I wish I could help but I've never tried them..

I bought mine on line, try searching for spin out bags. They come in 5 or 10 gallons, and are too deep for hostas. I added compost to the soil and slow release fertilizer in spring. Never had a drainage problem . I use 5 gallon for most hostas and 10 for large ones.

Lift them once in a while to be sure tree roots haven't gotten in. I plant mine 3 or 4 inches above ground .level. They tend to sink, and it keeps tree roots from climbing over the edge.

I am afraid to say---the bags are not made anymore. I ordered some early in the season and was able to purchase them. They stopped making them at the end of last year. The fabric will still be available.

I see that there are some available here:

spin out bags

I have had no drainage problems with the bags. Yes, you can use native soil. I have never really put a hosta in an overly large bag. Smaller bags are easier to move and handle. They seem to last a few years. As Madplanter said, it is a good idea to move them to check for invaded roots. Sometimes roots can go through the seams. When the bags get older, roots can penetrate the bag.

Hurry and get those bags before they are gone! I don't know what I will do without them!

I have some large hostas planted in 25 gallon bags. They are easier to move than digging up a Hosta but usually takes two people to get them out of the ground. They help retain moisture in my sandy soil and the hostas in them are doing well. I probably put some amendments in the bag because of my native soil being so poor.

I don't have any hosta in 25 gallon bags. Most of mine are in 10 gallon bags or smaller. I find that plants in areas that have a lot of tree roots don't grow that quickly due to shade. My thought was since the bags themselves will wear out, I could plant the hosta in a new bag in a larger size later. And in the meantime the smaller bag would be easier to lift out and move.

I have drainage issues in one area. In the spring, when we are getting a lot of rain, I pull the bags out of the soil. That way they can drain better. (I have clay soil). So I didn't want huge bags that I couldn't lift.

This year I suspected tree root invasion in a Touch of Class hosta (5 eyes after three years). Yup, tree roots. It doesn't take much. My Sugar Maple roots go round and round the hosta roots right up to the neck of the hosta like it is trying to choke it. Well, that hosta has been freed, for now!

The spinout fabric is expensive. I don't know what I will do without the bags.

My source just ran out. He had to substitute some 10 gallon bags for the 7 gallon bags I had ordered. (He still has 10 gallon bags on the site). It actually worked out pretty well for me. He said he ordered a bunch of cloth and is going to get more bags made. He may even make some inverted. I turn them inside out to use. His bags are completely black on one side, not the mottled black/grey I see on that other site. Don't know if that's better or not.

Horticulture specialties

I have some nasty soil to deal with. 2"-4" of topsoil with heavy clay and rocks underneath and shale/slate under that. I suppose it keeps the house from washing down the hill, but add maple tree roots and it's pretty impenetrable in spots. I bought some 3 gallon bags, but they just seem too small. I ended up using some in tough spots and they may work out well for the Heuchera. I amend the soil pretty well with pine bark mulch and gypsum before adding it to the bag. Seems to work pretty well. One thing I learned is to point the seam away from the maple trees (duh).

Steve, the mottled black/grey you see on the other site is a bag that is inside out. I believe that the bags from both sites are similar products. Texel only makes one kind of product.

With your soil Steve, that is challenging. I also have clay---not heavy clay though. The tree roots seem to suck the life out of my soil making it dry and hard.

I have also found that there is not a lot of difference between similar sizes of spinout bags. The bigger bags get deeper and hostas don't really grow like that. I find that I am always rolling the tops down. It would be great if the supplier would be making his own bags to sell. I hope the sizing will be hosta friendly. I would prefer wider, less deep bags.

We use black nursery pots inside spin out bags turned inside out. The bags have root deterrent on the inside. By turning the bags inside out the tree roots are prevented from invading the Hostas inside the pots. the pots are planted 1-2 inches above soil level. We amend the soil inside the pots with mushroom compost, peat moss, etc The pots have to be redone every several years.

Personally , I have never used the bags but I made Myrle(McTavish ) some for her garden. I do believe she is now using large nursery pots and digs them in the ground where the roots are causing her problems . I am not certain what she is doing on the bottoms of the pots to keep out the roots but seems to work for her

Is there a difference between fabric grow bags and spinout bags? I just ordered a whole bunch of fabric grow bags from Amazon to pot up all my hostas, heuchies, and a few other plants for whenever I sell my place and move. I have not seen any pooling of water on the surface of the container potting soil I've been using inside these bags. So far, some of my hostas (the first ones we potted) have been in the bags for 3 weeks and appear to be doing fine. You can also wash the fabric grow bags (at least the brand I bought, Opulent) when your plant outgrows them and you use a bigger size. They come in 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 gallons, and I think 15, 20, and 25 gallons, too, for small trees and giant plants. These look very sturdy and have handles to make it easy to carry the plant or pull it up from its countersunk position.

Pretty sure they are not the same. The spin-out bags have a special coating to repel roots.

Yes NHL, when I went home I noticed my spinout bags had that mottled black/grey on the outside of the bag so when I turn it inside out, it is on the inside. Opposite of what was shown on the other site. That's what threw me. That and apparently I can't remember what the bags look like on one side.

It's interesting to me that the two bags are made opposite from each other. I believe the bags I buy were originally intended to promote a thicker root ball inside of a nursery pot. I wonder which style is better for burying in the ground? After looking at my bags, I think the other style might actually be better in the ground as it might be harder for the roots to enter the seam (or it might be easier to find a needle hole in the seam). The root inside the bag I found didn't seem to mind going between the spinout fabric through the seam.

Miles, I remember someone saying they used a pot within the spinout bag. The reason for that was that when the bag is turned inside out, the hosta roots stick to the bag and get torn when removing. I have always wondered whether that worked. I worried about whether this method would drain well enough.

I did use a large nursery pot for a hosta (without a spinout bag) and eventually lost the hosta due to rot. I suppose too large a pot for the size of the hosta? I currently have a special situation whereby I did successfully grow a hosta in a pot. This time the pot was not too big. The hosta has done so well. Only thing is, is that the hosta has outgrown the pot and I think the pot is stuck in the ground. I may write a separate thread for this.

Esther, spinout bags have a root deterrent. Your bags would not. "Spin Out® bags use patented technology composed of non-woven materials over which there is a laminated rugged copper hydroxide covering called Spin Out®." wrdist.com/tex-r-agroliner-spinout-root-control-bags.html

Steve, I didn't see your post. So I'll reply now.

I am not sure I understand. Could you please clarify? You are saying that one supplier has the black side out and the other supplier the grey and so they are different? Also, I am not sure what you mean when you say "the other style might be better in the ground." I think the two suppliers are selling the same bags. I do believe also that the bags were intended to keep roots IN and used as nursery pots.

Well the first site has an inverted bag with the grey side out. when I invert my bags, the black side is out.

Thanks, NewHostalady. I think another advantage of spinout bags would be that the copper would hopefully deter slugs.

I understand that to restrict roots from entering the spinout bag, the black side should be out. I think that applies to both those suppliers.

Esther, based on evidence upon use, slugs are not being deterred!

So my earlier (confusing) question becomes: Is it better to have the black side on the inside and then turn it inside out, or sew the bags with the black side on the outside and plant it that way.

Whether you sew the bags or buy them, the black is to be on the outside. And if you sew your own, won't you have a seam too?

"You simply turn the bag inside out so the black coating is towards the outside of the bag. This modification keeps those nasty roots out and your plants not having to compete for available moisture." Wild Rose Distributing

The seam is different when you turn the bags inside out. If you had a choice of buying them sewn either way (black in or black out), which is better?

I don’t think it makes any difference. Any seam has space between the threads holding the two pieces of fabric together. The bags are sewn together tightly but the seam will always be the weak spot and some tiny tree root might find its way in. I’m sorry they are not being made anymore and would like some backstory on that.

If you sew your own bags Fell the seams.

I agree that the seam is a weak spot in the bags. But remember, bags seem to thin after time and roots can and do penetrate through the material. (I have pulled out some of my spinout bags, and this has repeatedly been the case.)

I happen to have an used bag and took a look. The seam is different from each side. Looking at the grey side it looks like this:

but on the black side, it looks like this:

When I try to pull the seam apart, the grey side does not look different. The black side then looks like this:

Conclusion, the seam is stronger on the grey side. If I were sewing the bags to keep roots out, with the same seam, I would make it the opposite way.

Bear in mind also, if one is going to make your own bags, you will have to have a machine that will stitch with thick material. I don't think a standard sewing machine could handle that nor fell the seams.

I bought a big chunk of the fabric and sewed two ten foot long seams and felled them on a regular sewing machine. I lined a bed with the black side down and stainless steel mesh underneath it to protect from voles and tree roots. HAHa, all those trees fell down last fall so I’ll never know if it worked!

Good to know it is possible to sew the fabric on a regular machine! How long ago did you line your beds with the fabric Kathy?

Nice work Kathy! How long do you think the bed will last before it needs to be redone because roots have invaded? I may just have to do the same thing now that the bags will no longer be available.

Since all the trees near this bed fell down I think reworking it will be done by the next owner.

I see what you mean. Well, that's the benefit to not having the trees.

For me, I think the bags were a better bet. That way I could lift and check them easily. If some roots invade a spinout bed, I'm not sure how long it will take before the effects of them are seen. Then all the bed would have to be redone. For this reason, part of me has procrastinated in using the material that I do have. Soon I won't have any choice.

Did you design that bed to look like a face, or is it just an accident?

It’s supposed to look like a dragon. I’ve found that sculpting with hostas is a hit or miss endeavor. But that little yellow one is impressing me- it’s Munckin Fire and it totally out performed Wiggles and Squiggles and Ripple Effect in the now very sunny bed.

Your Munchkin Fire is a real cutie!