps track of all the water used, so nothing is wasted or left too long in one place.
Here’s Phurba watering this columnar European hornbeam, Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata,’ which we planted in September. It is also just getting established in its new home up against my Carriage House wall.
Phurba makes sure to fill up the birdbaths, so visiting wildlife can find fresh drinking water.
Mornings are the best times to water – when water pressure is high, evaporation is low, and the soil can absorb the water before the sun heats up the ground. I have used Gilmour products for a long time. The height, distance, and spray patterns of these tripod sprinklers can be adjusted to suit so many garden needs.
When ready to use, the collar of these tripod sprinklers can be adjusted for partial to full circle coverage. A pin diffuser allows for a customized spray from powerful jet to gentle mist. I show every member of my crew how to use the sprinkler, so they can water properly and efficiently.
The round dial on top makes it easy to set the direction and length of the spray.
Phurba keeps an eye on what areas are watered and for how long. And every so often, he observes the sprinklers in action, looking for clogged or leaking heads that may need minor maintenance.
To avoid dry spots, sprinkler heads should be positioned so they overlap slightly in their coverage areas.
Phurba is excellent at setting the sprinklers so there is even and equal coverage.
I also remind the team to keep the tripod sprinklers at the lowest height, so there is maximum coverage on the garden plants below the branches.
Never direct hard spraying sprinklers at trees – this may mar the bark.
Here’s Phurba in the maze watering the newly planted Lemon Burst Arborvitae, Thuja Occidentals ‘Rutthu3.’
… And this Blue Atlas Cedar.
My potted trees also need water. I buy bare root cuttings and nurture them in pots before planting them in their permanent locations. These trees are all in a fenced area near my hoop houses.
If a hose must go over a driveway or interior road, be sure it is positioned straight across, so the least amount of hose is exposed to passing cars. I encourage my crew to be conscious of these details and to take good care of the equipment we use.
And here is Phurba by the pool hand watering one of the six Ginkgo biloba Goldspire™ Obelisk trees I planted last spring. They’ve all dropped some of their golden yellow leaves.
And then he heads to the Summer House garden to check on the ginkgo trees there. This one is still full of leaves.
Once the watering in an area is done, it’s extremely important to properly coil up a hose and turn off the water at the source. Just turning off at a sprinkler or nozzle puts a lot of pressure on the hoses and pipes.
If you’re in an area that is in need of rain, I hope all your gardens are still getting the water they need. And please use it wisely – make every drop count!
Physocarpus, also known as Ninebark, and Cotoneaster, are both reliable, versatile, low-maintenance plants that work for almost any garden.
I've planted lots of Physocarpus at my farm - around my pool, in front of my pool house, within my maze, and most recently, in an area across from my chicken coops. Native to North America, Physocarpus grows best in full sun to part shade and provides shelter and food for bees, butterflies, and songbirds. Cotoneaster blooms in the spring and summer, and produces small berries in the fall and winter. The plants can be used as shrubs, ground cover, or small trees, and can be trained or left to grow naturally. Both are from First Editions Shrubs & Trees.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Physocarpus, commonly called ninebark, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae. Ninebarks are large shrubs that grow up to about 10 feet tall and wide. They get their common name from the bark, which sheds in reddish-brown strips. This one is Little Devil Ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Donna May.’ A row of these was planted in my maze.
I also surrounded my pool with Ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo,’ which is mixed in with Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ – both these shrubs have superlative dark colors and appealing forms. They are growing so excellently.
This is another variety of Ninebark, Honeycomb, Physocarpus opulifolius ‘ZLENora,’ which has large, vibrant, chartreuse leaves that hold their color all season long, even in full sun. In the spring, white flowers provide contrast to the leaves, in summer bright red seedpods emerge, and in the fall, bold green to gold foliage stand out.
Here are the autumn leaves of the Honeycomb Ninebark turning colors.
Here in the Northeast, with unseasonably warm temperatures, we’re still able to plant. It is actually good to plant in fall when the soil is still warm from summer but moist enough for the roots to establish before winter.
Potted Ninebark plants are spaced five to seven feet apart in an area that gets part shade down across from my chicken coops.
Digging starts for all 20 plants as soon as they are placed in their designated locations.
The holes are dug no deeper than the original containers, but about five or six inches wider on all sides.
The plants are placed into the holes to check for proper depth.
Cesar removes a plant from its container and scarifies to stimulate growth.
He sprinkles a generous amount of fertilizer and then backfills, tamping down as he goes to ensure good contact between the plant and the surrounding soil.
All the specimens are planted in just an hour. Other more mature Ninebarks are also planted here and are doing well. Always consider a specimen’s light and space needs when selecting a location.
Ryan places Cotoneaster along the carriage road leading to my Run-In paddock. These plants will do well here in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade.
The foliage is gray green in spring and summer. This is Autumn Inferno Cotoneaster ‘Bronfire.’
As temperatures drop, the leaves shift to vibrant shades of reds, oranges, and yellows.
Here are leaves in bright red.
These plants are spaced appropriately, about five feet apart. When mature, they will be about five feet tall and five feet wide.
In assembly line fashion, Cesar begins making holes with a post hole digger.
Each plant is placed into its hole with a generous scoop of fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro all purpose plant food.
Josh backfills. Cotoneaster grows best in moist, well-drained soil, and can tolerate most soil types, but likes loose soil best.
Both Cotoneaster and Ninebark provide wonderful interest through the seasons. If you don’t already enjoy these plants in your garden, I hope you consider adding one, or two, or more…
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