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Beginner question... building a mini bog

I have been having a great time reviewing all the old posts here and looking at all the GREAT pix.
I'm wanting to build a mini bog to put some of my VFTs and Sarracenias in.
I have seen pix of some really nice looking minis using some kind of big bowls, and some nice looking ones using tall planters.
I assume the tall planters provide more root protection from hot and cold, while the bowls are lighter and easier to move around. I already have a couple of tall 16 inch diameter planters, I was planning to use one of those.
Pros and cons?

I also see some minis that seem to have pearlite in the medium, I was was under the impression that sand should be used instead of pearlite in anything other than a largish pot.
Comments?

Lastly, I live in Southern Illinois (USA) zone 6, is it ok to build my mini now and put the plants in, or is it too late and I should wait until next spring?
Sorry for all the noobie type questions.
Les
 
The size and type of your mini-bog is really up to you. I have both. My shallow mini-bogs are actually heavier than my other right now. Must be all the sand. I plan on switching over to small perlite next year. Try them both and see what you like.

Perlite is fine to use. Try to find the very small granular perlite, if you can. It is kinda hard to find, but it offers better defense against air pockets and it mimics their natural conditions much better than regular sized perlite. Sand can also be used. I have used both perlite and sand in my mini-bogs. Never had a problem yet. I have used sand, but the weight of my pots and bogs persuaded me to switch to perlite.

If you are just planting your plants in the mini-bog with the old soil and then adding new soil you can plant now.
 
The more soil media you can provide for them the better, especially deeper. If it were me I would mix sphagnum peat with pool filter sand foir most of it and have am inch or so of long fibered sphagnum (LFS) on top.
 
I agree with the pool sand instead of play sand if you can find a pool supply store nearby.
 
Why is the pool sand better? Because it's already clean?
I have already used the play sand.
It took a whole lot of water to rinse out all the mud, I used water from the hose for that.
Then when the water ran clear I rinsed it with RO water.
 
Pool sand is a little larger in grain size and easy to rinse clean.
 
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