School me on

[Uncle Doss]

Grow bags.

Yes, I know there are various threads and topics that discuss various aspects of them, but, not really knowing everything I should ask, it is hard to search out the proper topics.
That said, school me as if I have just arrived on earth and know nothing of them.
For tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and peppers (Bell, sweet, and hot)
What size bags are best for what
What soil or growing medium is best for what plants
fill with cococoir or perlite and treat like a dutch bucket?
set on the ground or elevated?

please share your experience and know-how with me

Thank you

[ginger2778]

We use Jackpots brand of grow bags at our community garden. They are 15 gallon size. They cost very much less than smart pots, but that is because we buy them in bulk for our community garden. They are filled with organic potting mix, not soil, and amended with 2 cups of dolomite lime, and 3 cups of Tomato Tone, mixed thoroughly, which we buy online. Good price and free shipping from Joe's Hydroponics, but you have to have a large order to get the free shipping. Not a problem when ordering for a community garden.
We have a drip irrigation system set up, on a timer, 2 hrs morning snd night.

[Worth1]

Not to interrupt but it just now dawned on me who your avatar was.

Indian Larry.
Working on my motorcycle all day made it come to me.

Worth

[Ricky Shaw]

I'm picking up that fabric pots work better on tomatoes, plastic on peppers.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Not to interrupt but it just now dawned on me who your avatar was.

Indian Larry.
Working on my motorcycle all day made it come to me.

Worth

I never even noticed! I always loved that he did his own thing when it came to motorcycle design and pretty much ignored all those stretched out monstrosities everyone else was building. One of his priorities was that his bikes had to be rideable, which was often ignored by the custom builders. It was sad how he died.

As for grow bags, I use plastic ones formerly with a blend of potting mix and composted cow manure, but last year I switched over to Wonder Soil. Fertilizing regiments must be kept up with when using products like Wonder Soil. You also have to water grow bag plants more frequently.

I use different sizes. Three gallon ones are perfect for compact hot peppers and herbs. Five gallon for larger pepper plants and dwarf tomatoes. Seven gallon for larger tomatoes.

Mine sit on the ground, but I know many have them sitting on pavement.

[Ricky Shaw]

Promix HP seems as foolproof as any growing media. The white poly bags from home depot are a nice price and good quality, but not enough drainage holes.

[Uncle Doss]

Thanks for the info, everyone. Please keep the posts coming.

And Yes, it is Indian Larry. My former life (before back problems) found me living on one of the many HD's I owned. Always was a fan of IL and a big fan of David Mann as well.
But alas, that was my former life, I just have the scarred and faded tattoos as reminders of what was once.
I traded in my ape hangers and fishtails for tomato plants and pumpkin vines

[Deborah]

I looked up his biography. I have never heard of him. Gee, that was sad. But he has peace now.

[PureHarvest]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

Promix HP seems as foolproof as any growing media. The white poly bags from home depot are a nice price and good quality, but not enough drainage holes.

Just picked some up today that were shipped in to my local HD.
Want to compare them to my 5 gal blacks.

Ricky, who do you buy bags from that you like the drain holes on?

I will have to compare my 5 gal with the new 7 whites and maybe make extra holes.

[PureHarvest]

Uncle Doss, I love plastic grow bags. They are cheap, easy to move and plant into.
You have to provide good feed though and having them on an automated drip or spray stake system would be highly advised unless you can hand water DAILY when the plants are full grown.
I also love Promix HP (high porosity). I have used the regular Promix BX to grow broccoli and it did fine, but I think for me, growing a longer term crop like peppers or tomatoes is better for bags.
I do lettuces, greens, brassicas, herbs, squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions, and garlic in the ground or raised beds with my native soil.
Post any questions you think of and I'll at least give u my experience on it.
I can not speak to the fabric bags, so that is another type of bag you could try too. Besides cost, my concern was that they would dry out too fast.

[Ricky Shaw]

The ones from greenhouse mega are a little cheaper I think, not nearly as good a quality, but have twice as many drain holes. And, black only.

After trying to figure out how to easily poke holes in the nicer white HomeDepot bags. It's not about poking, it's about cutting, with scissors.

Just make small diamond snips low on the corners with scissors. A couple of small ones higher, or a larger one lower, whatever. They're folded, so you can snip both sides at once if you want.

[SueCT]

I use these felt grow bags:

http://www.htgsupply.com/Category-Felt-Gro-Pots

7 gallon for Peppers, 10 gallon for smaller tomatoes and dwarfs, and 20 gallon for the largest tomatoes. I don't fill the 20 gallon to the top so it is more like 15 gallons of soil. I have used them for 3 seasons now and they are quite sturdy. I also like that they have handles. But they are a little less expensive than some other brands. I use Miracle Grow potting mix with moisture granules. I find it easier to keep up with the watering of pots when the full heat of summer hits if I use the moisture control soil. I had placed my pots on my driveway in the back of the house, which is South facing, in past years, and I elevated them slightly on two wood planks with a space between the planks, about 2" x 8" or 10" planks. I did that to keep them from getting hot enough on the tar to damage the roots. Not sure if it was necessary, but I already had the planks from previous raised beds I had taken down so it seemed like a good idea. It also prevented them from sitting in water if we had heavy rains. If you are going to sit them on dirt or grass and don't already have some planks handy, I personally wouldn't bother.

[PureHarvest]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

The ones from greenhouse mega are a little cheaper I think, not nearly as good a quality, but have twice as many drain holes. And, black only.

After trying to figure out how to easily poke holes in the nicer white HomeDepot bags. It's not about poking, it's about cutting, with scissors.

Just make small diamond snips low on the corners with scissors. A couple of small ones higher, or a larger one lower, whatever. They're folded, so you can snip both sides at once if you want.

Might try the hole puncher at work too. Its a table top not a hand held.

[Ricky Shaw]

Nothing else, you got a folding spaghetti colander.

[Worth1]

Take what ever size pipe you want for a hole and sharpen the end in a grinder on the outside.
Set the bag over a chunk of wood set the sharp pipe on the bag and whack the devil out of it with a hammer.
Makes a nice hole.
It will look like this on the end, this is one for making holes for grommets I think.

Worth