DON'T Plant Fruit Trees In Fabric Grow Bags!!!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 มี.ค. 2021
- I've been using fabric grow bags in my garden for many years. While they're great for growing an annual vegetable garden, they're not good at everything. Fabric pots make terrible fruit tree containers! This video is about my personal experience and why you should never plant fruit trees in fabric grow bags.
I recently promoted a #15 injection molded container I deemed "the perfect fruit tree container" (see video here: • I Found The PERFECT FR... ). In that video, many commenters expressed interest in using fabric grow bags to grow fruit trees to save money over sturdier, injection molded containers, and this troubled me because I had experimented with growing trees in fabric pots and it resulted in disaster. This video is about my personal experience growing trees in grow bags (AKA a root pouch) and reasons why I believe you don't want to use fabric pots for growing fruit trees or perennials of any kind.
If you have any questions about how to grow fruit trees, using fabric grow bags for vegetables, container gardening, the things I am growing in my garden, are looking for any garden tips and tricks, or have questions about gardening and organic gardening in general, please ask in the Comments below!
*********************************************************
VISIT MY AMAZON STOREFRONT FOR PRODUCTS I USE MOST OFTEN IN MY GARDEN*
www.amazon.com/shop/themillen...
*********************************************************
VISIT MY MERCHANDISE STORE
shop.spreadshirt.com/themille...
*********************************************************
EQUIPMENT I MOST OFTEN USE IN MY GARDEN (INDIVIDUAL LINKS)*:
Miracle-Gro Soluble All Purpose Plant Food amzn.to/3qNPkXk
Miracle-Gro Soluble Bloom Booster Plant Food amzn.to/2GKYG0j
Miracle-Gro Soluble Tomato Plant Food amzn.to/2GDgJ8n
Jack's Fertilizer, 20-20-20, 25 lb. amzn.to/3AuNUFK
Southern Ag Liquid Copper Fungicide amzn.to/2HTCKRd
Southern Ag Natural Pyrethrin Concentrate amzn.to/2UHSNGE
Monterey Organic Spinosad Concentrate amzn.to/3qOU8f5
Safer Brand Caterpillar Killer (BT Concentrate) amzn.to/2SMXL8D
Cordless ULV Fogger Machine amzn.to/36e96Sl
Weed Barrier with UV Resistance amzn.to/3yp3MaJ
Organza Bags (Fig-size) amzn.to/3AyaMUz
Organza Bags (Tomato-size) amzn.to/36fy4Re
Injection Molded Nursery Pots amzn.to/3AucVAB
Heavy Duty Plant Grow Bags amzn.to/2UqvsgC
6.5 Inch Hand Pruner Pruning Shears amzn.to/3jHI1yL
Japanese Pruning Saw with Blade amzn.to/3wjpw6o
Double Tomato Hooks with Twine amzn.to/3Awptr9
String Trellis Tomato Support Clips amzn.to/3wiBjlB
Nylon Mason Line, 500FT amzn.to/3wd9cEo
Expandable Vinyl Garden Tape amzn.to/3jL7JCI
*********************************************************
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Me on TWITTER (@NCGardening) / ncgardening
Follow Me on INSTAGRAM / millennialgardener_nc
*********************************************************
ABOUT MY GARDEN
Location: Southeastern NC, Brunswick County (Wilmington area)
34.1°N Latitude
Zone 8A
*********************************************************
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
© The Millennial Gardener
I use fabric pots extensively to grow trees (I have a tree nursery, mostly hardwood nut trees, christmas trees, landscape screening conifers, and anything else I think is cool). The fact that the roots get entangled and trapped in the fabric is actually the reason why I use the pots... that is their purpose. When the roots hit the fabric, they are forced to stop growing and force the tree to form a more fibrous root system. Theses pots effectively root prune for you. You can even grow them with the bags in the ground to get the best of both worlds (in ground moisture, weather protection, and nutrients + root pruning).
Yes, some trees, like I learned most recently with Eastern Redbud, grow through the pots very aggressively during the growing season if they are not suspended, but that just means I have to manually root prune a few that escape DURING THEIR DORMANT PERIOD over the winter. The remaining roots that get trapped add to the fibrous root system within the pot itself so I still have a superior root system without having to manually root prune all the time.
I can see why you wouldn't want this when your trees have no dormant period or trees that already have a fibrous root system (like palms), but if you have tap-root trees that you would want to root prune (which you MUST if you want a healthy in ground tree decades from today) then these are great. If you let a root start circling the pot, then you just set an early expiration date on your tree as the roots will strangle the tree when it grows larger...and root pruning once every couple years is not enough, you have to do it often to get an adequately fibrous root system.
Also, yes you have to destroy the pots to get them off once they serve their purpose of root pruning, but I suppose that doesn't bother me because their purpose was to root prune, not serve as a long term pot. The fabric generally breaks down anyway over a few years so I don't see the heartburn with having to cut them up once you are done with them.
Thanks for sharing. Always great to learn the practices of a pro. I'm curious about the "DURING THEIR DORMANT PERIOD" comment. From your experience, if done out of dormancy, would it cause just a few weeks setback or actually long-term health of a tree? Also, for evergreens, is it worth it to wait for the winter? I'm assuming that time of year is as dormant as they'll get, but I'm also guessing they're more susceptible in the cold.
I wouldn't want my trees feeding of these cheap fabrics... 😂 just line the pots...
@@sharaudramey9336 line then with what? Copper?
@@slicktmi Try banana leaves, coir. Reusable, biodegradable plastic? Use your 🥥.
@@oftenwrongphong I grow orchards of apple, pear and plum orchards, I learned that pears don't like being transplanted, no matter how careful I was to protect the rootball. That's how I learned about 'transplant shock' - the hard way. Now I only transplant and repot pears in winter, I try to do the same with my apples and plums too - just in case.
I’ve used the #30 for a bunch of trees, going on 5 years.
Fig, lemon, clementine, lime, peach, and I believe an apple but frost killed that.
The only drawback is having to protect the roots during winter when it frosts. The roots are Mose sensitive since they are above ground. That’s why my apple tree died, other than that have had good success growing fruit in fabric pots
nice to know any more tips ?am planning to grow figs & lime in grow bags.
@I AM SUNBODY TV pile up mulch mound around each pot
There is no proof fabric pots improve anything other than having to use more water.
@@thrishulh9834put the old bag inside a bigger fabric bag and fill with soil no
jump to @3:40 Please understand that the one and true purpose of a grow bag is to air prune the root system. If you allow a tree to be in direct contact with the soil, there is no air layer to prune away the roots. This is the case with any plant, although trees have much stronger roots than say a tomato plant. When you grow a tree in a bag, it has to be on a pallet. If the bag touches the ground, you will root bound any plant. I like to use pallets under grow bags, although the cheap metal bed frames at the thrift store work too if you sit them on top of cinder blocks. So go back to grow bags and AIR PRUNE AIR PRUNE AIR PRUNE those Roots
Also if you have fertilizer salt build up, got to an all organic feeding system, if you need to refresh the soil you likely need a larger bag to accommodate the tree. In Denmark they grow full sized trees in geotextile.
Thanks for the summary!
It depends on the tree I believe. I learned today a mulberry tree has a two root and will grow through pots or stop growing all together. The video I watched showed how the taproot grew through plastic buckets into the dirt. Some things just can’t grow in containers
Crazy! I've never had that happen with my figs, olives, apples or blueberries, they all air prune just like they are supposed to. I've removed them to up pot or refresh and I was really impressed with the roots.
Amen 🙏. Thanks so much brother for all the information because this spring I have added fabric bags to my garden for more planting 😊
Wow! I was just about to plant a gorgeous plum and fig trees into grow bags this week. I'm so glad I saw this. I'll keep the bags for perennials. Thanks
I'm glad you saw this in time. One small correction: I hope you meant "I'll keep the bags for ANNUALS." I advise no perennials in grow bags. Grow bags are awesome for annuals, but the bags weave into the roots and the roots get ruined upon eventual removal.
@@TheMillennialGardener yes that is what I meant, ANNUALS ... lol I'd hate to lose my beautiful Luisa plum after a few years. Its like a mango. A locally bred variety and its so delicious.
Thank you for your helpful video. I had the same dilema regarding grow bags vs plastic pots for tropical trees. You helped me decide to stick to plastic for the obvious reasons. Thank you.
Such a drama. I grow fruit trees in fabric pots for years and don't have any problems with it.
How often do you remove the pots? When was the last time you've rooted-pruned and refreshed your soil, and how many trees do you have growing?
I thought the advantage of the bags was to promote air pruning of the roots?🙏🏻
@@1cleandude he didn't raise the bottom. That's his mistake
@@jamescatlover123 raise the bottom? I don't understand can you explain?
@@DaBuDaSak Placing the fabric pot on a pallet or some sort of platform to lift it off the ground and keep it fully exposed to air
Thank you! You saved me from planting fruit trees on fabric grow bags that I was going to put in a 25 gallon container. I was going to use it as a liner but now I won’t. Thank you!
Glad to help you avoid a potential problem! Best of luck and thanks for watching.
Thank you for your advice, as I was just considering planting my fig tree in a grow bag. The video is very helpful.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching.
Well, you saved me from a huge disaster!! Thank you so much for sharing this info🌱🌱🌱🌱🥰🥰🥰
Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
I've been using growbags for all my citrus, avocados and tropicals - I'm even using them as a temporary holding pen for some eucalyptus trees for when I redo my front yard. So far I haven't had the problem you've described. Perhaps it was the brand/type of fabric that you used? When I transplanted two of my citrus trees, the bag peeled off nicely and had a nice fibrous root system.
You may have transplanted them early enough that the trees had not yet become rootbound. My trees were in there for about 3 years. This caused the roots to start spiraling around the mix, and they weaved themselves into the fabric. This is a problem that will develop over time. The longer you leave them in the fabric pots, the higher your risk.
@@TheMillennialGardener ah that could be - ive only been growing my stuff for about a year. I’ll be sure to monitor come early spring. One other thing I was wondering for your setup - did you have your bags sitting directly on the ground, or did you have them elevated? All of mine are sitting on bricks so the bottoms of the bags get airflow and roots aren’t tempted to go into the ground.
@@TheMillennialGardener It's interesting you had so much trouble with trees getting root-bound in fabric, because the whole point of them originally was air-pruning, specifically to avoid getting root-bound.
I suppose at some point it's just a matter of time, though... three years is a very short time in the life of a tree, relatively speaking.
I’m using smaller grow bags to start a number of fruit trees but mine are planned to be single use and are biodegradable so when they get bigger I’ll just plant my whole bag right in the ground or a larger pot! I love that the roots can grow right through them for this reason 😅
good idea
Always check and see just how much biodegradable pots have degraded. They don't always work as advertised.
I think for trees, an alternative is air pruning pots with its bottom suspended. With fabric grow bags, I think the bottom would lack aeration which we need for air pruning unless you suspend it with a wire mesh like chicken wire.
OK, so I watched the whole video and included the "Dale" part and I just wanted to say my miniature dachshund has learned to pick out the peas in his home made chicken pot pie! He doesn't mind the potatoes or the carrots, but he isn't going to eat peas! Great video. Keep it up and us informed. Like you did, I quit using grow bags for perennials and trees. Those plastic containers are perfect for trees.
That's funny. Dale loves the snap peas. He goes crazy for them. Have you ever tried snap peas? They're a lot sweeter. He likes them raw. Thanks for watching!
Thank You for this information you have gained from experience from growing trees in fabric grow bags. I wondered what would happen if I used them with trees in my greenhouse before transplanting outside. I chose to use 5 gallon buckets I recycled from a candy factory dumpster instead and thanks to you I do not regret my decision.
You're welcome! I just transplanted an overwintered pepper plant I had in a grow bag, and it ripped out about a foot's worth of roots. Grow bags are very destructive with perennials. They're good for growing annuals, but anything you expect to ever remove from the container, don't use them!
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank You. Good Teacher
Purchased these thru your store. So glad I did. The containers are great and wow did the price of them go up in a couple of weeks!
I don't think they were anticipating that sudden surge. Eventually, the interest will fall back to normal and the price will come back down, I assume. I'm glad you like the containers. They're awesome. I love mine! Thanks for watching.
Thank you but I already experienced the same problem. No grow bags here. Dale!! You are the man ! Young,healthy and full of energy ! See ya ...
You had the root-sewn issue, too? Isn't it a nightmare?
Dale says hi. It's 85 degrees here today, so he's passing out in the AC upstairs. Lucky dog!
@@TheMillennialGardener Nightmare it is. Learned the hard way! My NINO is laying on his back in the living room waiting for a belly rub. Spoiled boy !! Take care..
@@02155Tony Thanks for watching!
wow! thank you saving my fig tree I just repotted in the fabric bag! I am looking wide black pots.. your video really help me not to continue put my fig fruit in the bag...
NC local myself. 😊 We live just on the other side of Asheville Thanks for the advice, been looking into grow bags for my regular indoor veggie garden stuff since things I like to grow/ eat year round tend to freeze in January, but I planned on starting some honeycrisp apple trees this year & I'm glad I saw this beforehand.
Also, Dale doggo is very cute.
I have a Pyrenees that eats a raw diet, and we feed her with a puzzle bowl too.
The roots will only puncture through if it’s laying on a flat surface where the moisture stays so the roots search for it. Same thing if you put a fabric pot on the ground it will just grow through the bag and the roots will grow into the soil. Some people stack fabric pot bags instead of up potting they just get another fabric pot and plant it directly on top and the roots just fill the bottom pot too.
To use fabric pots to their full potential you have to grow them on top on a rack that has lots of air flow so water can drain and the pots can dry evenly. Doing it this way will result in the roots being truly air pruned and they won’t sow together with the pot.
Yes every 2 years it’s good to take the plant out and add in new soil, But I’d do that in a plastic pot as well. So you run the risk of damaging the plant while root pruning either way. Fruit trees and figs are super resilient to root pruning so it’s fine to plant them in fabric pots.
Very helpful tips. i ran into these problems with fabric bags. thanks for sharing
Sorry to hear that. It is terrible losing something that you invested so much time and energy into. Thanks for watching.
Great tips on grower bags , and thanks for sharing 😍 Your video trailer is hilarious 😂
Thanks for watching! Dale is so funny. He really has a so much personality.
I put finger lime into a growing bag about 6 months ago, thanks for the heads up. I will be transplanting it to a different container later.
That's a good idea. You can cut off the problem before it starts!
Good information and the bags dry out.. fast once the roots are established I agree with you take care!
Glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!
I wish I could go into detail about how grow bags can be fine for fruit trees.
Understanding the root system of specific species of trees really helps.
A globular type root like palms and others that are very thick and mat like will inundate fabric bags within 2-3 years.
If done before then there is no problem but who wants to do that every couple of years.
Stone fruit; which is what I do, don't need removed but every 6-7 years and the bag is full of roots and is easily removed.
The same tree in a plastic pot will have severely circled roots that are constricted and entangled, and with the best of root pruning practices still causing significant damage.
The main problem with fabric pots is the mil.
10,12, and 16 mil nonwoven geofabric is better bet but must be purchased by the roll and isn't cheap.
Nobody sells them so I make them myself(actually my mom).
So,hopefully without offending anyone it comes down to knowledge of plant roots,a better material,and timing.
Happy growing.
My point is, simply put, instead of trying to over-analyze the situation, roll the dice, play the odds and bet you won't be a victim, just get a hard container from the get-go. Hard containers are superior to grow bags for trees either way because grow bags, even if things go well, create far too much evaporation and nutrient washout in the summer. Rather than take a gamble and worry about it, just get a good container from the start. It may cost $6 more, but like you said, we're talking about $6 spread over 2-3 years, or maybe even 6-7 years depending on the variety. It's best to buy the proper tool for the job, cut corners and hope we don't destroy years of hard work when it comes time to pull the trees.
@@TheMillennialGardener I agree that the proper container from the get go is crucial.
My point was that the current grow bags are NOT the correct container from the get go because they lack sufficient thickness to deal with summer time evaporation and additional problems.
Manufacturing what I consider a viable grow bag would cost 4-5 times what is considered a high quality grow bag.
I also pointed out the economic advantage in the long run is better when the proper tool is used but can be financially out of reach for most.
Solid pots have their place and benefits in your situation but there are much better alternatives that address these problems.
New advancements in container grown fruit trees. always have their problems in the beginning such as pricing, availability, and distribution.
I fully understand where your coming from and your experience is valid but we must constantly look for improvements.
I'm just passing my experience for the sake of advancing new technology that will benefit all.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
With all respect.
Norman
@@TheMillennialGardener I understand your experience wasn't ideal, but the science behind using root pruning containers for trees is 100% sound and understandable. If the user has a bad experience you can try several other fabric pots, air pruning containers, or other options, but the long term health and benefits are 100% worth figuring out if you have any interest in the future health of your trees.
@@TheMillennialGardener Really a clay pot is better than plastic or fabric. You really do get what you pay for.😉
@@kong101king His experience was crap because he doesn't understand that an air gap is required to air prune. It's in the literal name of the function of the bag. Put the bag on bricks and pay attention to how words work and the trees won't end up rooted into the ground.
Some people can learn to teach and some people are born teachers, you my friend are a born teacher and I’m sure I speak for a lot of your subscribers when I say, thank you for taking the time to teach us what you know.
Thank you. I really appreciate it. I'm really interested in these things, so it makes talking about it easier. I genuinely want people to grow more! Thanks for watching!
Hi friend 👋 thank you for the upload ☺💚Love the puzzle bowl great idea 💡!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching the video.
I love grow bags! They've always served me well. But you're absolutely right. They are most certainly aimed at annuals. Really loving your content lately man!
I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm trying to step my game up for this season. A lot of people have taken interest in growing food due to the mentality switch from the pandemic, and I am hoping to help motivate as many as possible. Thank you for watching!
@@TheMillennialGardener I've been growing my own food for about 15 years. But I can always learn from someone else despite our regional differences. And I have certainly noticed the effort in quality as well as the upload rate. Keep it up bud!
@@shpuply thank you. It’s a lot of hours but it’s a labor of love.
Good to know! I have some raspberries in fabric pots waiting for a bed to be made when the shed is done it will be next to. I will have to order some pots. Spent so much money on this garden already. New garden.
I feel your pain. The expenses never end. I just bought an entire trunkload of brick from Lowe's. I need to start a tab there 😅 Thanks for watching!
The bit at the end with your dog is very funny I had no idea that you could buy such a thing called a puzzle bowl what a good idea that is !
Puzzle bowls are FANTASTIC if you have a gorging eater. They can be, literally, life-saving for deep-chested dogs like Dale. They tend to speed-eat and they can actually die from bloat if they overeat too quickly. It can be a serious problem. He used to finish his meal in less than 60 seconds. Now, it takes 2-3 minutes. He's still eating quickly, but it's not dangerous anymore. Thank you for watching!
Do you have any videos/pictures of the roots woven into grow bags? Does this issue happen with large houseplants as well for example a monstera deliciosa.
What a great informative video. Thanks so much!!
I’m happy to hear that! Thank you for watching.
I have a one fruit tree (plum) and two japanese maples in large 22in wide fabric grow bags in my heavily building-shaded (part sun in summer), mud-or-drought north yard. Their roots have escaped into the ground (good for them), but if I ever need to transplant them it will be a fairly easy job.
The lack of complete soil changes and the minimum-end light are not ideal for production... but the conditions are well within range for pretty spring flowers.
Thanks to the trees, I get birds visiting all day and keeping things aphid-free for me.
the area I want to plant a couple fig trees, kiwi's and berries is pretty wet. I thought of using a grow bag instead of building a raised bed to help lift the roots slightly out of the wet ground would this be ok if I never plan to move the berries just want to raise the roots out of lots of water. I thought of cutting the bottom of the bag clear out to allow roots to grow down over time.
Out of all the gardening videos I've seen this fellow is the most practical and helpful 👍👍👍
Yeah he 💯 is !!
Thank you! I really appreciate that.
@@korlimservices4180 thank you!
New subscriber for this EXACT reason! (And b/c of “Dale, acknowledge my existence.” 😂😂 And the many helpful fig tree videos I’ve binge watched 👀).
Oh god that sounded like such a nightmare. The palm tree sewed itself in!!! That's why I side-eyed the fabric pots while researching the past month or two. THank you for this video
You're welcome. It was pretty bad. Never again; not worth the risk to me! Two beautiful Phoenix Theophrasti palms I grew from seed down the tubes. Thank you for watching.
Great advise, I want to grow fruit trees in containers to but the fact, that the roots can tear is a real bummer. What about airports, sure they are expensive, but I have seen really big trees in a 10l container (sorry I'm from Germany). I have very limited space and want to make the most out of it. Thanks again for the video, came at the right time :)
I do not have any experience with those air-pruning pots, so I cannot say if they are good or bad. I have concerns with them because eventually the potting mix will need to be replaced (every 3 years or so). I think some of the designs allow them to unscrew and break down into a piece of screen, basically. That feature is imperative because I would not want to have to pull a tree out of them.
Hello all! I have 12 baby bare root trees approx 12" each from the Arbor Day Foundation. 5 Flowering White Dogwood, 5 Eastern Redbud and 2 Crepe Myrtle Shrubs. I want to start them (for about a year or so) in fabric grow pots. What size is best to start with for these? 2 gallon? 3 gallon? 3gallon is taller so seems good for trees, but I think the root system on the redbud grows a deep root system and the dogwood is more shallow and the crepe myrtle has a fibrous root system...what to do?
I always wondered why some people gave their dogs those types of bowels. Thanks for explaining. The rest of the video was great too.
Some dogs eat so quickly they can bloat. Deep chested dogs like Dale are prone to bloat and it could be deadly. We are careful to slow him down. He eats like a wood chipper.
I grow. My fruit trees in grow bags. I use the root pouch, I can’t repot bc is spring. I have used other grow bags in the past and the roots do grown through the bags. I haven’t seen that happen with root pouch grow bags. I will cross fingers and hope for the best until I up pot my lemon tree in the fall. Thanks
So, I was thinking of growing in fabric bags but dig into the ground, because I really want fruit trees but I’m in a temporary shared garden now and won’t be able to move into my own garden for another couple of years. Questions for the community: will this work? Drainage? Watering? (I can only take care of them on the weekends) is it better to leave them above ground? Or to use a plastic pot? I’m in zone 7 now, will be growing trees hardy to at least zone 6 (which is where I will move). I plan on growing satsuma, blueberries and maybe a persimmon this way. Thank you!
Thanks for the information. I'm a beginner and so I don't understand why do we have to remove the bag anyway? Can't we just put it in a bigger bag/pot once it outgrows its old bag? And leave the old bag and let nature take care of it? Please explain.
I REALLY appreciate your videos. You mention repotting trees from these containers every 2 - 4 yrs due to being root bound, soil refreshment & fertilizer salt build-up. I think a lot of us would like to see a demonstration of how to go about doing just that in the easiest method with the least danger of damaging or losing a tree in the process. PLEASE RESPOND.
I have a video demonstrating exactly that here: th-cam.com/video/-oOwNiZzGmM/w-d-xo.html
Just ordered 25 gallon bags for my new citrus trees. Glad I saw this before transplanting them. Plus the bags aren’t here yet, lol. So now I have more tomato bags. I was kind of worried about planting them in grow bags!
I think it is an accident waiting to happen. I prefer self-watering hard plastic containers for citrus, personally.
Can you do a video on the whole fig lineup for this year? 🤓👌🏻
When things leaf out, yes. It probably won’t be another 4-6 weeks until some of my new cuttings can be transplanted. It has been a slow year due to the cold, wet winter. Probably sometime in May.
I had similar issue using polypropylene sacks to grow papaya. I just dug a hole and put the sack with the tree in the ground. Harvested papaya from the tree still eating them. The other two trees I cut the roots out from the bags are also flowering and look like they'll start fruiting soon
I live in Buckeye Arizona and the black color on the plastic pots get too hot during the summer. Have you found a grey color?
Interesting vid......I have never used those woven cloth bags but i use "Easy Lift" bags which are more thin plastic...more like a strong plastic bag which has plenty of holes for drainage and holes on the side......I find they are excellent and i have bought fruit trees in them....usually they come in 15 or 25 litre grow bags...have bought citrus trees/avocado and mangos in these bags and one thing i learnt early on...its a waste of time watering them hard out and then trying to remove them from these grow bags.....I just use scissors and cut down the sides of the bag to the base and then just peel it like a banana.....this preserves the root ball but the roots at the base do tend to stick to it but every time i plant up....i got to a solid pot similar to yours but with handles on....30/50/70 litres.......the bag gets sacrificed every time.....I could see how the roots would grow into those fabric grow bags for sure.
I'm not familiar with the "easy lift" bags you're talking about. However, if they're plastic, that should eliminate the "weaving" problem. It's the fabric material that's the problem in this case. I have to ask, if you must destroy the bag when removing it, why not just buy a nursery container from the get-go? I'm sure the bags are cheaper initially, but it can add it quickly if you're cutting them to pieces.
@@TheMillennialGardener Its more of a case that a lot of growers ...provide them in those bags when you buy the tree.....I have a mango in a 25 litre bag at the moment......i have managed to remove one once before but it took a lot of time and i had to be careful...I agree its much easier to slide out of a pot......but when selling trees they are used a lot over here.
I agree about the grow bags. Tried growing a hinoki cypress in one. Like you said, roots got tangled in fibers, tree didn't survive the transplant.
My condolences. It is painful to lose something you invested so much time into. Hopefully this will serve as a warning to others.
Are fabric grow bags biodegradable? Could I drag the bag to the hole and cut multiple slits for roots? Asking because I may need to do some of thr tree planting myself and I am not strong enough to lift a tree out of a big pot
Anything is biodegradable if you wait long enough, but my more reasonable answer to your question is "no." I've been using these bags for annuals for 4 years now and they show very little wear. I would not expect them to break down at any reasonable rate. I would also suggest against planting the bag. It would be best to try and remove it somehow. It will take many cuts.
Thank you for this, brother!!
Thanks for watching!
I have no affiliation with the brand, but the company Root Pouch makes really nice thick grow bags that are made from recycled plastic bottles. They will last a VERY long time since they are made from plastic. They are made in the USA. First time using them this growing season. Someone said to remove things from grow bags, simply unravel the pot inside/out. In essence pull the sides of the bag down carefully so that eventually the top of the bag is now at the bottom of the bag. I absolutely love the handles on it. I've already moved the bags around a lot due to acclimating new fig cutting outdoors. I had to move them to shade then out into the sun (after 3pm) to acclimate them to the strength of the sun. So far, I really like them. I shall see how things go over time. I need to up pot them eventually the 5 gallon Root Pouch bags don't seem like 5 gallon. That's my only knock on them so far. I'll move up to 10 or 15 gallons next year. Probably the 15 since that is most likely undersized too.
Thank you so much i was really considering using fabric. What i REALLY want is big terracotta pots but they're kind of expensive and also heavy.
My family bought some Aspens that came in grow bags. They are in the ground in the bag. can that cause any problems to the trees?
Is it possible this happened because the bottom of your grow bag was in direct contact with wet grass/soil, preventing the natural air pruning from happening that would otherwise occur if the bag was getting air on the bottom?
I was thinking of planting a dwarf cherry tree in a fabric bag until I saw this video. I’m sure with this inflation the tree isn’t cheap and I sure wouldn’t want it to die. Makes sense as I’m sure the roots would also freeze during the winter.
I would strongly recommend a real container. Container trees will need to be pulled, root pruned and have their potting mix refreshed every few years, and this would be very difficult in a fabric bag. In a real container, it is very easy.
I have a different view. In a plastic pot the roots hit the solid sides of the pot and then start circling. Thats what I call root bound. Roots coming through the seams at the bottom of the pot are no bog deal, they can just be cut off or will dry off naturally. And all those fine roots attached to the inside of the pot are actually a much healthier root system ( when the root hits the fabric it essentially prunes itself and the branches out further back). In the long term, that's a much better situation that roots circling around each other in the pot.
Every potted tree will eventually have to be re-potted. This is not a problem in a standard, hard plastic container. Becoming rootbound works to your advantage, because the potted tree will pull from the container easily and cleanly. From there, you can simply root prune the root ball and re-pot it in fresh mix. Very easy. Your situation in the fabric grow bag will be a problem.
1. The bag itself is going to wear out. They only last a few seasons.
2. The potting mix inside is going to spoil. You need to replace the mix every few seasons.
3. The tree will become just as rootbound over time.
You will have a big problem on your hands when it comes time to remove that bag, because it's only a matter of time until you'll have to remove it. I see no advantage in "air pruning" from a fabric bag, because the fabric bags are almost impossible to remove cleanly in most instances. If you want to air prune, buy an air pruning container. They are designed with the sides to be removable, because all container-grown trees need to be removed at some point. Going with grow bags will make it a big headache.
@@TheMillennialGardener if you want to use plastic pots, repot and and root prune, then that’s fine. Some people find that using fabric pots do away with that need.
The small fine roots that mesh to the fabric are easily separated from the bag using a cake spatula.
However, I find the biggest drawback for fabric pots is that they dry out so quickly, especially in very hot weather, and so require more effort when watering.
You have great content in your channel. I just think saying never to use fabric pots discounts all the people who use them successfully for trees. By the way commercial tree nurseries often grow their trees in fabric pots.
I really like the concept of air pruning but have not had experience with it. Do you think those plastic air pruning pots will have the same problem as fabric bags?
I have never used those pots, so I cannot say. Some of the designs I've seen are bolted together so the mesh that the roots grow through can be unscrewed and removed. I think this is 100% necessary because after a few seasons, the potting mix will have to be refreshed and the trees must be removed. The problem I see with the air pruning pots is the evaporation is going to be extreme. My climate is very hot in the summer, so the watering pressure would be high with those pots. I prefer enclosed containers to save water.
I planted my blueberries using fabric grow bags. It’s been 3 years now and it served me well. Watering was done using drip irrigation. No issues.
Have you had to remove them yet to replace the mix and root prune? That’s when the trouble happens. They will be very difficult to remove. When the time comes, you should do it while they’re fully dormant.
@@TheMillennialGardenerI repotted last weekend and it was fine, at least to me. The blueberry roots did not really get stuck in the fabric so it was easy to remove it. So far the plants do not appear to be super stressed from it.
Blueberry should be fine because blueberry has small stems and root size compared to big fruit tree and palm tree. Blueberry roots are shallow.
Do you have any tips on growing watermelons in grow bags on weed barrier, out in the open? I'm about to start mine again. My patch of 7 plants (in ground) last year went out of control all over the yard despite me trying to keep it contained, and because of all the huge amounts of rain last summer, a lot of them got too waterlogged so they burst. How can I prevent that from happening again?
I have an exact video on this: th-cam.com/video/1Ad8TJ-MsqE/w-d-xo.html
It's on growing watermelon in a fabric grow bag on weed barrier. I had no issue with the heat of the barrier, and it's extremely hot here. What I found was the hot micro-climate actually kept the pests OFF all my melons. I had no issues with any pests. No beetles, no ants, no nothing. When I grew watermelon out in the lawn, they were covered in beetles, so I think the weed barrier actually keeps them away. The key is to direct the vines early in their lifespan. Point them in the direction in where you want to go. Once a vine forms 1-2 melons, you can also cut the vine to keep them from growing too large. I didn't have to do that because I find grow bags dwarf them some.
@@TheMillennialGardener You're so helpful, thank you again!
@@ducksndogshomesteaddoggroo2706 you’re welcome. Glad to help.
Wow! Thanks for the warning. I'm just getting into grow bags and I wouldn't want to lose any tree or bushes I lovingly tended for a period of time. Glad to see Dale doing so well. He's got a great dad.🙂
Happy to help! Dad doesn't deserve Dale. Dale's too good for him! I feel like ol' Jed when he found an oil well in his backyard 😀
just bought heaps of these bag yesterday for my fruit tree.. and this come out 😭
@@iska1978 sorry, but it is better to warn you now than lose the trees years from now. These bags are outstanding for annual vegetables, so they can be used for growing any kind of warm season crop.
Lol your meant to just drop the fabric pot into a bigger fabric pot they decompose as soon as they are in soil
I am planting grape and blackberry vines do you recommend grow bags?
I want to plant persimmon trees in big grow bags IN ground. So when I move, I can transplant it. They don’t like their taproot amputated. Also want to plant my American rootstocks in these bags, IN ground. That way I won’t have to water as much in the summer. Bad idea?
I am wandering where can I buy the black plastic pots! Thanks your help...
Can I ask what you're take is on superoots air pot for tree's?
I've never used them, so it wouldn't be fair for me to critique them. I can tell you that my summers are very hot and the sun is intense, so for me, I think they'll evaporate way too quickly, so they're not attractive to me. I'm very happy with my #15 containers.
How about those spikey "Air Pruning Planters". Have you had a chance to try them? (writing from south Florida, USA)
I’m moving to new own place in May next year, will it be fine if I use fabric bag now for fig and pineapple guava before I replant them in ground next year?
btw, I’m in NZ and we are in early autumn now, perhaps the root will not grow much in winter?
I would not use a fabric pot. You will risk the roots entangling themselves in the fabric. It is best to use a hard container from the start.
And then I watched a video from this guy Lou something that grows them in fabric pots and plants them in the ground. He cuts holes around the fabric for the roots to grow out of. At the end of the season he cuts around the bag removes the roots that grow outside in the soil and put them away for storage. He’s been doing it for years. Trees grow huge and roots do not circle the pots. And there is no need to go to larger pots.
I'd love to see that video.
He plants the trees, then digs them up every year? While that sounds admirable, it's a ton of work. Cool concept, but I don't know how realistic that is for the general population. I wouldn't mind seeing the process, though. I assume you can do the same with a hard nursery container and just cut the bottom out.
Lou monti
@@TheMillennialGardener in that case you cut holes only to the side. Roots out of the bottom will make the plant nearly impossible to remove.
@@kicknadeadcat Thank you! I'm going to try tat with my figs and citrus trees.
I have a tree nursery and use rootmaker growbags exclusively. No problems whatsoever with the roots. They are definitely pricier than the black growbags. But they are amazing, the root systems are unbelievable.
Are these great for mint plant I have a mint plant collection in small pots but heard their invasive so I need a bigger pot
The #15's may be too larger for mint, but these containers will work. You may want to look into a #7 instead, unless you want a totally enormous plant. A mint plant in a #15 container would be quite large. For me, personally, I would look into a "squat" container, though. These containers are more geared towards trees because they are deep relative to the width. For something shallow-rooted like herbs, I would go for a wider, shallower container.
Do you find the black color of the pots heat up the roots in summer too much?
No. I am using these for figs and figs tend to love heat. In fact, that's why I put all the black weed barrier down - to make the area even hotter for the figs. I'm looking forward to increasing the heat of the figs with these black containers even more. If you live somewhere like Phoenix and Las Vegas where it is 115 in the summer, it may be too much, but here on the NC coast where it's 92-94 degrees every day and humid, it's been very beneficial.
Can grow bags be a permanent home for a tree? I plan to plant moringa.
Hello,
Here is Southern California, we bought 25 gallons pot each for $10, and 15 gallons pot each for $3 at nursery
Were they injection molded? The thing I like about these pots are they're injection molded and visually perfect. Most nurseries stock the cheap blow-molded, thin pots that don't last long. These pots will last 5-10 years or more. If you can get these for $3 each, you hit the jackpot!
Thank you for this video. I just moved to NC just outside of Wilmington. I'm buying land and starting a Garden. I've been following your video for a few months and you're helping me in more ways than you know. I had to start my plants indoors until our land was cleared. NC is great for farming and Gardening if you know what you're doing. I like the diversity of your videos. Thank you keep them coming. 🙏❤💯
I'm glad to hear that. If you are lucky enough to have wooded land to clear, try your best to clear it in a way that you get lots of sun exposure from the south, but leave yourself a treeline in the north and on the west side to help block the north and west winds. All our cold weather come from the north and west, so those are the "cold winds." The south and east winds are warmer since they come from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. If I had acreage to clear, I would try my best to do that, if possible. If it isn't feasible, when you eventually do your plantings, you can make your own treelines by planting the cold hardy trees in the north and west and put the sensitive stuff behind them.
If you are having a home built, I also recommend facing your home so the front of the house faces north and the rear of the house faces south. That's how my house is oriented, so my office is always in the shade and the rear patio is always in the sun. I had a house where it was the opposite, and it was awful, because the patio was always in the shade and my office was always being blasted by the sun, so it was hard to work 😂 Just something to consider, because people rarely think of this!
@@TheMillennialGardener Yes!!! Thank you, ❤ within a few weeks I'll be meeting to give instructions on how I want to have it cut and cleared. This is amazing thank you 😊
@@Sam-ny9tz You're welcome! House orientation really matters for comfort, and people don't even consider it. If you build yourself a sunroom or a patio and you face it north, your patio or sunroom now gets no sun! Think about that! People don't consider that problem.
If you work from home and you have a south-facing office, it's miserable, because you just roast all day. Face that porch/patio/rear of house south. It works so much better. Best decision I made.
@@TheMillennialGardener My Sentiments Exactly 💯 I believe everything has a place and it's so important to pay attention to detail. Thanks again!! You're Awesome 🤗
Those are good plastic pots. I used the 20 gallon it was too heavy for me but 15 was manageable. I haven't lost any figs or pomegranates when transplanting but usually did when they are dormant, and yes it is a pain. The only advantage to grow bags is the doing fig shuffle f
A hand truck makes it easier. Luckily here I only have to shuffle for hurricanes and late frosts. Thanks for watching!
Did the entanglement only occure in the bottom area or all around?
I think overall it should be absolutely possible to grow perennials in bags but maybe the current market isn't suited for that and for someone like you that already has a great inventory it doesn't seem necessary.
As the overall concept is air pruning of the roots I would assume that having a more breathable material and assuring airflow from the bottom could solve the problem. The great potential that grow bags have in my eyes is the possibility of working with compostable materials and beeing able to transplant without having to remove the bag.
Love your doggo!
Thank you. Dale sends his warmest regards. He is a love.
I'm in zone 8A in TX and you've inspired me to grow citrus since your videos last year! Bought two of them today and plan to grow them in pots, would you mind answering two questions?
1) I picked out an Improved Meyer Lemon that looked really bushy compared to its peers, and brought it home only to find out it's from cutting. Should I return for a grafted one? From my preliminary research, looks like graft is more disease resistant with a deeper tap root, but cutting may fruit earlier. It feels like I'll be ok, especially growing in pots
2) I tried to find an Owari satsuma like you recommended, but the local Lowe's and Home Depot's only carry Miho's, any concerns or experience with Miho satsuma's?
I am growing a Meyer Lemon in ground in Zone 8A. Because they require Zone 9A or warmer, I have to protect them. Therefore, I specifically custom-ordered a rooted cutting. I did NOT want the grafted trees. The reason why is because a grafted Meyer Lemon can grow 10 feet tall on a dwarfing rootstock, and if it's placed on standard rootstock, it can grow up to 20 feet tall. A rooted cutting from a Meyer Lemon will grow as a bush and can easily pruned to maintained as a 5-6 foot tall hedge or bush. I wanted that form because I can easily throw a plant jacket and incandescent lights on it during cold spells during the winter. I wanted mine growing as a small bush, not a tree. Do you want a bush Meyer Lemon or a tree Meyer Lemon? If you want a bush like I do, keep it. If you want a tree, return it and get a grafted one.
I can't answer questions about Miho. I am not familiar. I'm sure it is less cold hardy than Brown Select or Owari, but I can't say by how much. Some satsumas are Zone 9 trees and aren't nearly as hardy, so you have to research. If you require cold tolerance because you want to grow it in ground, I would search around more for an Owari or Brown Select. They're very common. I recommend calling around to citrus nurseries throughout TX. TX has citrus quarantine rules, so you'll need to order in-state and have it shipped. Any larger nursery will ship to you for a fee. If you want to grow it in ground, you must ensure it is grafted onto Flying Dragon or Trifoliate rootstock for increased cold tolerance. For that reason, I would not buy from a big box store since you can't confirm rootstock. Call around and find a Texas nursery that carries the variety you want and can confirm the rootstock variety. Trifoliate and Flying Dragon will dwarf the tree and keep it maxed out at 5-7 feet, so keep that in mind.
Agreed.The loss of roots sewn into a fabric bag is a disadvantage.The #15 moldeds you found and are using are fantastic.They are even handsome enough to use as a small veg garden on a terrace or balcony.Thanks again for another very informative video Peace from MN.
Thanks for watching! Hope it's warming up your way! It's 85 here today, but we have a forecast low of 35 next week. I'm nervous! 😮
Thank you very much for providing that “public service announcement”. I will be ordering a palm tree next week so the provision of the info regarding the fabric grow bags was timely for me.
Excellent! Happy to help. Which palm variety?
@@TheMillennialGardener Pygmy date palm
I don’t even grow fruit trees in containers but this was still great info! Love the channel man
Im glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.
it sounds like this do wonderful in the grow bags until the issue appears a few years down the road, seems like its still worth wild to use the grow bags to create a nice root ball before transplanting them later on
Thanks for the enlightenment, not that it makes me happy as l have got a plum tree in a grow bag & intended still to get an avocado tree and a peach tree still to also grow in a growbag. But will now have to look at another solution.
When it comes time to remove the bag from the plum tree, make sure you do so in dormancy in case the roots take damage in the transplant. I've found these pots to be the most successful for me, personally: th-cam.com/video/LuBHbBmh3hU/w-d-xo.html
I tried 15g fabric bags for figs recently and i lost 4 figs (Galicia negra, borj grise, panache, and inchario preto). I don't water regularly in California during dormancy, but evidently fabric bags and our sun may have created the need for more watering even in dormancy and using Fabric bags, I contend, killed those 4. I've been growing 7 years and never lost a mature fig tree in plastic
I have figs in grow bags and they do amazing im in Fresno CA summers get to 105 degrees, I just mulch the grow bags and use good potting mix, new citrus same but under shade cloth because they are young, the only problek with roots problem are my two wurtz avocado trees
Fabric bags provide extreme aeration to the soil, so they dry out very quickly. The hot sun hitting the black fabric causes a lot of evaporation. Much more than a nursery container. Figs use extreme amounts of water in the summer. Here, they require water every day, sometimes twice, and it's much more humid so evaporation is less than in areas of California with equal temps to mine. I do love the fabric bags, but they just aren't designed for trees. Sorry for your loss.
Have you had to remove the figs from their bags for root-pruning, soil refresh or up-potting yet? I'm afraid you'll find a lot of bags cannot be removed. If you find this to be the case, make sure you perform the removals while the trees are fully dormant to minimize stress.
I havent removed the figs fromthe bags as they are in 25 and 30 gallon grow bags, in the future I'll root prune the roots, so i guess it wont matter much if I damage the roots because the intent will be to prune the roots, in general all prunning should be done in winter for figs, as far as watering heavy mulching is the key to conserve water specially during the 105 degree summer months, up potting a 25 or 30 gallon fig tree is no easy task, and I dont expect it to be for a grow bag specially, but as far as my figs at the moment they are thriving and productive, thats my perspective from growing figs in Fresno CA zone 9.
Hi I never done a garden and I want to start a tomatoes on my back porch. What do you recommend? I don't have any where else to plant it. I want a tomatoes, watermelon, cucumbers, basil, parsley and onions all on my back porch. is this to much to start with?
For tomatoes, I actually recommend the fabric grow bags if you can't plant them in-ground. I recommend #20 fabric grow bags for indeterminate tomatoes, and #7 fabric grow bags for dwarf and determinate tomatoes. Because the tomatoes have to be ripped out come fall, the fabric grow bags work very well. For watermelons and cucumbers, #20 grow bags are ideal. For basil and parsley, the #3 grow bags are good. Onions are a little tricky because they grow best in rows, so you'll want something long and at least 12 inches deep to grow them (but deeper is better). If you can't find something, #20 or larger grow bags can work.
@@TheMillennialGardener THANK YOU SO MUCH WILL PURCHASE THIS WEEK.
NEVER DONE A GARDEN PRAY I DON'T KILL THEM. LOL
What they don't tell you about grow bags is that they don't work unless they have aeration against all sides of the bag including the bottom.
I’ve had a lot of luck setting them on the ground with no adverse effects. I’ve done it literally 100+ times with great success. However, you need airflow around them. Thanks for watching!
This is very helpful. I potted some rooted cuttings into 1g grow bags, imagining a fanned out root system that would be an easy task when up-potting later. Cutting of these feeding roots will be damaging since they'll be in the middle of high growth. Now I'll move up the schedule, and stop using the bags for this purpose. Thank you!
You’re welcome. Glad you caught it in time! Thank you for watching.
Great tips, have you tried an air pot yet?
No. It gets very hot where I live, and containers dry out quickly. Those types of containers are very prone to drying out, and they're not something that I believe are suitable to most environments for that reason.
What about self-wicking tubs for trees? like the ones shown in Gardening with Leon?
I like them, but they're very expensive and I cannot find them in sizes this large. You have to make them yourself out of UV-resistant material, and it is too much work for this many trees. This is easier for me.
Can make self-wicking pots out of food grade 55 gal barrels cut to size you need. Have bought some for 10 dollars, cut them in half and they can be painted if you want. You can also make rope handles if you want. Biggest I’ve made was 35 gal from one end and using short end for radish, lettuce or spinach.
Thanks. I am just curious though if air pruning happens? Also, for plants that go through dormancy, does this limitation matter?
There are specific pots that are molded plastic with holes in them to allow for that. That won’t happen in these bags unless all the roots puncture through. The problem with air pruning is the tree will eventually require removal due to potting mix decay, and removing any container where the roots weave into it is a problem. For me, the problem was fatal.
Here in Phoenix we have citrus nurseries that only grow in fabric bags. And they have large trees. Takes equipment to move them
That is bizarre, especially given how quickly they dry out. They must have a root rot problem. Are they their mother trees? I can't imagine them selling plants in bags. That's a nightmare for the customers.
That -3 weather we had here in Texas killed my huge Celeste fig tree I planted back in the 80s. That tree is much taller than my house and has a huge spread. It was my favorite tree and I have over 200 fruit and pecan trees. It killed my 4 pomegranates also and I just bought a manual juice press last fall just for them. I have no other use for the press. I hope everything regrows from the roots.
A mature Celeste didn't make it? Are you sure it has no green anywhere? That's heartbreaking. I would say there is a virtually 100% chance the roots are just fine and will send new growth, but Celeste is as hardy a fig as it gets and it's why they're so common down here in the South. When we hit 8 degrees here in 2017, the Celeste down by my old gym in town didn't flinch. That's hard for me to hear.
@@TheMillennialGardener minus 3 here with howling winds and it was cold over a long period. It’s never been that cold here and that many days of it. I lost power and water for 3 days. I found 6 dead bluebirds and I saved one that was too cold to fly in the snow. All the limbs are dead. No green when I scrape with a knife. They snap off like dead wood. There’s a slight green around the trunk when I scrape wood. The buds were swelling when that cold hit and not in full dormancy. My pomegranates are all Russian cultivars. Each different. I’m pretty sure they’ll sprout from the roots later in the season.
@@jamesbarron1202 man, that’s rough. The good news about the fig is when it does regrow from the roots, they grow fast. By the end of the season you’ll probably have a 7 ft tall tree with a 1.5 inch caliper. My best advice is your fig is going to try to sucker from the base and send multiple new trunks. If you want a tree and not a bush, select a trunk early and cut out all the others. This will focus the energy into one trunk instead of spreading the energy over many suckers.
@@TheMillennialGardener my tree is a bush and it’s that big. The spread is as big as it is tall. It’s the biggest fig I’ve ever seen and everyone that’s seen it says they’ve never seen one that big.
I just ordered grow bags for some maples. Ugh. Back to pots! Makes sense, orchids do the same. And what about clay pots??
I don't use clay pots because they're heavy, they're expensive, they can be fragile, and they wick water away from the root ball, which encourages the root ball to dry out faster. It's very hot where I live, so keeping potted plants adequately watered is a challenge.
I got really lucky with this very thing, I got fabric pots but a little late to put any fruit trees in, so put sweet potatoes in for the meantime, they would continue to grow till I pulled them out.
Long story short when it can to pull out the sweet potatoes, the amount of roots etc woven into the fabric turned me off any long term planting ideas lol, now I use them for potatoes and sweet potatoes etc, plants I want to contain.
I'm glad to hear you found that out without learning a rough lesson like I did! Fabric grow bags are excellent for growing small crops of sweet potatoes and potatoes. I've grown white potatoes in fabric bags with good success.
Can you tell us the soil mix you use for citrus plants
I think I just bought a couple bags of the orange-bagged MiracleGro potting mix for citrus, cactus and succulents. You want a fast-draining mix for citrus.
Great video, they really should sell more of these large containers in stores at fair prices
I wish they would, too. I looked everywhere, and stores seem to end at #7 nursery pots. Then, you get into the decorative pots and the larger ones are often $30+ each. It's crazy. I'm really happy with the ones I bought and will probably get another shipment of them for next season.
Great info
Thanks for watching!
Can you grow raspberries in grow bags?