Growing in Fabric Pots

Plastic and clay flowerpots are a staple that most growers reach for. However, the plastic ones are not exactly eco-friendly and the substrate in them overheats in the sun. Lately, fabric pots have rightly been gaining their place on the market. How to handle them and what are their advantages?

Advantages of growing in fabric

In a fabric pot, the plant forms a rich root system. It can thus use water and supplied nutrients efficiently, which has a fundamental impact on its vitality, size and final yield. If a root reaches the outer wall of the pot, i.e. the air, it does not turn its growth downward as it does in regular pots, where a dense rounded tangle of roots then forms. Instead, it responds by branching into fine root hairs, thereby creating new root tips throughout the volume of the pot through which nutrients are absorbed into the plant. The root system thus makes better use of the entire pot capacity and the plant does not need to be repotted as often.

Fabric pots are also great for growing seasonal crops because they can be sterilized and reused. Another undeniable advantage is their storability, whether it's the 4-liter or the 50-liter variants. They can be used for both indoor and outdoor growing on a terrace, balcony or garden. They have excellent thermoregulatory properties, so the substrate does not overheat in the sun as it does in plastic pots.

Another variant of the common square or round fabric pot are vertical pots with individual pockets. They are a great option for growers who struggle with space, whether at home or in the garden.

Plant care - differences in watering

When using fabric pots for growing plants there are two differences to keep in mind. The root system is densely distributed throughout the entire volume of the pot, so we must water the entire surface of the substrate, not just the area near the stem where water more or less flows straight to the bottom.

Since a fabric pot is permeable and "breathes", plants generally require more frequent watering than in plastic pots. On the other hand, there is a lower risk of overwatering because the branched roots consume more water and the excess remains in the saucer, which can be emptied if necessary. Although they are a novelty of recent years, you don't have to worry about a high initial investment with fabric pots; the smallest are sold from 40 Kč.