July 3, 2012 - Bag It!

Grow bag it, that is.

I've heard really good things about grow bags/fabric pots.  I guess they are especially good for potatoes and tomatoes.  I was pleasantly surprised last week when one of my blog readers, Jessica from Bountiful Back Yard, contacted me with the offer of a gift of one of her specialty fabric grow pots.  Of course, I accepted....who doesn't love gifts!

The fabric pot soon arrived at Granny's house, and as luck would have it, I had some pots of herbs that could be moved to make room for it right smack dab in the middle of the garden.  Since her pots all have cute designs, with gardening motifs, I wanted it to be the center of attention.


See the grow pot, right there in the center of the garden!  It shows up much better when it isn't practically dark outside!


Of course, my 20 gallon fabric pot is sitting empty in the garden, waiting for a bag of potting mix, but here is Jessica's photo of what it looks like with something actually growing in it.

I've already decided it will hold sweet potatoes next year, as the soil will stay warmer than in the whiskey barrel where the sweets are now growing.  But I want to plant something in it this year!  At first I thought I'd do carrots, as it would be nematode free (unlike my garden soil).  Then the weather man came on and forecast triple digit temperatures beginning next week.  I really think carrots, loving cool weather, would not be a great choice for this time of the year.  After giving it a lot of thought, I think I'll go for cucumbers.  I can either do a bush variety, or I can plant pickling cucumbers and let them vine out over the sides.  I'll probably decide on bush, as I don't really need more pickles.  We'll be eating those that were canned in 2010 for probably the next five years!

So....stay tuned to see how Granny's Grow Pot performs, and I hope I can do Jessica proud.  In the meantime, be sure to check out all of her cute designs at her Etsy Shop!




10 comments:

  1. How cute is that! What a great idea. I will be checking out her etsy shop for sure! Can't wait to see what you plant in it! Happy Gardening! Mindy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh boy Granny, what a great gift! I can't wait to see it with something growing in it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a nice gift! This is really a cute idea.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looking forward to seeing your adorable grow pot producing more bounty for the table! It is so cute, a lovely gift.

    ReplyDelete
  5. love that it's decorative! Very nice design. Now you're a bag lady!

    ReplyDelete
  6. RE green grow bags; 2 yrs ago now, one of my grandsons was touting the benefits of the grow bags. He was almost 8 & had obviously been watching the commercials. They lived on the West side and were getting ready to move close to us here in Eastern WA. I set out w/an experiment so we could watch & compare the plants. I bought 2 tomatoes, same size & variety. One in the grow bag, one in the garden. The grow bag is long gone as the one in the garden far out-performed the grow bag. Then reports came in from others I talked to telling about my experiment, they weren't impressed w/the grow bags. So, for us & our experience, we'll leave the grow bags to others. However, I love the gift one of your readers sent to you. It is more like a hanging basket,macrame? Love your blog and it's more relevent since we live so close to one another. However, I must admit, I have become a 'blog' addict since disovering so many people sharing their experience. :o)

    ReplyDelete
  7. GrannyNanna, hello to another Eastern Washingtonian! How close are you to Pasco?

    I don't think this grow bag would be capable of hanging. It measures 20" across, and I'd guess at least that high, and I've already put over 2 cubic feet of potting mix in it and still haven't got it filled to the top. It's made of a heavy felt fabric that is supposed to be sun-proof. I have it in the warmest part of my garden, and plan on trying sweet potatoes in it next year. They love the heat, and this bag, being black, should heat up pretty well. I just bought a bag of compost to finish it off with, and I'll plant some cucumbers in it for this year and hope they have time to mature. Stay tuned :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello again ... we are very close to Pasco, between Benton City and Prosser, just a little more than a stone's throw away. :o) Most of my business/errands takes me to TC. I grew up in Richland so the TC are my old stomping grounds. I'm having a time w/our garden this year & we're already plotting ways to do things differently next yr. I love your 'Thursday's Kitchen Cupboard' and am thinking I will be taking personal notes of your menus so I won't have to think about 'what am I going to fix.' :o) Love your blog, Ty for sharing. :o)

      Delete
    2. Hello, we live between Benton City and Prosser, almost a stone's throw away! I grew up in Richland so the TC is my old stomping groune. :o) Errands, shopping, etc, take me to TC. I'm having a time w/my garden this yr & we're already plotting what we can do different next yr. Love you blog & TY for sharing. Love your 'Thurs. Kitchen Cupboard' & think I will be creating new meal ideas from yours. I get tired of fixing the same old thing. I'm a simple cook w/roots in southern cooking as my parents were from OK & LA, hubby's from MO. Thanks again for sharing! :o)

      Delete
    3. GrannyNana, thank you for your kind words, and thank you for reading and commenting. I'm sorry to hear you're having garden problems this year. Mine is actually producing more than usual, except for my carrot problem (nematodes). I'm also concerned about pollination on my corn, the ears are looking awfully skinny.

      Delete