Building an Outdoor Planter Box for Carnivorous Plants

For a mixed bog planter in Portland, depth depends on plant size: 6-8 inches for small plants, 12+ inches for mature specimens. Always use pots with drainage holes set into a larger tray—never a sealed box. The tray holds water (1/4 to 1/2 pot depth) to keep soil constantly moist.

A pond liner halfway up the planter's interior can create a reservoir, but ensure overflow drainage. Better yet, use individual pots in a water-tight tray. This allows easy rearrangement, division, and winter protection.

See Sarracenia Northwest's photo gallery (cobraplant.com/gallery) for nursery examples. Their plants thrive in simple tray-and-pot systems year-round.