How To Use Grow Bags For Vegetables To Kickstart Your Growth

Want to learn how to use grow bags for vegetables? If you’re looking for an easy and efficient way to grow your own vegetables indoors you might. 

What Vegetables Can I Grow In Fabric Pots?

There are many different vegetables that grow well in grow bags, including tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and herbs.

You can grow carrots, beets, radishes, green onions, and many more. You can even grow potatoes in fabric pots.

These types of plants tend to thrive in containers because they prefer a more controlled environment with consistent moisture and nutrient levels.

If you use them with coco coir 2 and 3-gallon pots should be plenty large enough.

Smart pots are readily available on Amazon with sizes from 1 to 30 gallons. https://amzn.to/3EXtMhV

How To Use Grow Bags For Vegetables

What you fill up your grow bags with is the most important thing for success. You can use potting mix but it’s not the best choice.

Using coco coir is a much better choice. Coco coir wicks moisture better than soil and allows more air to the roots even when wet.

Coco Coir Is Environmentally Friendly

It doesn’t compact like soil and it is reusable. Coco is made from coconut shells a renewable resource.

But the peat in soil mixes is strip-mined and this process destroys our dwindling wetlands.

Coco will also allow you to use less media than soil. A 2-gallon pot of coco is the same as 4-5 gallons of soil.

So this means it will cost less to fill your pots. If you are short on space you can maximize it and use smaller pots than for soil.

Coco coir weighs much less than soil mixes so moving your pots around will be much easier too.

I like to use Canna Coco bricks. They also make loose coco. So it is ready to use. They have the best quality coco.

Not all coco coir is the same. Some have really high salt levels and are often sold as bedding. Unless you heavily rinse it your plants may die. Growing Vegetables In Coco Coir Get Amazing Results (indoorvegetablegrower.com)

Grow Bag Advantages

Using grow bags is a great way to grow your own vegetables indoors, whether you’re looking for an easy and efficient way to grow food year-round or just want access to fresh produce all year round.

Grow bags offer several advantages over traditional plastic pots.

They allow more air into the pot which is good for roots. Plants are less likely to be root-bound. This is important.

If you ever pulled a plant out of a plastic pot you will notice the roots circle the pot until eventually, the plant becomes rootbound.

But in a fabric pot roots grow through the sides and are air pruned. This results in the root branching further down inside the pot.

So your plants will have a healthier more fibrous root system inside a grow bag. Plant roots just grow better in coco than in soil.

The better your roots are the better your plant will grow and bear.

In addition, grow bags make it easy to manage the size of your crop. They are easy to move and many grow bags have handles for this.

When you are done with your garden grow bags can be emptied and folded up for storage. Plastic pots can be much bulkier to store.

To grow vegetables indoors successfully, start with high-quality grow bags made from a durable breathable fabric.

Some people try to use Walmart cloth bags as DIY grow bags. I would not recommend doing this.

Fabric pots work great for large plants like tomatoes and peppers. But you can also grow multiple smaller plants in one pot too.

You can choose varieties like radishes or green onions that have a relatively short maturity time so you can harvest the fruits of your labor more quickly. 

How To Use Grow Bags For Vegetables

There are several ways to use grow bags to grow vegetables.

The simplest way is to place each grow bag on an individual saucer and water from the top. They work fine this way.

Using Fabric Pots In A SIP

Grow bags work great in a SIP or sub-irrigated planter. This is my favorite way to use them with coco coir.

Since the pots are fabric they can absorb water and the coco coir is a perfect medium for wicking water up to the plant.

I place multiple pots inside a tray and add water to the tray so instead of top watering I am bottom watering.

You will want to pre-moisten the pots first. When you start a new crop in them you may need to topwater until your seeds sprout.

If you are using transplants this may not be needed. With coco, you don’t want to let it ever dry out.

But you don’t want it to get soaking wet either. You can lift your plants to determine how much water they are holding.

Over time you will develop a feel for this. When they start to feel light you will add more water to the tray.

Add water to the tray slowly. The idea is to give enough water to thoroughly wet them but not have standing water in the tray.

This is a great way to grow and water multiple plants at the same time. Vegetables do really well with being bottom watered.

Some plants have disease problems when the foliage gets wet and this eliminates the problem entirely.

How Do You Plant In Grow Bags?

Fill your grow bags with a good quality potting mix. Fill them within an inch or two from the top. When you water them they will settle.

If you are using transplants you can press the outside of the pot into the soil to make a perfectly sized hole.

Then unpot the plant from its original container and put it into the hole you just made. It should fit perfectly.

Press the soil around it so it fits snuggly in the hole you just made.

Then water around it to settle the soil and remove air pockets.

If you are planting seeds sow them according to the instructions on the packet. After they sprout you may need to thin them out.

Watering Grow Bags

The frequency of watering for grow bags will depend on a number of factors, including the type and size of the plants you are growing.

The climate and temperature in your home and the type of soil you are using will also affect how often you need to water.

Check grow bags daily and water as needed to keep the soil moist but not wet. As the plants grow they will begin using more water.

Be careful not to over-water or leave plants in standing water for long periods as this can lead to the roots rotting.

If you are using grow bags in a saucer you want to water until you have runoff. Then discard the runoff. Or feed it to your lawn. 

The runoff will ensure you don’t have salt buildup inside your fabric pot.

Grow Bags FAQ

Here are some FAQ and tips on how to use grow bags to grow vegetables indoors:

Are grow bags better than plastic pots?

I think that grow bags are better than plastic pots. But there is no definitive answer to this question, as some growers prefer plastic pots. 

Some important considerations to keep in mind when comparing grow bags and plastic pots include the size, material, durability, and cost of each option.

Ultimately, the best way to determine if grow bags are right for you is to try both fabric and plastic pots and see what works best for your plants and your grow space.

What do you put under grow bags?

Because water will run through grow bags they should be placed in saucers or trays to catch the runoff.

Can you put Grow bags directly on the ground?

If you use them on a patio or deck you can. But indoors unless in a saucer they will leak on your floor or worse on your carpet.

So grow bags can be placed directly on the ground if you wish, but it’s generally best to put them on a tray or saucer to catch water as it drains out. 

What vegetables are good to grow in bags?

Grow bags are well-suited for growing a wide variety of vegetables. Some of the best vegetables to grow in grow bags include tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, potatoes, and bush beans.

Almost all vegetables will grow well in grow bags. Anything you can keep in a plastic pot will do better in a fabric pot.

Are grow bags safe for vegetables? 

Yes, grow bags are a safe option for growing vegetables. They are made from a breathable and porous fabric that allows excess water to drain out while still providing plenty of space for plant roots to grow.

So yes, grow bags are totally safe for vegetables and other plants. In fact, most plants grow better in them.

Do you put drainage holes in grow bags?

Grow bags are porous and will allow liquids to pass through them. So there is no need to put drainage holes in a fabric pot.

How long do grow bags last?

Grow bags will easily last for several seasons. I have some that are 4 years old and show no signs of wear and tear.

But if you use them outdoors and they are sitting on the soil they may rot after a couple of years.

How Big Should A Grow Bag Be For Tomatoes?

If you use coco coir you can use a 2 or 3-gallon fabric pot. In potting mix, you will probably want to use 5 gallons.

This holds true for other large plants like peppers or eggplants too.

What To Do With Grow Bags At End Of Season?

If you grow vegetables indoors there really isn’t a season end. But if you want to store your grow bags here are some options.

Unlike plastic pots which are bulky to store, you can empty the soil from your fabric bags and you can simply fold them up for storage.

If you are using coco it can be used again. I let my pots dry out and stack them one on top of the other until I am ready to use them.

Once they are dry it is very easy to remove the coco from them. I crumble it and try to remove any large roots from it.

Then put it back in the soil pot, rewet and fertilize it and you are ready to plant again. You don’t have to dry it but it’s easier.

Which Grow Bag Is Best?

There are a lot of grow bag manufacturers and a lot of brands on the market. Many people have heard of Smart Pots.

Personally, I want a grow bag with handles and fairly heavy fabric. I use these. The Smart Pots I’ve seen for sale don’t have handles.

Are grow bags worth it?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as grow bags can vary greatly in terms of quality and price.

However, grow bags are generally a good investment for those who want an easy and efficient way to grow their own vegetables indoors.

With a little bit of care and attention, grow bags can last for several seasons, making them a cost-effective and worthwhile option for home gardeners.

That said, there are several factors to consider when choosing grow bags, including the type of vegetables you want to grow, the size of grow bags they need, and what will work best for your space. 

How To Use Grow Bags For Vegetables Conclusion

When it comes to growing veggies indoors, one of the most important things to consider is how best to use your space and resources.

There are a number of different options available for those who want to maximize their harvest, and one particularly interesting option is grow bags.

They help to retain moisture and the improved airflow keeps the plant’s roots healthy. 

Additionally, grow bags are convenient in that they can be easily moved around as needed, making them ideal for cultivating vegetables year-round.

Whether you have limited access to outdoor gardening space or simply want to try out a different method of growing indoors, using grow bags is definitely worth considering.

Grow bags are an easy and efficient way to grow your own vegetables indoors. With a little bit of care and attention, you can enjoy healthy and delicious homegrown veggies all year round!