Could you link to exactly what you mean by GroBags? Search with that name pulls up all kinds of things that aren't plant related - including kids clothes. There are probably 20 different brands of fabric pots out there if that is what you mean. Some of them great, some not so great.

The pots from dollar stores - you are going to make self-watering somehow? If so that alone would make them better than any of the fabric pots on the market.

Dave

Sorry, I guess my old brain dropped a letter off the name. Here's the link to the Gurney's catalog I was looking at:

http://www.gurneys.com/category/container_gardening

I was looking specifically at the one for tomatoes.

Thanks,

Edie

Look good for the coupon price but if you are looking for multiples of them them be sure to check amazon prices for similar items sold in packs of 5 and 10 for discounted price. Since you mention "homemade earthboxes" then if self-watering I'd go that route. have you looked at the plans for making "Earthtainers" (improved Earthboxes)?

Dave

I had used Root Pouch (one brand of grow bag) last year. The result wasn't very good. My main problem was the water leaking directly from the side when the soil was dry. It made very difficult to water plants. I did not use saucers on the bottom, though. Maybe if you put grow bags on saucers and water from the bottom up, the result could be better. Anyway, I give up the grow bags and will use the traditional nursery pots for some of my plants this year.

Jull, the same problem can happen, say, in plastic pots too. But instead the water will go down in the opening between the soil and the wall of pot.

The problem is not caused by the bag, You should not let it to get soil that dry between watering anyway. But when that happens, you have to take time and water slowly in 2 or 3 pass.

On the bags :

I have used grocery store reusable shopping bags . Cost about 90 cents each.The have work fine and were intact at the end of season.

They have 5 and 7 gallon sizes.

I am trying grow bags this year for the first time. With continuous expansion and loss of pots due to UV rays and freezing wet winters, I needed too many replacement pots/planters and wanted a cheaper longer lasting solution. I'm making my own bags from weed guard. I buy the thick/reinforced Dewitt 20 year 4 oz. fabric. I sow them with outdoor furniture nylon. Cost ends up around $2.50 a bag for super large bags, maybe 15-20 gallon. If I made them the size of those grocery bags, they'd be under a $1 per bag.

The material of the dewitt weed guard is one side soft felt-like material, and one side reinforced nylon-like burlap material (like a rice sack). The felt side is the inner side of the pots. I am very happy with the quality of the material. If I over water it pools up and gradually soaks down into the soil, it does not leak out the sides. Youtube has many videos on making your own bags. Just a thought if anyone seeks a cheaper higher volume solution. It take me about 5-10 minutes a bag once I get my measurements down and remember how to thread the sowing machine.

ooto ...I agree 100%. The weed guard materials are very tough and durable. The one that you have described sounds even better. But then not everybody can sow a bag manually unless you have a sowing machine .

So there are ways to be a frugal gardener. I make my own potting mix (soil less) and it costs me a fraction of commercial bagged stuff. And mine is better.

Sey

Sey - would you be willing to share your mix recipe? I'm kind of leaning toward the homemade earthtainer-thingies and I'm thinking that's a lot of mix to buy.

Thanks,

Edie

Ed, be glad to.

It is a hybrid of Al (tapla) ' 5-1-1 :

== 5 parts pine bark fine / mulch( <= 3/8" down to smaller particle)

== 1 part peat moss

== 1 part coarse perlite

here is a picture of the pine bark I use You can also use MINI pine bark nuggets but the you have to add more peat moss.

Additionally you can add granular slow release fertilizer ( ~ a cup per cu-ft).

Slightly wet the mix before adding the lime.

Sey

Sey, thank you for your explanation on my grow bag problem. You maybe right, I waited too long between watering. However, I had used pots before and feel pots are definitely better on holding water.

Also, thank you for the mix formula too. I will give it a try. I have a lots of pots to fill this year.

Sey, thanks so much. I guess if I can't find bags of all smaller stuff I can get regular pine bark mulch and pour it over a screen then use the bigger chunks to mulch the flowers. Win-win!!

Edie

I cannot locate pine bark fines anywhere in my area. Could I substitute rotted oak leaves in place of the pine bark fines for a growing mix for fabric containers?

My thanks,

Mary

Hey Sey, quick question... just need to be sure in my mind... if I use your 5-1-1 mix, I don't need to add lime, correct? If I read rightly, the lime is only if I use FllorDry instead of perlite & peat moss?

Thanks again,

Edie

Sey, once again... Great Advice!!! Thanks!!

Rebecca

ediej,

With 5-1-1 mix you DO need to add lime , firstly to up the pH a bit. Secondly , to provide calcium for tomato plants. Now if you are using some fertilize with Ca in it, you might skip the lime. I think 5-1-1 mix has a pH that is within acceptable range for tomatoes. Tomatoes thrive in a pH range of roughly 5.5 to 7.2 . But optimum is 6.8 (near perfect). My own garden beds have pH range of 6.1 to 6.5. I can live with that.

On The Lime:

Use Dolomitic or Quick Acting lime, not general lawn an garden lime.

You can make your own fast acting lime :

== Save your eggshells ( wash, dry, grind)

== Add vinegar to it, ( stir daily until for a couple of days, until no bubbling ) To be on the safe side, it is better to have more eggshell than vinegar. This way you can be sure the all the acetic acid is neutralized. .

== the final product is "Calcium Acetate" in which Ca ionic form (Ca++), for immediate action. This is much better than putting eggshell in the garden that won't release needed Calcium for at least a couple of years.

Sey

Thanks again, Sey!! I need calcium because my new tomato fertilizer does not have it! You are the DIRT MAN!!!!!!!

Rebecca

Awesome!! Thank you so very much. I am really eager to try this method this year. They are forecasting our summer to be hotter than normal this year so I am hoping that by using a self-watering system I can keep the roots happy without having to worry about fungus from wet leaves. I work; DH is retired so he "takes care" of the lawn and garden and no matter how many times I have asked him not to, he still insists on overhead watering with a hose. OY! And I really appreciate the eggshell tip. Trash to treasure!

Boy I wish folks would quit pushing the egg shells thing. It has been discussed here and disproven by controlled research so many times it is unbelievable that it simply won't die. There are so many readily available sources of calcium, if it is actually needed as it is rare lacking in soil, that actually work.

And if interested in all the aspects of 5-1-1 mix, the acceptable components (and no rotted oak leaves won't work), the pros and cons of it, the environmental effects, how it works, then you can get it direct from the person who developed and tested Al himself (Tapla) over on the Container Gardening forum here where it has been discussed in great detail for years.

Seysonn - I'm all for pushing 5-1-1 but you really need to give Al the credit due and direct folks to the source.

Dave.

Dave, if you read the post with the photo of the bark chips, you will see that Sey did give Al Tapla the credit.

I also have liquid calcium, magnesium, iron that I use on new seedlings because I use coir for soil. It works great to keep the plants happy. I plan on using that on my "adult" tomato plants as well.

Rebecca

Dave,

Number one: I don't believe in putting eggshells in the soil to supplement Ca deficiency and If , you've read my previous post, I mentioned that it might take years for that calcium to be freed from eggshells buried in the garden.

But adding vinegar to eggshell is different. Vinegar (95% water + 5% acetic acid ) breaks down calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and produces calcium acetate : Ca(C2H3O2)2.

In this state calcium is in Ca++ (ionic form )to have immediate result. This is science not Old Wives Tale. And of course there other Calcium products too.

On the 5-1- 1 almost everybody ,in this forum, knows that it has been formulated by Al (tapla) and I have already mentioned it. I have been making / using 5-1-1 for THREE years now and I know how it is mixed and used.

Sey