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Bog depth

I am building an in ground bog in front of my house. I am going to make 1/3 of it LFS and 2/3 of it peat/sand mix. The bog is 16 feet by 6 feet but I can not decide how deep to make it. I have heard that 6 inches is deep enough and some people say 18 inches..... I just need a few opinions from people who have built one.
Thanks
Steven
 
Depends on what you're going to plant.
 
Depends on what you're going to plant.

you asked me and i told you that and you posted it LOL
on second thought I am guessing two feet
it would be ideal for larger plants and small ones could grow too
you need alot of soil; for a bog alot
and maybe some sort of liner in the bottom that will allow drainage but prevent weeds.
I think 16-or18 inches would be fine too
 
I am using a pond liner and using a sump pump to regulate the water level. I plan on planting EVERYTHING and seeing what works and what doesnt. the hole is 2 feet deep now, but i was told 2 feet was a waste of dirt.
 
what the depth is for is primarily water retention--it simply collects more rain and decreases how much/often you have to water it. also helps against severe freezes. i would suggest two feet, maybe substitute something cheaper than peat for the lower levels because the plant roots don't usually go down that far (i imagine really, really old plants eventually get that extensive a root system though). however, it has to be a material that will allow water to undergo capillary rise to the level of the plants' roots.

basically, deeper is better. it requires more expense and more initial work, but it isn't as likely to flood (don't know if that's a concern with precipitation in your area), retains more water longer (also doesn't evaporate as quickly), and is tough against drought/heat/freezes. IMO it's worth the peace of mind, and if you leave for a couple weeks or anything like that you can be assured your plants are alright.
 
I made mine about 17-18 inches deep and, like agentrdy said to do, I used sand as a filler for the first 8-10 inches or so. I just made mine recently though, so I don't know how well it will work yet!
 
In addition to sand, pine needles are also a good, cheap filler.
 
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