How I Use Fabric Pots For Gardening

Creating a garden anywhere takes a lot of work.  Digging and tilling and amending the soil is hard work, and sheet mulching takes time.  Then once crops are planted, there are the weeds to deal with.

At my age, I need easy.  People who have busy lives, but love to garden, need easy.  Using bags to fill with dirt and tend plants individually seems like a no-brainer.  It's a bit expensive to get started, depending on the number of pots needed (don't overcrowd vegetables), but worth the initial effort.

Here is why I like to garden using bags:

• Move each bag into the sun as needed, or inside if weather turns bad. Or move fruit laden plants indoors overnight to avoid raccoon thieves. (Bags with handles are great.)
• No rocks get in the way of digging or planting.
• The soil warms quicker, which keeps plants happier.
• It's virtually weed-free.  Any little weeds popping up can easily be removed.
• It's easy to get water straight to the roots.
• Moles and other critters can't get to the roots.  Worms do appear in the dirt - or throw some in yourself.
• Have access to the garden from all sides and plants are raised up a bit so not as much bending.

I have cats and they never go up into the bags to do their business, so that is another plus.

I am writing this page as a single, older woman (in my sixties), who does all her own gardening.  From buying and lugging the dirt to the beds, to weeding, watering, and harvesting, the jobs are all mine.  I garden because I love it, for the same reasons you do - eating the freshest food which is free of chemicals.

Since 2013 I have been using fabric pots.  I've tried many different sizes for my various gardening needs.  I learned a lot about growing vegetables in New Hampshire and now I am re-learning so I can grow food in Florida.  Although I plant in the ground and in raised beds, I still use fabric pots for growing certain vegetables.

Novice growers often crowd crops.  I definitely did!  It's difficult to pull up those excess baby seedlings, but many crops won't thrive if they don't have space to themselves.  It can even be detrimental to the entire crop. 

Most vegetables need at least a 6 inch depth, and many need more space.

The seven gallon bags are a good size for a single tomato plant, eggplant, pepper, or cauliflower which is what I have planted.  ONE plant, that grows long, branching roots, should do well in this size bag.  Or plant multiples of herbs, carrots, and lettuce / greens. Know the root depth of what you want to grow and find a pot that is not too small to accommodate it.  Roots can also wrap around and survive because most bags will not be truly tall enough.

Either begin by putting seeds into the dirt and then thinning, a little at a time, to the best plant, or transplant seedlings from smaller pots.

Now that I live in Florida, I have to learn how to grow new types of food.  The best time to plant and grow most crops is October through March or April.  The daytime temperatures are usually warm to hot, but evenings and overnight can be chilly.  The temperature can dip to freezing or below sometimes, and anything growing in a pot can be dragged inside, or put close to the house where they shouldn't freeze.  If seedlings are still growing, they need to be inside in the warmth.

If you know about growing a vegetable garden, you can probably figure out which veggies will grow best in which size pot.  For those who aren't sure, I'll give you advice from what I've learned by using these pots over the years.

The Extra Large Bags:  Grow just about anything except tomatoes in this size bag.  The bag is too short to add a tomato cage, or stakes, to hold the plants up, unless they are added to the ground outside the bag.  A zucchini will take over the bag, so plan on growing just zucchini if you choose to do so.  I like the large bags for grouping a number of smaller growing veggies like peppers, parsley, celery, onions and garlic (around the edges).  You could even throw a flowering plant into the mix.

The Medium Size (7-10 gallon Garden Mate bags): I've grown potatoes in these with success.  You won't get a big yield, but the bags work, and can be dumped out to collect the potatoes.  Beans, peas, carrots and any long rooted vegetables work well in this size, but they won't hold a lot of seeds.  

The Shorter Bags:  I have just discovered this size and I'm thrilled.  They are perfect for any vegetable that doesn't need a deep bag.  Think lettuce, onions, garlic, or most herbs.  Use less dirt and the bags can be moved easily.

As I write this paragraph it is December and I've noticed that many of the bags listed on this page are nearly half price!  Most gardening is done in spring and summer, but if you wait until then to buy gardening items there may be shortages or higher prices.  Buy during the off season, or during the holidays when sales are in full swing.

I have grown little red potatoes from the ones that have sprouted in my kitchen.

1. Add a few inches of good soil in the bottom.

2. Cut potatoes with at least 2 budding eyes in each piece, and set 2-3 pieces into the bag

3. Cover with another few inches of soil.

4. As the potatoes grow, cover the green stems leaving just the top sticking out.  Keep doing this until the bag is full of dirt.

5. The green leaves will eventually die.  This signals when it is time to dump the bag and collect the potatoes.

The black fabric potting bed is a great size to create a raised garden you want to keep in one place year after year.  This one is really a permanent addition to the yard.  Think garlic and onions around the edge with larger crops in the center.

Of course it could be emptied out and moved, if needed, but in New Hampshire I left mine up over the winter and began in spring by adding amendments to the soil.

One of the very nice things about using this type of bed is the relative absence of grass and weeds.  Some will pop up, but none can creep in from the yard.  Also, fertilizer stays within the boundary of the bed and won't seep away from the crops.  The same will happen when watering.  The black color brings extra warmth to the soil, which will keep plants happy and growing well.