All you need to know about Wally-Bags

[Cayennemist]

Wally-Bags!

So I dont think I ever made a thread specific to this topic. I have been highjacking other peoples threads with my pictures. Today I wanted to put a size comparison picture out, but that's when I realized I didn't have a place to put it.​

So here it is, a thread specific to Wally-Baggs!​

"So what is a Wally-Bag?" Simple, It's a Wall-Mart Reusable Shopping bag. Whaaaaaat? Yup! Those bags
us hippies use so we they don't use plastic bags for their our groceries

"So why?" you're probably asking. Well... First of all its CHEAP, at only .50¢ each, its one of the cheapest containers you can get! Not only is it inexpensive, but it breaths.​

If you have been in to a hydro store you have probably seen grow bags. Grow Bags are great because they cause root pruning, a reaction to air that stops the roots from growing longer, instead they branch out. Root pruning helps increases root efficiency, and thus better yields.​

Wally-Bags do essentially the same thing as expensive grow bags, but at a fraction of the cost.​

When I first looked at these bags I was a little skeptical of size and durability.​

In fact, on my first trip to Wal-Mart I actually decided not to get them, thinking that they where too small and the materiel was flimsy.The next time I went, I gave them one more look, and I'm glad I did.​

They may seem small when they are folded up, but they open up to almost 5 gallons of volume.​

And for the strength, well don't use them to carry bowling balls, but for something that just sits there full of dirt, they do great! I have officially put them through an entire season outside in full southern California sun and they are just as tuff as day one, minus a little fading.​

Honestly at .50¢ each, the ugly blue and 1-2 season lifespan are hardly a problem. The few things that I don't like about them would have to be the size, color, and they dry out fast in mid summer. Although, I found a way to prevent them from drying out too fast in the summers heat, plastic grocery bags...​

Just wrap a plastic bag around the bottom to hold in moisture.​

A few people have asked about size, well here you can see it compared to a 5 gallon bucket, not bad for people trying to get a lot of plants in to a small area.​

I'll Finnish it tomorrow when I have more time.
​

 

[Helltaco]

But what I want to know is, Are they a real 5 gallons?

 

[Phil]

But what I want to know is, Are they a real 5 gallons?

To find out, take the soil in a 5 gallon container and dump it in the bag. Then dump the contents of the bag on the ground and shovel it back into the container.... then start doing math science.

 

[Pepperboy64]

Very excited to hear more about this

 

[catherinew]

Thanks for the info. I've already bought 10 to experiment with and add to the black plastic pots we've used for a couple of years. Nice to have comparisons.

 

[Al-from-Chile]

Finally, ťhe "collected works" of frugal growing... or at least it looks like ...



that is very reassuring that I am not the only cheap guy on the internets :-)



lets see what we got...

- wally bags instead of grow bags
- diapers instead of hydrogels
- what do you use for soil???

cheers
Al

 

[Cayennemist]

Finally, ťhe "collected works" of frugal growing... or at least it looks like ...



that is very reassuring that I am not the only cheap guy on the internets :-)



lets see what we got...

- wally bags instead of grow bags
- diapers instead of hydrogels
- what do you use for soil???

cheers
Al

lol

1. Peat 12$ per 3 cu ft (compacted)
   
2. Compost free
   
3. hydrogel free
   
4. worm castings free
   
5. local humas free

I get lots of other stuff for free as well. My city dump has a compost and mulch program, and I find wood chips for free all day long.
My landscaper and I barter all the time for pots. I have 20 or so #1 pots, 10 or so #3 pots, and 3 brand new #15 pots.

Recently I put a glass top on my greenhouse. I drove past a house that was throwing away 5 48"x78" aluminum frame windows. They were happy I took them away.


At this point, I don't understand why people spend lots of money on gardening. I understand that gardening is zenful and that is worth paying for, however, I want a ROI (Return On my Investment) Its hard to get a lot out of limited space, but i'm going to make it happen.

 

[Al-from-Chile]

I hear you, man ... me, too - I go ghetto whenever I can ...

I find it somewhat gratifying to get the same results with only 10% of investment compared to others

cheers
al

 

[DocNrock]

I have a few plants growing in them. So far, so good. They may be a bit smaller than a 5 gallon bucket, but they hold more potting mix than a #5 nursery container.

 

[Al-from-Chile]

from what i have read ... the beauty of the 4,5gal wally (et al) bags is that due to air-pruning, you do get a lot more root mass into the same "container volume" ...thus having available more plant-soil interface making for a healthier and sturdier plant (all other factors held equal).

so judging from the pics I have seen on some canna forums, the root ball in air pruning containers is some 30% larger (denser?) than those of closed containers, where roots tend to circle around the extremes of the container, but where little root is being observed deep in the container ...

cheers, al

 

[Cayennemist]

Bump/update
 
Beginning of third season
 

 
Not bad for 50 cents a bag!

 

[MeatHead1313]

I haven't tried the wally bags yet, but am using the dollar general version of them. $1 a bag at my local, and are roughly 5 gallons as well. Compared to the 5 gallon root pouches I ordered online to compare, the dollar store bags are huge. I have also noticed the quicker drying out time compared to my plants in plastic pots, but considering the price difference between those and the same size plastic pots from my local Lowes, Home Depot or nurseries, having to water a little more often is worth it to me. 

 

[MeatHead1313]

Size comparison between the dollar store bags and 5 gallon root pouches I'm using

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

I am using a dozen or so Wally bags again this season....

 

[bestia]

Here's the self watering walmart grow bag version with a kiddie pool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdS8f3OCpKs

 

[compmodder26]

Bump/update
 
Beginning of third season
 

 
Not bad for 50 cents a bag!

 
Wow, third season?  My bags started tearing after 1 season.  Of course I did leave them sitting outside all winter before I decided to clean up my backyard.  Perhaps that played into it.

 

[Helvete]

I'm using the Dollar store bags this year for the majority of my supers. 
 
Good tip about the plastic bag to hold in moisture, I'm sure I'll need that here come August.

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

If I wanted to go cheaper I would use Target bags or some other store not that pile of crap Walmart that treats people like crap and rolls in the money.
It's sad that people like my son and his wife have no other choice as to where to shop really in SC as Sam Walton's stores are all there is really.

 

[Cayennemist]

If I wanted to go cheaper I would use Target bags or some other store not that pile of crap Walmart that treats people like crap and rolls in the money.
It's sad that people like my son and his wife have no other choice as to where to shop really in SC as Sam Walton's stores are all there is really.

 
 
We get it, you hate Walmart... lol
 
Trust me it was the last place I looked. They were half the size and double the price every where else.

Size comparison between the dollar store bags and 5 gallon root pouches I'm using

 
 
Do the dollar store bags cost a dollar? Id pay a little more for them to be black!
 
Is that the name of the store? or is it 99cent, or dollar tree?

 

[MeatHead1313]

 
 
 
 
 
Do the dollar store bags cost a dollar? Id pay a little more for them to be black!
 
Is that the name of the store? or is it 99cent, or dollar tree?

Yeah they're $1 a bag. Dollar General is the store I get them from.