I'm wondering what kind of sand works well for sarracenia and Venus flytraps.

I've used pool sand, it seems to work ok. My concern is that it's so fine it will start to compact to much.

I've also experimented with Permatill and it seems to be working really well. Has anyone else used Permatill or have any feedback about why it would be a good or bad idea?

Fine sand packs into something similar to concrete.

I havn't used PermaTill (had to look it up). Its 'popped' slate. Slate is a clay compound so superheating MIGHT increase alkalinity. My question would be how are they adjusting the pH?

I use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 peat moss.

Thanks. Good point about the possibility of increased alkalinity. I have a large planter that's been set up a few years that I can check the ph. Soil is 50% peat and roughly 35% permatill and 15% perlite.

Several years ago I had plecostomus in a planted aquarium. I needed breeding caves for them and remember that clay that was 'over heated' ( I think that would be the term) in a kiln wouldn't change the water chemistry. Not sure if that's comparing apples to oranges since aquariums get routine water changes.

I've successfully used 50/50 peat perlite in pots. I'm planning on redoing a bog that made from a prefab pond (100 gallon I think) and I'm not sure perlite would be the best choice.

Sarracenia Leucophylia 'Tarnok' and S. Purpura grown in 50% peat 50% Permatill/perlite.
Planter is 19" diameter and 10" high.

Very nice!

DaisyI said:Very nice!

Tarnok needs to be divided.

Daisl,
I just read on another post that you use perlite in a bog (or bogs?). Have you had any problems with it after it's been set up for a long time? Any advice on a good way to wash a large amount of perlite?

p3bog said:Daisl,
I just read on another post that you use perlite in a bog (or bogs?). Have you had any problems with it after it's been set up for a long time? Any advice on a good way to wash a large amount of perlite?

No need to wash. Just make sure there's no fertilizer in it.

Tommy is right, no need to wash it. I mix it dry with dry milled peat (wear a dust mask) then pour it into my bog and fill it with water. Than you spend a lot of time up to your eyeballs in peat and perlite trying to get the peat to absorb the water. If the peat is fresh, its pretty easy but my peat always seems to be 10 years old.

Oh, and its not the perlite that gives up the ghost, its the peat. I am going to have to do some replacement this summer (after 4 years). That should be fun.

I'm dreading digging it up. Right now I have Flava, Dixie Lace, purpurea, some VFT and a lost tag sarr or two that I want to get rid of so I can replace it with other sarracenia.

I bought some kiddie pools to start soaking the peat a few days before digging up bog. I'll cover it so stray cats don't think it's a big litter box.

I've been using 50/50 peat/filtered pool sand for most of my carnivorous plants, which is a mix that seems recommended in most of my readings. I've only been using it for a couple of months, so I can't comment on the long term potential for soil compaction, but many those recommending that combo were long time growers.

Others (to a lesser degree) recommended peat/perlite combos, the only real complaint I remember about perlite being it's tendancy to "float" to the soil surface. That may be less of an issue for carnivorous plants if they are bottom watered rather than top watered like "regular" potted plants.

The main concerns most seemed to have with what type of sand to use seemed to revolve less about granular size and more around mineral/salt content. Filtered pool sand was recommended due to the fact that it's washed/rinsed so as to have less/no effect on pool pH levels. As for grain size, larger was preferred, tho, all but the finest were considered ok.

Only the perlite on top "floats". It's not like it works it's way up from below the surface. It's not a big deal IMHO.

As a side note, some of the better CP sellers are now using Long Fiber Sphagnum Moss for their Flytraps. I'm trying a few now with it.