I plan on putting together a miniature bog setup of some sort, potentially a medium scale open terrarium, or a kiddie pool type bog though that would be more of a long-term goal. Currently the plan involves Sarracenia Purpurea, another misc Sarracenia, venus fly traps, a ladies tresses orchid, live mosses, and potentially a Utricularia that I think lives beneath the soil of the misc Sarr that I've recently gotten.

So! I'm opening up this thread for tips on building bogs, and bog terrariums, what have your experiences been?
Also, while I'm here, has anyone tried growing cranberries alongside their carnivorous plants? To what level of success or care?

You are in zone 8 so some of that would be happier outside in a 'bog'. When I lived in zone 8, I grew all my Sarracenia in pots on the deck because the racoons thought they were tasty. On the deck, I only had to worry about marauding peacocks. Sarracenia require a cold winter dormancy and must always be in water.

The Ladies Tresses Orchids wouldn't be happy with the Sarracenia as the orchids want to be damp but not up to their necks in water like a Sarracenia wants to be but would be happy spending the winter outdoors. Temperate Drosera would be quite happy but don't need the winter chill - mine are all in the house except for one escapee who is out in the bog with the Sarracenia. The mosses will be along on their own so no need to plant them.

The Venus Fly Trap has completely different needs so wouldn't be a good fit for your bog, even indoors.

I have two types of volunteer Utricularia living with the Drosera in the house so obviously, their needs are similar.

I've never grown a cranberry plant.

Thank you so much for getting back to me I really appreciate it!

Oooh the knowledge about the raccoons is VERY hepful because I live out in the middle of the woods and we get a ton of raccoon traffic! I'll have to be sure that whatever setup I go with is raccoon-proofed. Peacocks I shouldn't have to worry about, though! I think at our coldest it gets to about 20 or so?? I'd gathered that they need a dormancy and need a constant water supply though, I've been soaking up a lot of plant knowledge in a short span of time as I'm coming to carnivorous plants from Cacti which is a drastic difference..

Is that so? I could swear I've seen other growers successfully growing ladies tresses in a mini bog setup with sarracenia? I wonder would it be possible to make it work if I were to do like,, different levels of bog, with plants that prefer to be a little less wet on higher levels? You said Temperate Drosera would be happy but don't need the chill, would they still be able to tolerate it overwinter?? Mostly I was planning on planting the mosses as I already have a small collection of them that I'd intended to toss in, mostly live sphagnum as well as a few other species that I figured would do nicely there.

How different are the Venus Fly Traps needs? Most references I've found seemed to think they would do well together due to them both needing similar cold/dormancy periods?

I do grow Sarracenia outside and I also grow bog orchids (not Spiranthes). The Sarracenia live in the middle of the bog where they are always in water. The Orchids live on the edge so they are only in water when the level of the bog gets low.

The Drosera go dormant over winter but come back in spring. Actually the Sarracenia go dormant in winter but you can still see their leaves. In spring, I cut last year's leaves down to about an inch and then first flowers and then new leaves come up. In zone 8, both leaves and flowers came up together.

Fly traps need a dryer winter with very little water. Sarracenia always need water. Maybe if you put them on the edge of the bog where they could dry out they would be ok.

Ooh that's a really smart idea!! I might give that a try! And hopefully branch out further into other bog orchids, they're all very fascinating to me! Though for now I'm happy with my little Ladies Tresses.

I may have to give Drosera a shot, I've had a few people suggest that they would go well for the setup that I have in mind now!




These are the two that I'm going to be getting- Both of them were gotten for me as a birthday gift- The big guy was actually bought at a nursery by a friend of mine who's gonna have to work out how to ship it to me, and the little Sarracenia Purpurea was gotten on Etsy.

Ooh so keeping them on the edges should solve the issue of their compatibility? Definitely worth testing out then! I have a tiny one that my wife's little brother (He's 15) bought to split custody with me on because he wanted one but knew he couldn't keep up with care well enough, so if he's willing I'll see if that's something that would work out.