DIY Grow Bags
Grow bags offer the space deprived an alternative to digging up their lawns. In lieu of lawn attrition there are not many designated areas to start a backyard garden. Many have opted to lay vast concrete slabs in their backyard space or even patio decks. Well there is an alternative. I first heard of grow bags by joining a gardening Facebook group, RGGS, they were using Walmart bags at the time, to grow phenomenal produce.
As popularity grew with the use of the grow bags, manufacturers started to create their own, with proprietary improvements raised the price astronomically. Grow bags are made of recycled polypropylene and so is landscape fabric, so I searched Amazon.com and decided on the Dewitt landscaping Fabric, based on the material and the reviews of its durability.
I was amazed at the variety of what the members of the group were growing. Weed free, minimal effort and with a “plant preferred” method of watering; from the bottom up. This method entails less mess and a slightly raised bed allowing for easier access to the mobility deficient gardeners like myself.
With the use of potting soil (store bought or handmade), the grow bags, when placed in a watering pan or a reservoir usually lined with black plastic in a trough or PVC pipes, maintains the life of the plants by developing a deep tap root through the bottom of the bag, creating a a sturdier, more resourceful plant, than would be had from top watered/drip irrigated plant that would develop shallow/surface roots.
The benefits of grow bags far outweigh the negatives. You can put them on your window sill or in your greenhouse, the self contained system allows for easy relocation. This works well for those, whose backyards are starved of sunlight and will benefit from moving the plants position during the progression of the growing season as the Sun’s path changes.
If you have access to a sewing machine and would like to make your own bags at a fraction of the retail price, take a look at the video.
Amazon – Dewitt Landscaping Fabric: http://amzn.to/1PZ0aVj
