Estimated Delivery between October 19 and October 21.
Non-woven fabric pots that drain from every surface.
Water leaves through the whole bag rather than a few holes in the base, and air reaches the sides of the root ball instead of only the top. That's why growers use these for tomatoes, potatoes and anything staying in one container for a full season.
Seven sizes from 1 gallon (7.1 x 5.9 in) to 12 gallon (15.7 x 13.8 in), in black, green or grey, sold singly or in packs of 3 or 5. Two handles per bag, and they fold flat once the season is over.
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Non-woven fabric pots with handles, in seven sizes from 1 to 12 gallons. They fold flat when the season ends.
Fabric pots solve two problems that rigid plastic containers create. Water drains through the whole surface rather than out of a few holes in the base, and air reaches the sides of the root ball instead of only the top.
That matters because roots in a plastic pot hit the wall and circle around it. In fabric they meet air at the edge and branch instead, which is why growers use these for tomatoes, potatoes and anything staying in the same container for a whole season.
They are also practical in a way plastic is not. Handles mean you can move a full bag, and an empty one folds down to nothing over winter.
Stand the bag where it will live. A full one is heavy, and the handles are for adjusting rather than carrying it across a garden.
Roll the top edge down a couple of inches so the sides hold their shape while you fill.
Fill with a peat-free or multipurpose potting mix rather than garden soil, which compacts badly in a container.
Plant, then water thoroughly. Expect water to come through the sides as well as the base at first.
Stand it on slats, gravel or a saucer if it is going on a balcony, since it drains from every surface.
At the end of the season, empty it, rinse it and fold it flat.
Approximate sizes (diameter x height, with capacity):
1 gallon: 7.1 x 5.9 in (18 x 15 cm), 3.8 L
2 gallon: 7.9 x 7.9 in (20 x 20 cm), 7.6 L
3 gallon: 9.8 x 8.7 in (25 x 22 cm), 11.4 L
5 gallon: 11.8 x 9.8 in (30 x 25 cm), 18.9 L
7 gallon: 13.8 x 11 in (35 x 28 cm), 26.5 L
10 gallon: 15.7 x 11.8 in (40 x 30 cm), 37.9 L
12 gallon: 15.7 x 13.8 in (40 x 35 cm), 45.4 L
Material: non-woven fabric
Handles: two per bag
Colors: black, green or grey
Sold as: 1, 3 or 5 bags of one size
Sizes are approximate and can vary slightly between bags.
Size is the decision that matters. As a starting point:
1 gallon - herbs, salad leaves, a single small plant.
2 to 3 gallon - onions, chives, garlic, compact flowers.
5 gallon - peppers, chillies, peas, a single determinate tomato.
7 gallon - cabbage, larger tomatoes, carrots and root crops.
10 to 12 gallon - potatoes, cucumbers, berry bushes, anything staying put for years.
When you are between two sizes, go bigger. A larger volume of mix dries out more slowly, which is the single biggest difficulty with container growing in summer.
Fabric pots dry out faster than plastic ones. That is the trade-off for the drainage and airflow, and it means more frequent watering in hot weather.
They drain from the sides as well as the base, so they are happier on soil, gravel or slats than on a wooden deck or a carpeted balcony.
Use potting mix rather than garden soil. Soil compacts in a container and stops draining.
The handles are for adjusting position, not for carrying a full bag any distance.
To help each bag last, empty, rinse and dry it at the end of the season.
Nutrients wash through a free-draining container quickly. Plan to feed through the season.
What size do I need for tomatoes?
5 gallon for a compact determinate variety, 7 gallon or larger for anything that keeps growing all season. More root volume means less watering and steadier plants.
Do they need more watering than plastic pots?
Yes. Air passing through the fabric is what makes them good for roots and also what dries them out faster. In a hot spell expect to water daily.
Can I use them on a balcony?
Yes, but they weep from the sides as well as the bottom. Stand them on a tray, on slats or on gravel rather than straight onto decking.
How many seasons do they last?
It depends on sun, weather and storage. To help them last, empty, rinse and dry them at the end of each season.
Can I put garden soil in them?
Better not to. Garden soil compacts in a container and loses the drainage that makes a fabric pot worth using. A multipurpose potting mix works far better.
Do the packs mix sizes?
No. A pack of 3 or 5 is three or five bags of the one size and colour you select.
Why you'll love it
Drains from every surface. Water leaves through the whole bag rather than a few holes, so mix does not sit waterlogged.
Seven sizes, 1 to 12 gallons. Herbs through to potatoes and berry bushes, with dimensions listed for each.
Folds flat in winter. Empty, rinse and fold. A stack of these takes a fraction of the space rigid pots do.
Your first season in fabric pots
The one adjustment people have to make with fabric pots is watering. They breathe, which is the whole point, and a container that breathes also loses moisture from every surface rather than just the top. In July a 5 gallon bag in full sun can want water every single day.
Two things make that easier. Go one size larger than you think you need, because a bigger volume of mix holds moisture longer and buffers your mistakes. And group bags together rather than spacing them out, so they shade each other's sides.
Fill them with a proper potting mix, not soil from the garden. Soil that behaves perfectly well in a bed turns dense and airless in a container, and you lose exactly the drainage you bought fabric for.
Feeding matters more here too. Every time water runs through, some nutrients go with it, so a plant that spends a whole summer in the same bag will need feeding in a way one in the ground would not. Beyond that, treat them like any other container: full sun for fruiting crops, and empty and fold them away when the season ends.
A quick guide for your growing space
Heat
Pots dry out faster than garden beds in a hot spell. Check the soil before you water, and leave heat-stressed stems alone rather than repositioning them.
Humidity
Damp air suits many tropical houseplants, but airflow still matters. Leave room between a support and a wall so air can move around the stems you have just tied in.
Frost
A plant support offers no protection from cold. Move tender plants indoors or cover them based on what your own conditions call for.
Small spaces
Growing upward frees up the surface a plant was sprawling across. Use a pot heavy enough to stay put once the weight is higher than it used to be.
