bog filter – Nori’s Stuff

Supervising the grooming of the flock and errata

Posted on March 2, 2013 by

13-03BogFilter — Post winter depression with promise of spring.

The tire holds my gunnera which, at our elevation, will only winter over if mulched and covered. It’s still a bit soon to uncover it . . . maybe in a couple weeks. I want to make sure it isn’t frost bitten. We had hail a couple days ago.

I got the bog filter trimmed up a bit and all last year’s triangular reed foliage trimmed away.

As of yesterday the pump has been cleaned and water is circulating. Having both bog filters full of hydroton takes much less water out of the main tank when the pump starts running.

I haven’t pulled out last year’s hyacinths as the roots are doing funny things and I want to see what happens.

I have no idea if the penny royal in the upper filter survived. I can’t see anything on the surface.

The water beans are growing and the stems are getting thicker each year. Go beans! I’m hoping to get some winter hardy water irises in the big filter this year.

Bog filter 2012

Posted on August 11, 2012 by

12-07UpperTanks — Upper tank in August sunshine

12-08SmallTank — Penny royal in small tank.

12-08HyacinthBean — Hyacinth, bean and fairy moss.

The larger of the upper biofilter tanks is doing really well, though the water hyacinth has not bloomed this year and I’m holding no hope that it will. The triangular water reed has nearly tripled in size even after removing half the original plant last spring to give to Mindy. Jill? Can I restock you when I cut this back in the fall?

This year this larger filter tank is loaded with hydroton which provides shelter for the roots. The water bean, hyacinths and reeds are mega happy, sans blooming.

The smaller tank is also filled with hydroton and has last year’s penny royal which amazingly enough, wintered over due in part to the tank being made of closed cell foam (insulative), containing hydroton (insulative) and filled with standing water (insulative).

Because the maple tree and the triangular reed are sheltering the smaller biofilter tank from the sun the penny royal is growing much more slowly, which is a plus. Last year it was horribly root bound it grew so fast. I cut out most of it and thew it away, then took the remaining bit and cut it in half to give to Mindy.

I like the fairy moss as a fill-in between the larger plants. It helps keep the mosquito population down. Having marigolds growing in a pot on the back frame helps as well. I don’t worry about mosquitoes in the big tank – fish food!

The reed is blooming, though it hasn’t yet peaked to produce the mass of feathery tendrils that will be the end product.

Bloomin’ Bean

Posted on May 19, 2012 by

The bean I got from JMH last year is blooming. I have two blossoms, this one and another in the middle of the tank.

I picked up Fairy Moss and water Hyacinths today. The upper tank’s looking pretty good.

This is what the upper two tanks look like right now. The penny royal is growing, the season triangular reed is coming up. The water hyacinth and fairy moss is spread in the middle tank.

So far, so good!

Corkscrew Willow

Posted on May 15, 2011 by

I had a lovely visit with my brother Dan and his wife Vala yesterday. They live far enough away that I don’t get to see them often. I was gifted with some corkscrew willow cuttings which I’ve stuck in the upper bog filter until I can get them rooted and ready to plant.