Contrary to what many believe, gardening is something anyone can do, regardless if you have a spacious yard or live in a condo.
There are many reasons to want to plant in grow bags, but the most common is the lack of an in-ground garden or poor soil conditions.
Whatever your reasons, they definitely make growing all kinds of plants exciting! So, if you want to learn more about them, then continue reading.
What are growing bags? Often made of plastic, jute, or fabric, grow bags are planting containers you use to grow plants in. They are ideal for small to medium-sized crops like corn and tomatoes. While you can grow eggplants and cucumbers, you will need to transplant them in-ground in time.
What Is the Point of Grow Bags?
Gardening grow bags come in different sizes, but they are neither too small nor too big. As such, they are easily portable and arrangeable.
Because of this, you can grow the kinds of plants you want anytime and anywhere—whether that be indoors or outdoors.
For instance, some gardeners put several grow bags together to form a rectangle and act as raised beds. This way, you won’t have to construct one.
Grow bags are an excellent solution for those who don’t have in-ground gardens, like those who live in condominiums or apartments.
You can also use them if you lack space for new plantings in your garden.
What Are Grow Bags Used for?
Grow bags are not new inventions. In the olden times, people used to plant in woven baskets because you can move them from one spot to another.
At its core, they are used for growing different kinds of small plants. You can even find ones that let you grow several kinds of plants at the same time!
Some gardeners use grow bags as a treatment for poor soil. Simply fill the bags with good-quality soil, set them up all around your garden, and wait for the magic to happen.
For others, grow bags are used for young plants still in their active growth stages. When they establish a strong enough root system, they can then be transplanted in-ground.
To give you more insight into what they are used for, here are a few benefits your plants will enjoy if you decide to plant them in grow bags:
For Healthier Roots
Unlike when growing plants in plastic pots, those planted in grow bags have healthier roots. That’s because growing bags are flexible, which means that roots can grow freely in the soil.
For Good Air Circulation
The best grow bags are often made of breathable fabric or felt. These materials have holes in them, allowing for better air circulation to prevent root rot and other plant diseases.
In turn, your plants can absorb water and nutrients more efficiently.
For Better Soil Drainage
Since grow bags have holes in them, you might need to water your plants more frequently as compared to growing them in-ground.
The upside to this is that you won’t have to worry much about over-watering as you would if you used traditional pots.
That said, it would still be best to pay extra attention to what your plants need.
What Plants Can You Grow in Grow Bags?
Depending on your area’s growing conditions, you can plant different kinds of plants in grow bags.
That said, you will have to stick to small to medium in terms of size. You can plant flowers, vegetables, and evergreens. Some of our favorites are:
- All kinds of peppers
- Zucchini and cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Herbs
- Different kinds of salad greens
- Tomatoes
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you will find it exciting to grow two kinds of plants in a single grow bag.
For example, you can grow your favorite root vegetable and type of pepper together if the bag is big enough for both.
Pros and Cons of Grow Bags
There are plenty of reasons to kickstart your gardening journey with fabric bags, but it’s up to you to weigh the pros and cons and make the right decision.
To help you out, we did the legwork for you and listed down the advantages and disadvantages of going down this route.
Pros
First, let’s talk about why it is a good idea to use grow bags. Especially if you’d like to forego the use of plastic pots, you will find them ideal.
You can put them anywhere.
With grow bags, you can set up your own personal garden anywhere you want.
Whether you live in an apartment or have a small balcony, there is nothing to stop you from growing your own plants.
If your outdoor garden has too many plants already, using fabric bags makes it possible for you to add even more!
Each plant will have its own patch of nutrient-rich soil, so it won’t compete with its neighbors for food.
They are convenient to use.
Since you won’t need any special skills or costly tools to get started, even beginner gardeners find grow bags easy and convenient to use.
You won’t have to dig up the soil to start planting, nor will you have to break your back pulling weeds out to prepare the site.
What if you do have an outdoor space to start growing plants, but it has poor-quality soil? It could either be too fine and sandy, loose, overly cloddy or mixed with pebbles and stones.
Even if this is your case, there’s no reason to give up on your dream of having your own garden thanks to growing bags.
Simply get the right mix of soil your crop of choice prefers, and you’re good to go.
They can help fix unhealthy ground soil.
Sometimes, ground soil can lack the nutrients and moisture needed for plants to thrive. You will often see it as cracked, crumbling, or dry soil.
To help address that, you can try putting grow bags filled with healthy soil in your garden. Over time, you will notice it changing and becoming more welcoming to plant life.
Beginner gardeners love them.
As mentioned, those new to gardening love using grow bags because of how convenient they are to use.
With enough research about their preferred growing, you can begin planting flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
They promote good airflow to the roots.
Roots need air to breathe so that they can become healthy and strong enough to support the plant’s growth, and grow bags make that possible.
Because of how uniquely they were built, you can rest assured oxygen reaches the plant’s roots. They also have good drainage and are almost impossible to overwater.
Cons
While they bring much good stuff to the table, grow bags are not perfect. They also have disadvantages you have to take note of, including:
They are not as durable as traditional pots.
At best, fabric grows bags may only be viable for two to four growing periods. You can push that to six, but you’d be putting your plants at a higher risk of developing diseases.
For this reason, you will find yourself buying and replacing them with new ones eventually. That means they are more costly to use than, say, plastic pots.
They are not as pleasing to look at.
Most of the grow bags you will find, whether online or in-store, come in dull colors. As such, they may not be for those looking to have a picture-perfect garden.
Some kinds are not eco-friendly.
You might need to look far and wide to find eco-friendly grow bags since most of them are made of non-biodegradable materials.
They require more frequent watering.
We mentioned that you won’t need to worry about over-watering your plants in grow bags, but you might need to think twice about your water bill.
Planting in fabric grows bags require the use of more water to ensure it gets to the roots. You will also need to do it more frequently because the holes dry the soil quickly.
Some are not as easy to move.
Most grow bags are easy to move, but we can’t say the same for others, especially the bigger ones.
The walls might not be heavy-duty enough to hold the soil and plant inside when you try to carry it someplace else.
Are Grow Bags Worth It?
In order to make the right decision, you must first know your needs and wants, as well as look at the product’s pros and cons.
Again, using grow bags come with advantages and disadvantages; it’s up to you to weigh which factors are most important to you.
Generally, grow bags are worth it if you live in an area with the right growing environment. They will also be worth it if you don’t have an in-ground garden but want to grow your own plants.
Conclusion
Whether you are an experienced or novice gardener, you won’t have a hard time finding the value of using grow bags.
Not only do they promote healthier roots because of good air circulation and soil drainage but also easy to use.
That said, make sure the plant you choose to grow does not grow too big; otherwise, you’ll need to transplant it to a bigger growing bag or in-ground garden over time.
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