We’re knee-deep in boxes, tape, and bubble wrap around here, and though we technically still have a month left of our current lease, our moving pods come in a couple of weeks — so we need to wrap things up, fast.
There’s a whole lot of Craigslisting, eBaying, and Goodwilling going on, and I’m continually amazed at how much stuff can accumulate in our lives in such a short time! I mean, why did we keep all those disposable chopsticks and soy sauce packets but never use them? Why did I hoard double prints of all my pre-2003 pictures (before I bought my first digital camera) and drag those boxes with me through five different moves? (Saying “double prints” really feels like I’m aging myself here! Haha.)
Watching all that clutter exit the house brought such a rush of endorphins that I wish I had the same super-charged motivation to purge at other times of year too.
With good progress being made inside the house, we’ve started to focus on organizing the yard this week: inventorying tools and equipment, cleaning out the chicken coop, trimming trees and mulching beds, and dividing herbs and taking cuttings. (I seriously think the last time the yard looked this neat and manicured was when we first moved in! And um, that was seven years ago.)
We’re going to be moving our favorite plants with us and overwintering them inside our new home, and for the past few weeks I’d been trying to figure out a way to transport them all while minimizing weight, shock, and breakage. It just wasn’t feasible to bring all those clay pots with us (we have dozens!) and some of them are so worn and weathered that they likely won’t survive a long-distance move in a trailer.
So, I did a little online digging (no pun intended) and came across these fabric pots from Root Pouch, which seemed like the perfect solution. Lightweight, durable, and no risk of breaking! The company was kind enough to send me some to try, so I’ll be repotting all our plants in the coming week and reporting back to you before, during, and after our move with how well they fare in the Root Pouches.
First impressions: I like them. They’re thick yet pliable, the handles are helpful for hauling our larger plants around, and the fabric pots are lighter than a standard plastic nursery pot. I requested samples from their non-degradable Boxer line, so I’m hoping they’ll last for a good long while (or at least until my plants have settled into a more permanent home).
Have you ever grown anything in fabric pots? What did you think of them?
I’ve used Root Pouches and similar in my garden (SW Florida). You have to use them judiciously. They dry out extremely quickly, so keep that in mind when you’re potting. Fast draining soil will draining even more quickly. I killed some tomatoes in them last year because I failed to water them enough in the fabric pouches. I imagine they’d be great for succulents. Also the bottoms start to degrade fairly quickly so if you leave them somewhere for any length of time, you need to make sure the bottom doesn’t fall out when you attempt to move them!
We have the non-degradable Root Pouches, so we expect them to last a few years (until we can get them into permanent pots in our final home).
What a great idea!! Soft pots will definitely keep things transport-friendly. After learning about the devastating effects on ocean ecosystems (among others) that micro fibers that shed from plastic-fabrics/etc I will have to note that these root pouches aren’t 100% environmentally safe!
If you’re referring to the PET in the fabric, it’s true that it won’t biodegrade — but that’s the trade-off for having a lightweight, breathable, sturdy pot. Compared to standard plastic nursery pots, the carbon footprint of Root Pouches is still much smaller.
I love growing things in the fabric pots–I find plants grow better since there’s never any root-rot due to over-watering.
Yeah for double prints… with sloppy boarders, please! lol Good luck with the move! What an exciting time for your family.
I have about 50 of these root pouches of various sizes. I grow ginger in 20 of them – bitter melon in 5 – turmeric in 3 – cucumbers in another 5 – sweet potatoes in 10, etc. I am going to try beets and carrots next. I bought mine from Greenhouse Megastore online. I love them – they drain well – they are easy to move except the biggest and plants love them. I fill them with a potting mix.
We’ve just moved a couple dozen plants in Root Pouches (from 1 gallon to 20 gallons) and are so thankful we left our other pots behind! Could not have lifted some of the biggest ones otherwise!