VIVOSUN 5-Pack 7 Gallon Plant Grow Bags, Heavy Duty Thickened Nonwoven Fabric Pots with Handles

 VIVOSUN 5-Pack 7 Gallon Plant Grow Bags, Heavy Duty Thickened Nonwoven Fabric Pots with Handles

•  STURDY FABRIC MATERIAL: Made of 300g thickened nonwoven fabric, these pots are moderately permeable, environmentally friendly, and BPA-free
• GREAT DRAINAGE: Nonwoven fabric means the pots do not retain excess water, allowing your roots to breathe, translating to a healthier, more vigorous growth
• DURABLE, REINFORCED HANDLES: While the competition uses flimsy handles that are a continuation of the same fabric the pot is made from, we use serging stitches to sew handles onto the pot so they can support a full bag of soil
• PORTABLE BAGS: Both heavy-duty handles and rugged material means you can move bags full of soil and plants with ease
• USE IT FOR YEARS: Bags prevent circling root structure. Combined with pruning and trimming roots, these bags can be reused for years. Comes with a 1-year warranty

Infographic to make a container system with recycled bags for crops

One of the new trends in today's agriculture, even at a commercial level, are bags for growing plants. Today we will explain why to use them, what plants you can grow, what substrate to use, how to water and fertilize them.

Benefits of bags for growing plants

The grow bags are made of breathable fabric. This means  better drainage and aeration . Precisely aeration is what makes these garden bags superior to many pots.

If a container does not aerate the roots reach the walls of the container, then they signal the plant to make more roots. Resulting in a mass of tangled roots.

This will not happen in a grow bag. Here, if a root reaches the wall of the bag it dehydrates,  causing the plant to produce new and healthy roots . This is known as air-pruning.

This picture shows very well how the roots got to the wall of the bag, but the roots are not tangled.
Plants in grow bags develop a fibrous root mass. This allows them to acquire more nutrients and water.

Substrate for bagged crops

Soil is the heart of any container grow. A recommended mix is  1/3 moss (or coir), 1/3 compost mix (eg, chicken manure, horse manure, and mushroom compost), and 1/3 vermiculite . This mix preserves the moisture that is very important for growing bag gardens.

To conserve more moisture, add chips to the top of the substrate.

How to water the plants in grow bags?

One downside of grow bags is how fast the growing medium dries. It really makes it impossible to soak the earth as the water runs straight out. Drainage and aeration of the grow bag lead to more frequent irrigation needs. Below we will review two ways you can water your plants in garden bags.

Self-watering system

Place a shallow container or tray of water under the grow bag. The substrate will absorb the water.

Drip system

Install a drip system. It doesn't have to be complicated. You can use a bottle drip system or install a plumbing system.

How to fertilize the plants in growing bags?

Due to the little soil in the containers, the plants need to be fertilized. You can use compost or humus tea. Remember to water your plants before fertilizing them.

What plants can you grow in garden bags?
Grow plants with shallow roots. Some options are tomatoes, bell peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, kidney beans (beans), carrots, lettuce, herbs, flowers, and shallow-rooted berries like blueberries.



Step by step to make containers with garbage bags

01 - You need a pack of plastic bags (ideally 50x70 cm), scissors and adhesive tape.

02 - Each bag allows you to make 1 pot.

03 - Extend the bag completely and then fold it in half so that 4 layers of plastic remain.

04 - Tape the open end of the bag together, leave a little extra tape around the edges.

05 - Fold the adhesive tape inwards, once it is done at both ends, a tubular rectangle will remain, like a plastic sleeve.

06 - Fold one of the open edges, calculating a third of the plastic tube.

07 - Take the previous fold, forming a square base with 2 triangles as shown in the image.

08 - Fold the lower corner back towards the center of the square.

09 - Glue the fold to the base with adhesive tape.

10 - Now fold the upper part of the square down and join with adhesive tape.

11 - Ready the planter, the process is the same as that used for gift packaging and paper bags.

12 - Open the bag and fill with leaf soil or substrate, you can also add humus or another vegetable compound.

13 - Fill the bag with about 30 cm of soil, leaving a border of about 10 cm.

14 - In the center of the earth, make a space with the necessary size to make the transplant.

15 .- Take a small plant with roots already formed from the seedbed.

16 - Place the plant in the space in the center of the pot.

17 - Verify that the ground surface of the plant is at the same height as the rest of the ground.

18 - Press gently on the earth to fix the plant.

19 - Water with about 2 lts. of water.

20 - Once the plant is watered, with the tip of the scissors, make 4 holes at the base of the bag, one in each corner of the pot.