We now have a more earth friendly, biodegradable option to grow our plants. Grow bags are a great alternative to plastic pots.

What are Grow bags?

They are exactly what their name suggests them to be. Big bags that you can use to fill with your choice of growing substance to plant seeds. They are capable of growing any plant that does not require deep roots. They come in a variety of substances. Usually available in plastic, they can also be found in breathable eco-friendly fabric.

Grow bags are suitable for growing Salad Greens, Herbs, Tomatoes, Indoor plants and vines. Basically, anything that you can think of growing in a container, can be grown in a grow bag as well.

Benefits of grow bags

There are countless reasons to switch to grow bags. Some prominent reasons are :

• They are lightweight, which makes them a perfect choice for balcony and terrace gardening. You can carry them easily. They don't require much strength to move around.
• Breathable fabric allows air to reach plants more efficiently. Unlike plastic where air can not pass and gets trapped. 
• Being made from a breathable fabric means they also drain well. If you accidentally end up over watering your plant, your grow bag allows the water to pass through the plant easily. This results in soil being healthy and plants having a better life. 
• Unlike plastic, breathable fabric generates less heat in summer. Hence, the plant soil is cooler in summer in the grow bags. 
• Grow bags encourage air pruning. In a plastic pot root upon reaching the wall of the pot, will continue growing until it becomes rounded around the pot, called ‘round bound’. The air flow in the grow bags allows the root to know it has reached the limit of the soil it is growing in, which naturally stops it from growing.

Where to keep grow bags

Grow bags can be placed just as you would have placed any other pot or planter. You can try larger size grow bags for your terrace garden or home garden of sizes 9 - 13 inches like the ones below:

If you are looking for a small size grow bag to keep on a desktop or a window sill, you can buy the desk topper grow bag. Also check out other smaller-sized grow bags below:

Some grow bags are completely biodegradable. You can plant them in the ground and expect them to dissolve within the natural soil in some time. Making the transition of a plant from a pot to the ground garden hassle free.

However, grow bags can seep water due to their breathable fabric. Using a planter saucer underneath can help you with the extra mess.

What to grow in grow bags

Grow bags are capable of growing anything that does not require a deep root system. Growing vegetables in grow bags is the most famous choice. Here are a few suggestions on what to grow in which size.

• The small sized grow bags are perfect for kitchen gardening. Herbs and salad greens are best suited for this size. 
• The medium size  grow bags are best suited for vegetable gardening. Beans, peppers, okra or eggplant are some of the commonly grown vegetables in medium sized grow bags. 
• The big size  can be reserved for more root based vegetables such as potatoes, garlic and sweet potatoes. Tomato trees can grow bigger in such a size as well.

Tips for growing in grow bags

• Growing in grow bags means you can start your gardening anywhere. Get a grow bag, fill them up with soil and you are ready to go. Yet, there are some tips to remember before starting your grow bag gardening journey.

• Make sure you are selecting the right plant to grow in your grow bag. Consider the normal size the plant can grow to and choose the grow bag accordingly. Herbs such as basil, rosemary, thyme and even kale can only require a small space to grow. Small grow bags can be used for these herbs. 

• Use self watering grow bags for plants that are thirstier than usual. Grow bags come with a self watering system as well. Where a pocket at the base contains water that you can use to refill water timely. This pocket of water allows the plant to take water as it needs. Cucumbers, squashes and lettuce are some of the plants that are best suited for self watering grow bags. 

• Use the best soil for your grow bags. Do not use ground soil as that can make your grow bag heavy and ruin its air system. Fill your grow bags with compost and peat moss mixture for best results. It allows air to flow and roots to grow. Soil does not end up becoming heavy and clumped.