Nursery Pots VS Grow Bags

[Palmer67]

I have about 15 trees growing in 2 gallon plastic nursery pots. A variety of deciduous, evergreen, oaks and redwoods. Most of the species are suitable for bonsai, maybe someday. Well, they're growing well and I can see the 2 gallon plastic pots may need replaced next year. The price for grow bags is somewhat comparable to plastic, and I'd rather use 'material' over petroleum based plastic, or even recycled plastic for that matter. Anyone use bags instead of plastic, and is there a difference?

 

[cmeg1]

I think Rootpouch are best as they prune by entrapment rather than air pruning roots that poke out the bag.That way you can put the Rootpouch in the ground for the Winter or longer depending on the specified weave.
I used tiny ones to start Pine and they did a fantastic job in just a few months before I potted them on.There ia a link to rootpoch also

Grow Bags & Plant Pouches - Greenhouse Megastore

Add flexibility to your greenhouse and garden setup with our selection of polyethylene grow bags, fabric pots, hanging pouches and other portable containers.

www.greenhousemegastore.com

Root Pouch

We manufacture fabric planting containers, made from recycled water bottles and natural fibers. Designed in partnership with professional growers across the world.

rootpouch.com

Root Pouch

We manufacture fabric planting containers, made from recycled water bottles and natural fibers. Designed in partnership with professional growers across the world.

rootpouch.com

 

[Palmer67]

I think Rootpouch are best as they prune by entrapment rather than air pruning roots that poke out the bag.That way you can put the Rootpouch in the ground for the Winter or longer depending on the specified weave.
I used tiny ones to start Pine and they did a fantastic job in just a few months before I potted them on.

Grow Bags & Plant Pouches - Greenhouse Megastore

Add flexibility to your greenhouse and garden setup with our selection of polyethylene grow bags, fabric pots, hanging pouches and other portable containers.

www.greenhousemegastore.com

Root Pouch

We manufacture fabric planting containers, made from recycled water bottles and natural fibers. Designed in partnership with professional growers across the world.

rootpouch.com

Root Pouch

We manufacture fabric planting containers, made from recycled water bottles and natural fibers. Designed in partnership with professional growers across the world.

rootpouch.com

Good looking trees! I'm definitely going with material next spring. For my first ever trees I used potting soil from a bag. It has some pumice and is decent quality, but I'm afraid of drowning everyone. I'm thinking of poking holes in the plastic pots and just monitor the watering. Hopefully we can hang on until next year, then change to the root pouches and better draining soil. I did read that any soil will work but you need to adjust the watering carefully. I need more sunshine too but the Seattle weather keeps raining on me! I'll move these out of the Catio to the full sun deck. Thanks for sharing!

 

[M. Frary]

Personally I like the structural integrity of the plastic nursery buckets. Especially if you have to move the tree.

 

[Shibui]

I thought the original aim was to avoid plastic but now you seem to be in favour of a plastic product
Check the root pouch specs - mostly (recycled from drink bottles) PETE and they are only going to last a couple of years before disintegrating.
Rigid pots may be plastic but they are reusable for many years if you want to and definitely easier to handle. Our nursery industry has moved toward reprocessing as many plastic pots as they can recover into new pots and other uses so nursery pots should no longer be seen as a single use plastic item.

 

[Palmer67]

I said the opposite in my original post. I would rather not use petroleum based plastic. The trees in my picture were planted months ago and the planters were sitting in the garage. It's those flimsy plastic pots and I'm afraid they'll be on the planet for the next 300 years. Frary noted that plastic is more rigid, which is an excellent point and what I was looking for; what could be the downsides of material? I think as long as the pot is somehow planet friendly and biodegradable, I'll feel better. Maybe a combination of both... paper or plastic? The never ending question.

 

[sixemkay]

I use grow bags that I purchased on Amazon. They are very easy to move around---potentially less flimsy than plastic (which I find becomes soft in the heat and then brittle after a year in the elements). The bottom is pretty sturdy and they have handles. I use them to grow flowers not trees, but I don't think that will matter much.

 

[Palmer67]

I use grow bags that I purchased on Amazon. They are very easy to move around---potentially less flimsy than plastic (which I find becomes soft in the heat and then brittle after a year in the elements). The bottom is pretty sturdy and they have handles. I use them to grow flowers not trees, but I don't think that will matter much.

I was eyeballing those on Amazon! Seems affordable, going in the wish list for now.

 

[Shibui]

So grow bags are made from lanscape fabric which is made from polypropylene - exactly the same petroleum based plastic that rigid plant pots are made from.
Root pouch is made mostly from PETE which is also known as polyester. Also a petroleum based plastic. There seems to be a little organic fibre added in to the root pouch fabric. They are designed to break down in 2-5 years.

Both these plastics break down over time which is not the same as organics decomposing. Plastics just break up into ever smaller bits of plastic and enter the environment as pollutants - microplastic. I note that some of the sellers are claiming environmentally friendly but I can't see any evidence to support that claim.

I refer again to the original post where you said you'd rater not use petroleum based plastic products but all we've done is change the types of petroleum based plastics rather than avoid them.

 

[Stormwater]

Plastics are in everything....it sucks. Its amazing how much micro plastics are showing up everywhere. Depending on your time and ability, you could make wood grow boxes out of pallets. You can usually find them for free.

 

[Stormwater]

I said the opposite in my original post. I would rather not use petroleum based plastic. The trees in my picture were planted months ago and the planters were sitting in the garage. It's those flimsy plastic pots and I'm afraid they'll be on the planet for the next 300 years. Frary noted that plastic is more rigid, which is an excellent point and what I was looking for; what could be the downsides of material? I think as long as the pot is somehow planet friendly and biodegradable, I'll feel better. Maybe a combination of both... paper or plastic? The never ending question.

I use plastic pots someone was giving away on freecycle. And a few wood boxes.

 

[M. Frary]

I said the opposite in my original post. I would rather not use petroleum based plastic. The trees in my picture were planted months ago and the planters were sitting in the garage. It's those flimsy plastic pots and I'm afraid they'll be on the planet for the next 300 years. Frary noted that plastic is more rigid, which is an excellent point and what I was looking for; what could be the downsides of material? I think as long as the pot is somehow planet friendly and biodegradable, I'll feel better. Maybe a combination of both... paper or plastic? The never ending question.

Look up the Vance Woid grow boxes.
They are made of wood and plastic pet screen.
If you could come up with a non plastic screen you would be styling.
Maybe try regular metal window screen in them.

 

[M. Frary]

Look up the Vance Woid grow boxes.
They are made of wood and plastic pet screen.
If you could come up with a non plastic screen you would be styling.
Maybe try regular metal window screen in them.

There is a picture of his grow boxes in his avatar.

 

[BuckeyeOne]

There is a picture of his grow boxes in his avatar.

Did @Vance Wood ever market his grow boxes? I've done the internet search on them and have only come up with pictures.
I'm capable of building them myself, but was curious as to the design and use of "pet screen" for the panels.
Buck

 

[BuckeyeOne]

Sorry, I did a search for "pet screen" and I found it.
Just need more detail on the box construction.
Probably can figur it out. I'm pretty good at "cyfurin"!!
Buck

 

[Grego83]

What I like about grow bags: they are lightweight. In theory it's "impossible" to overwater

What I don't like: trying to make sure the water gets where I want it - sometimes it feels like it wants to run off the sides and out of the bag. Rigid pots feel safer to me, and I know the water is going where I want it.

What I really don't like about grow bags is all the salt buildup on the outside - touch the bag and your hand gets all salty - or maybe I'm using too much fertilizer ‍♂

 

[amatbrewer]

Sorry, I did a search for "pet screen" and I found it.
Just need more detail on the box construction.
Probably can figur it out. I'm pretty good at "cyfurin"!!
Buck

I started building my own grow boxes last year. I use 4 pieces of cedar (I use cedar because I like the look and figure it will last a little longer than pine or fir), the size depends on how big a box I need, and I glue/nail them to make a square. Then I staple ordinary fiberglass window screen over the bottom and then a layer of hardware cloth (Galvanized Wire Mesh) over that for strength (the screen by itself it not strong enough). Then cut triangles (just cut corners off of the same wood as the sides) that I attach to the bottom corners (feet, adds strength to the box and bottom). They are really quick and easy to make (not to mention cheep), and I can drill holes anyplace I need to attach wire for securing the tree.
Nice part is I can make them virtually any size I might need. I think my biggest is 16" (40cm) across. I expect if I make any much bigger than that I will probably have to add some extra support across the bottom.

BTW I also built a tall narrow one for a cascade juniper I am working on, but don't have a pix of that.

 

[Tieball]

I use wooden boxes. However, I do have some collected trees in plastic Squat Pots. I make sure there are holes in the sides just above the bottom. The holes are about 1/2” - 3/4” diameter. I’ve never lost much soil at all....and collecteds are usually in a very sandy soil. I put a small size rock underneath on one side and force a better gravity drain. The rock probably lifts the one side about 1-1/2”. The pots are still stable. Works well for me.

 

[anon user]

So grow bags are made from lanscape fabric which is made from polypropylene - exactly the same petroleum based plastic that rigid plant pots are made from.
Root pouch is made mostly from PETE which is also known as polyester. Also a petroleum based plastic. There seems to be a little organic fibre added in to the root pouch fabric. They are designed to break down in 2-5 years.

Both these plastics break down over time which is not the same as organics decomposing. Plastics just break up into ever smaller bits of plastic and enter the environment as pollutants - microplastic. I note that some of the sellers are claiming environmentally friendly but I can't see any evidence to support that claim.

I refer again to the original post where you said you'd rater not use petroleum based plastic products but all we've done is change the types of petroleum based plastics rather than avoid them.

Most of my stuff is currently in the Vivosun black grow bags. Yep, plastic. But I believe recycled water bottles so at least not new plastic. They have handles and easily last longer than the cheap plastic nursery pots that generally harden and crack after a season under direct UV. Being thicker they also have more plastic than the pots so do they last long enough to be net less plastic? Not sure yet.

I also reuse soda bottles and milk bottles as pots when I can. Still plastic, but reused at least.

I think I'm going to try jute (hemp) next year. Scrafts looks to be one possibly reasonable vendor. They look to be more expensive than the Vivosun bags I have now...and you need to research carefully because some vendors use a plastic lining inside the jute!

I think the biggest issue with true organic will be being diligent enough to re-pot well before they rot through. I've got redwoods that I keep wet enough that they might not make it a year. At the other end, I have oaks that could maybe go 5+ years if I decide to keep them dry.

 

[Palmer67]

I started building my own grow boxes last year. I use 4 pieces of cedar (I use cedar because I like the look and figure it will last a little longer than pine or fir), the size depends on how big a box I need, and I glue/nail them to make a square. Then I staple ordinary fiberglass window screen over the bottom and then a layer of hardware cloth (Galvanized Wire Mesh) over that for strength (the screen by itself it not strong enough). Then cut triangles (just cut corners off of the same wood as the sides) that I attach to the bottom corners (feet, adds strength to the box and bottom). They are really quick and easy to make (not to mention cheep), and I can drill holes anyplace I need to attach wire for securing the tree.
Nice part is I can make them virtually any size I might need. I think my biggest is 16" (40cm) across. I expect if I make any much bigger than that I will probably have to add some extra support across the bottom.
View attachment 257282
BTW I also built a tall narrow one for a cascade juniper I am working on, but don't have a pix of that.

Now this is cool! I could finally put that chop saw to good use. My combination of different pot material just got bigger. Thanks!