A bog question -- depth of gravel?

[Mmathis]

Dumb & simple questions.......I hope this makes sense.......

When calculating the depth of my gravel bed, not sure WHERE to say is the bottom and WHERE is the top?

I'll probably have a 2" PVC manifold -- is the "bottom" underneath or on top of the PVC? [add or subtract 2"]

I'll have 2"-3" of gravel above the water level -- Is the "top" at water level or at the "top" of the gravel?
[add or subtract 2"-3"]

IOW, if I want a 12" depth, do I include the PVC and the gravel above water level, or the depth of gravel between the PVC and water level? I don't want to aim for 12" but end up with 8" or infinity.....

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Depth would be the actual depth of the gravel. This is the maximum depth that the rhizospheres (roots) of the plants can penetrate. The total basin depth can be greater.

 

[MitchM]

As far as your plants are concerned, TM, the bottom is the bottom. They don't care where your pipe is, bottom, middle, top.
I would be more concerned about where the crown of your plants wind up (above or below the water line). Addy has a deep "bog" (18", if I remember correctly) I think Meyer Jordan has a submerged marginal plant zone. (correct me if I'm wrong)

 

[Mmathis]

@Meyer Jordan and @MitchM That helps a lot! I think where I'm getting confused is that my little "turtle bog" is designed to have a pool in the center [2"-3" deep] with gravel for the plants around the perimeter. I miscalulated the depth and now the top-layer gravel is just an inch or so above the water line where I wanted it to be about 3" above. If I'm not careful, the bog can overflow. I've raised the sides a little which has helped, but I can't do anything to lower the water level. I don't want to repeat that mistake with we finally get the larger bog built.

 

[addy1]

Addy has a deep "bog" (18", if I remember correctly)

lol Mitch mine is 2.5 feet deep, sort of went crazy digging.

My plants started out crown out of water, ended up with some crown out of water same plant right at water level, same plant crown under water and they all do fine.

 

[MitchM]

Good thing you didn't have a bigger tractor, addy.

 

[addy1]

LMAO no kidding!

Good thing you didn't have a bigger tractor, addy.

 

[Mmathis]

Good thing you didn't have a bigger tractor, addy.

We rented an excavator to dig our pond. That thing was so darn much fun! It's easy to see how you could get carried away. I was joking, of course, but told Hubby I wanted to drive it up & down the street to see if anyone else needed a hole dug!

 

[addy1]

loI offered to dig holes in our neighbors yards, nobody took me up on it.................geez wonder why

 

[Mmathis]

loI offered to dig holes in our neighbors yards, nobody took me up on it.................geez wonder why

Well, if yours was as much fun to use as the one we rented, your neighbors probably decided they wanted to keep their lawns....intact!

 

[addy1]

I have dug up a lot of my yard and lawns..............lots less grass on slopes to mow now!