Fabric Pots/Grow Bags

CDNmatt

CDNmatt

So in the last couple years the price of fabric pots/grow bags have really started to come down in price and I have noticed in some of the glogs I have read through that they seem to be a common type of pot being used. So just a couple quick questions on these if I may...
 
Firstly - Has anyone done a side by side grow any noticed that they work any better then a regular plastic pot or buckets that some people use?
 
Also as far as sizes go I see most are using at least 5 gallons or larger but would I be able to get away with using say a 3 gallon fabric pot for chillis?
 
Those Air pots are pretty cool but I badly need to limit my budget since for me chillis has become a whole other hobby besides my regular summer gardens. I have probably put out a bit more money then my wife would like the past year so I really need to limit myself for awhile.
 
Any advice and information would be grateful.
 
One thing I do have alot of is a bunch of big metal buckets left from the previous owner of the property we now have who used to operate a scrap business....some are pretty big and I do have a bunch of plastic ones I collected myself so i am good on that front. I was just wondering if the fabric pots had the air pruning effect that some of the smart pots seem to have.
 
A large bucket probably wouldn't get as root bound like a smaller pot/bucket might is my guess but I found a place where I think I can get some cheap fabric pots for around .40c CDN for the 3g's and around .65c each cdn for 7g's I believe it is.
 
My wife is a great seamstress and was actually tinking about the DiY option i spose it would be finding the material cheap enough to make it worth it.
 
I feel I get better growth from a fabric container than a plastic one of the same size and think some of the benefits are better root dispersal (delayed "root-bound" due to air-pruning), better oxygenation and drainage, and a cooler root zone during hot weather. I've used #3's and even smaller for certain uses, but I prefer at least #5's and #7 is my minimum desirable volume for an outdoor plant I want solid size from. I haven't tested it, but I think that the stated volumes on the fabric pots can materially understate actual volume, so for that and to optimize H vs W I focus on the dimensions.
 
Here's a recent thread, but i think the sale nmlarson mentions may be over.
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/69794-root-pouch-brand-fabric-pots-on-sale-at-gardenersedgecom/?hl=boxer#entry1584038
 
alkhall posts in the thread about Root Pouch, which has some good prices.  #5's of their grey Root Pouches are 10 for $15 (plus $10 shipping). and their more durable Boxer Browns are 10 for $25.  I plan to buy a 25 pack in a smaller size of the grey for indoor use where I want to constrain plant size.
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/root-pouch-boxer-brown-fabric-pot-long-lasting-cn--rpbr
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/root-pouch-grey-fabric-pot-3-4-year-cn--rpg
 
 
 
CaneDog said:
I feel I get better growth from a fabric container than a plastic one of the same size and think some of the benefits are better root dispersal (delayed "root-bound" due to air-pruning), better oxygenation and drainage, and a cooler root zone during hot weather. I've used #3's and even smaller for certain uses, but I prefer at least #5's and #7 is my minimum desirable volume for an outdoor plant I want solid size from. I haven't tested it, but I think that the stated volumes on the fabric pots can materially understate actual volume, so for that and to optimize H vs W I focus on the dimensions.
 
Here's a recent thread, but i think the sale nmlarson mentions may be over.
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/69794-root-pouch-brand-fabric-pots-on-sale-at-gardenersedgecom/?hl=boxer#entry1584038
 
alkhall posts in the thread about Root Pouch, which has some good prices.  #5's of their grey Root Pouches are 10 for $15 (plus $10 shipping). and their more durable Boxer Browns are 10 for $25.  I plan to buy a 25 pack in a smaller size of the grey for indoor use where I want to constrain plant size.
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/root-pouch-boxer-brown-fabric-pot-long-lasting-cn--rpbr
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/root-pouch-grey-fabric-pot-3-4-year-cn--rpg
 
 
Click to expand...
 
Yeah Unfortuantly being Canadian does have its draw backs as great as we are (JK) Some of the better online shops in the US do not always offer shipping to Canada...in most cases I have found really for stuff I wanted in the past. But some great feedback never the less so thank you!
 
 
I've been disappointed with my 5 gallon grow bags this year.  They dry out very fast, and therefor are out of sync with when everything else needs watering.
 
Plants that stand up by themselves in 3 gallon pots need staking in my 5 gallon grow bags.
 
I think my soil mixture has too much breathing and air-pruning going on (it's mostly loose mulch).
 
I think one of the lessons is to pay better attention to the soil you use in a grow bag.  A better ratio of perlite and/or vermiculite might have made things easier.
 
I have several side-by-side duplicates of pepper plants in 5 gallon grow bags and 3 gallon pots.  But I think my results are all skewed by not having the right soil in my grow bags, and not staking the pepper plants in grow bags.
 
dragonsfire said:
Polyethylene Weed Block Landscape Fabric with Microfunnels
$13/50x3feet regular price (home depot), costco had 250x4 feet for about $45, its strong stuff.
 
Click to expand...
 

As for both of those, I live about 4 hours east or west frolm Winnipeg/Thunder Bay so Crappy Tire, Home Hardware Timber Mart and Wally World is as good as it gets. We do however try and get to the city now and then but as for local shopping thats what we are limited too. I was looking on the crappy web site abit ago might wander in later tonight see what they have still. Small store as well so most seasonal stuff has already been stuffed away for the year.
 
DontPanic said:
I've been disappointed with my 5 gallon grow bags this year.  They dry out very fast, and therefor are out of sync with when everything else needs watering.
 
Plants that stand up by themselves in 3 gallon pots need staking in my 5 gallon grow bags.
 
I think my soil mixture has too much breathing and air-pruning going on (it's mostly loose mulch).
 
I think one of the lessons is to pay better attention to the soil you use in a grow bag.  A better ratio of perlite and/or vermiculite might have made things easier.
 
I have several side-by-side duplicates of pepper plants in 5 gallon grow bags and 3 gallon pots.  But I think my results are all skewed by not having the right soil in my grow bags, and not staking the pepper plants in grow bags.
Click to expand...
 

very Interesting thank you
 
So I got thinking....instead of asking my wife to sew up a bunch of these pots for me I assume it would be the same thing if I built a bunch of smallish type boxes and then just staple the fabric to it. maybe  like 18''x18''  or even try some bigger ones as well....would be easier to replace the fabric then to have my wife resow them every couple years or however long they lasted.
 
DontPanic said:
I've been disappointed with my 5 gallon grow bags this year.  They dry out very fast, and therefor are out of sync with when everything else needs watering.
 
Plants that stand up by themselves in 3 gallon pots need staking in my 5 gallon grow bags.
 
I think my soil mixture has too much breathing and air-pruning going on (it's mostly loose mulch).
 
I think one of the lessons is to pay better attention to the soil you use in a grow bag.  A better ratio of perlite and/or vermiculite might have made things easier.
 
I have several side-by-side duplicates of pepper plants in 5 gallon grow bags and 3 gallon pots.  But I think my results are all skewed by not having the right soil in my grow bags, and not staking the pepper plants in grow bags.
Click to expand...
 

Some great points DP.  I don't use as loose a mix in my bags as in solid pots. I have an ot heim in a 5g bag that wants to fall all over the place this season because its mix is too loose. The others are doing fine with a denser mix.  Also, I find that once the plants' roots fill out they help stabilize the container.  Before that I am careful moving the fabric pots to avoid disturbing the roots - if the containers distort it moves the dirt and can tear the roots.  Once they've grown in they're much more solid and I can lift them with one hand by the edges like a normal pot.
 
Same thing with watering in my experience, if the soil is too loose they need watering more frequently, but with the mix adjusted they can get on schedule with the rest.
 
Bottom line is probably they take some getting used to and adjustments when first using them after solid containers.
 
Interesting discussion here, and timely because I have just bought 20 x 25L grow bags as part of a group buy down here.

Was wondering if there were any problems when I get around to using them.

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I sewed my own from old restaurant napkins. They do seem to dry out quicker. That's not always a bad thing. I think they do help the plant to not drop flowers when its 100° out. Maybe not if you used black material though idk

20180915_082530.jpg
 
CaneDog said:
 
Some great points DP.  I don't use as loose a mix in my bags as in solid pots. I have an ot heim in a 5g bag that wants to fall all over the place this season because its mix is too loose. The others are doing fine with a denser mix.  Also, I find that once the plants' roots fill out they help stabilize the container.  Before that I am careful moving the fabric pots to avoid disturbing the roots - if the containers distort it moves the dirt and can tear the roots.  Once they've grown in they're much more solid and I can lift them with one hand by the edges like a normal pot.
 
Same thing with watering in my experience, if the soil is too loose they need watering more frequently, but with the mix adjusted they can get on schedule with the rest.
 
Bottom line is probably they take some getting used to and adjustments when first using them after solid containers.
Click to expand...
 
Very interesting thread.  Will you elaborate on how you adjust your mix to be more dense?  More compost, less of something else?
 
Next year, I'll be doing an all-fabric bag grow and am already looking at what I'll need to make it successful.  I've got the bags, which are all black and will probably need some adjustments just because they are black.  I probably should have gone with the brown ones, but, hindsight....you know.   :banghead:
 
Inquiring minds want to know!
 
nmlarson said:
 
Very interesting thread.  Will you elaborate on how you adjust your mix to be more dense?  More compost, less of something else?
 
Next year, I'll be doing an all-fabric bag grow and am already looking at what I'll need to make it successful.  I've got the bags, which are all black and will probably need some adjustments just because they are black.  I probably should have gone with the brown ones, but, hindsight....you know.   :banghead:
 
Inquiring minds want to know!
Click to expand...
 

Yep, you got it, mainly a little more compost and less perlite. Often I'll add a couple scoops of soil from the raised beds into the mix as well. 
 
I don't specifically measure parts, but I container mix with peat, compost, perlite (and periodically warm castings) and I dump it all on the ground and mix until I'm good with it.   My climate can be erratic (but whose isn't lately?) with long cool wet/damp periods and also lasting hot dry spells. When I use plastic containers I really focus on them draining as well as possible and up the perlite and limit the compost. I might pay the price watering more often, but if they get compacted it really seems to mess things up.
 
If I use the same high drainage / aeration mix for fabric pots, I'll get just what Don't Panic mentions, floppy plants (actually the entire container gets floppy) and rapid water loss.  The plants seem to root slowly/poorly, which I think results from a combination of the water draining more down the middle versus spreading out and the fabric breathing thus drying the mix from the container sides. I really screwed up the mix with one plant in particular this season and saw this to the extreme.
 
Oh, and I've never had the heat retention issues with black fabric that I've have with black plastic.
 
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