They're squat bags made of non-woven fabric, open at the top. Very handy for folks who can't have an in-ground garden for whatever reason. I hope to grow plants on the slope/berm from the bog and also hide the liner without rock$. I thought the grow bags would offer a more stable way of heaping dirt than simply "heaping dirt." Any thoughts?
Beginning Bog Building
- Thread starter Lynnski
- Start date
I plant things on the fabric all the time more without soils though. and just let the plants absorb water through the fabric
The idea is to dig the hole, then secure the liner with something other than rocks. The bags full of soil would be instead of rocks, plus I could plant in them. Does that make sense?
Not exactly sure of what a grow bag is either, but I think I have an idea. Just to point out those nonwoven grow bags that you want to put around your pond edge in leiu of rock, will eventually fall apart. It may take years but it will happen then you will have dirt leaking into the pond. If they are using something similar to the underlayment fabric for the bags, the parts that are buried and not exposed to the sun will hold up fine, but any fabric that is exposed to the sun will weaken and eventually fall apart. Unless you are using this on the outside of the cinderBlock wall, then never mind it is fine, just wouldn’t use where if it were to fall apart the dirt could end up in the pond.
You are right that I want to use them in lieu of rock to hide and hold down the liner, but it's for the bog, not the pond. I was under the impression that some amount of dirt leaking into the bog would be ok...is that wrong?
My hope is that over time (and as the bags inevitably decompose), the plants in bags and the plants growing on the rest of the slope outside the bog would grow together.
I'm making this up with no pond experience, and I'm eager to hear from folks who have actual expertise. Does this sound reasonable? Is there some other way to hold down and hide the liner without using rocks? I will use rocks for the pond and the stream, but if possible, I'd like the bog to have a different look.
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2020
- Messages
- 3,012
- Reaction score
- 3,208
- Location
- Pacific NW
- Hardiness Zone
- 8b
- Country
I guess I didn’t think they’d break down quickly as they’re used for planted retaining walls frequently and they last a lifetime. Maybe I’m thinking of a different product.
In general, though, you don’t want dirt above your liner’s edge because, no, you don’t want dirt in your pond OR bog. Will silt up the water every time it rains.
Maybe drape the liner up, over, and down your CMU wall, and the. Put the bags against the CMU wall, sandwiching the liner vertically. Then plant the bags with plants that will drape over and hide the liner.
But with that design, there’s not really any need for the bags? Just use dirt…
In general, though, you don’t want dirt above your liner’s edge because, no, you don’t want dirt in your pond OR bog. Will silt up the water every time it rains.
Maybe drape the liner up, over, and down your CMU wall, and the. Put the bags against the CMU wall, sandwiching the liner vertically. Then plant the bags with plants that will drape over and hide the liner.
But with that design, there’s not really any need for the bags? Just use dirt…
Is it not necessary to have something on top, not just to hide liner but also to hold it down? I thought that rock was necessary to hold down the liner, and I'm just hoping to avoid using rock for the bog. Would it actually work just to sandwich the liner vertically, with compacted soil on one side and the block + underlayment+ liner on the other?
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2020
- Messages
- 3,012
- Reaction score
- 3,208
- Location
- Pacific NW
- Hardiness Zone
- 8b
- Country
Nope.
Hold it down from/for what exactly? I'm not understanding the concern.
Sure. Why wouldn't it? This is what I'm describing:
Red: blocks
Yellow: liner
Green: earth
Blue: water
Thanks for this clear response and graphic. I thought rocks were needed to hold down the liner, so it doesn't slip down into the hole from gravity and the weight of the water. Very happy if I'm wrong about that!
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2009
- Messages
- 3,990
- Reaction score
- 2,691
- Location
- Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
- Hardiness Zone
- 6a
If you use concrete blocks, I would drive rebar through their voids to securely anchor them.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2009
- Messages
- 3,990
- Reaction score
- 2,691
- Location
- Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
- Hardiness Zone
- 6a
I know you said you didn't want to use stones. I'm just wondering why? Maybe you just don't like the look?
I built my bog walls with stones and soil. I stabilized the stones by using soil between them as mortar.
Then my liner went up and over the stones. More flat stones went on top to hide the liner.
If you use concrete blocks, you can hide them by mounding the soil from the dig up against them.
I built my bog walls with stones and soil. I stabilized the stones by using soil between them as mortar.
Then my liner went up and over the stones. More flat stones went on top to hide the liner.
If you use concrete blocks, you can hide them by mounding the soil from the dig up against them.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2009
- Messages
- 3,990
- Reaction score
- 2,691
- Location
- Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
- Hardiness Zone
- 6a
My add-on bog build
I finally did it! I joined the bog club! The bog is approximately 14 feet by 5 feet and about 12 inches deep. I know my 1600+ gallon pond has been overpopulated due to my fish reproductive rates! Last year the water never cleared up to my liking. I figured my two pressure filters and my...
Unlike in the Poconos, I have no stones whatsoever in my soil! So every last one have them has to be purchased and brought to the site. I love the look and will use loads of stones for the pond and stream, but I would like the bog to have a different look and blend as seamless as I can manage with all the surrounding plants.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2009
- Messages
- 3,990
- Reaction score
- 2,691
- Location
- Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
- Hardiness Zone
- 6a
The stones and rocks we have can be good, but quite annoying when you need to dig a hole. Just to plant a shrub you not only need a shovel, but also a big pinch bar to pry the boulders out!
It seems we get more rocks out of a hole than soil.
Do it with the concrete blocks and mound the excess soil up and over them to make it more natural looking.
Then plant grass or other plants in that soil to keep it from washing away.
Or make a garden filled with soil in front of the bog walls. Plant what you like there.
You will need something to cover the liner as it drapes over the top. Some sort of cap stones. Whatever decorative flat stones you can get that would be pleasing to the eye.
Or, use some type of wood, if you prefer that look. Just be careful with treated wood. You don't want any chemicals leaching into the water.