Fabric Grow Bags: Why We Use Them for Our Backyard Garden

February 10, 2023

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With spring planting just around the corner, it's the perfect time to start thinking about how to set up your garden (or start your very first one). For most of us, buying new pots or planters is exciting because it means new plants and a fresh look. But what if there's a more sustainable, more productive option for container gardening that you may not have tried yet?

That's where fabric grow bags come in. We've been using them in our backyard garden for years now, and they've completely changed how we grow tomatoes, peppers, collards, Swiss chard, and herbs outdoors.

On The Grow backyard fabric grow bag garden with tomatoes, collards, Swiss chard, serrano peppers, and herbs

This blog walks through what fabric grow bags are, why they outperform traditional pots for most home gardens, what we're personally growing in ours, and how to set up your own. While we don't sell fabric grow bags ourselves, we do keep a curated list of our current favorites on our Amazon storefront. Here are the fabric grow bags we recommend on our Amazon storefront.

Quick Answer: What Are Fabric Grow Bags and Why Use Them?

Fabric grow bags are reusable container gardening bags made from breathable non-woven fabric. They give plants significantly better aeration and drainage than traditional pots, prevent root-bound growth through a process called air-pruning, and work in nearly any outdoor or greenhouse setup. We use them in our backyard garden to grow tomatoes, peppers, collards, Swiss chard, and herbs, and they consistently outperform plastic pots on growth and yield. The main tradeoff is more frequent watering since the breathable fabric allows soil to dry faster than sealed containers.

What Are Fabric Grow Bags?

Fabric grow bags are exactly what they sound like: reusable gardening bags made from breathable non-woven fabric. They give plant roots significantly more airflow than traditional plastic or ceramic pots, and they drain excess water much better.

They come in a wide range of sizes (typically 1 gallon up to 100+ gallon) and colors, and they're lightweight enough to be moved around easily even when full. They work in almost any setup: directly on the ground, on a patio, in a greenhouse, or on a balcony. Because of how well they breathe and drain, plants tend to grow faster and produce more in fabric grow bags than in standard pots.

Why Fabric Grow Bags Beat Plastic Pots

1. Air-Pruning Builds Stronger Roots

This is the single biggest reason we love fabric grow bags. In a plastic pot, when roots reach the wall, they have nowhere to go. They start circling the inside of the pot, eventually becoming root-bound. A root-bound plant struggles to take up nutrients and water, which stunts growth and reduces yield.

In a fabric grow bag, when roots reach the breathable fabric wall and hit air, they naturally stop growing at that tip. This is called air-pruning. Instead of circling, the plant responds by sending out new root branches further back, creating a dense, fibrous root system. More roots equals better nutrient uptake, better water absorption, and ultimately a stronger, more productive plant.

2. Superior Drainage and Aeration

Fabric grow bags drain excess water through the bottom and "sweat" moisture out through the sides. Combined with the air-pruning effect, this means root rot is almost impossible to cause in a fabric grow bag, even when you're a little heavy-handed with watering.

3. Natural Temperature Regulation

The breathable fabric helps regulate soil temperature naturally. In hot summer months, the fabric lets heat escape rather than trapping it like a plastic pot does, which protects roots from heat stress. We grow in North Texas where summer heat is brutal, and this temperature regulation has made a big difference for our outdoor garden.

4. Reusable and Portable

Quality fabric grow bags last for multiple seasons. They fold flat for off-season storage, and the handles on most bags make repositioning plants easy even when fully loaded with soil.

The One Real Tradeoff: More Frequent Watering

If there's a downside to fabric grow bags, it's this: because they breathe so well, the soil dries out faster than it would in a plastic pot. In hot summer weather, you may need to water daily, sometimes twice a day for smaller bags in direct sun.

Two ways we manage this in our garden:

Mulch the top. A 2-inch layer of mulch on top of the soil slows evaporation considerably.
Install drip irrigation. A simple drip line on a timer takes the daily watering chore off your plate and keeps moisture consistent, which is especially helpful for tomatoes and peppers that don't like to swing between wet and dry.

If you're growing on a patio or any solid surface, also place a saucer or liner underneath the bag. The wet fabric can leave muddy rings on concrete or decking otherwise.

What We Grow in Our Backyard Fabric Grow Bag Garden

Our current setup includes several fabric grow bags scattered across the back patio and yard. Here's what we typically have going each season:

Tomatoes: One plant per 10 to 15 gallon bag. Indeterminate varieties need bigger bags and sturdy cages or stakes for support.
Serrano peppers: One plant per 5 to 7 gallon bag. We love these for fresh salsas and they hold up beautifully in fabric grow bags.
Collards: A favorite for Texas gardens since they handle heat better than most leafy greens.
Swiss chard: Cut-and-come-again all season long. Rainbow varieties add gorgeous color to the garden.
Herbs: Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary. We mix and match in 3 to 5 gallon bags.

Some of these veggies and herbs are the exact same varieties we sometimes grow indoors as microgreens. If you're curious about the microgreen side, see our broccoli microgreens guide, our pea microgreens guide, or our beginner's guide to growing microgreens for the full breakdown on growing them indoors year-round.

What Can You Grow in Fabric Grow Bags?

The short answer is: almost anything. The right bag size depends on the plant. Here's a general guide based on what we've grown and tested:

3-Gallon Grow Bags

Best for shallow-rooted crops and herbs. Good choices include:

Strawberries
Carrots (look for shorter varieties)
Beets
Celery
Cilantro, dill, basil, parsley, and other herbs
Edible flowers like chive blossoms, marigolds, and nasturtiums

5-Gallon Grow Bags

The most versatile size for most gardeners. Good choices include:

A single tomato plant (determinate varieties or bush types)
Peppers (bell, jalapeño, serrano, banana, sweet)
Potatoes (the bag makes harvest dramatically easier)
Cucumbers
Cabbages
Onions and shallots
Leafy greens like collards, Swiss chard, kale, and lettuce

7 to 15-Gallon Grow Bags

For larger crops and small fruit trees. Good choices include:

Indeterminate tomato varieties
Melons
Winter squash and pumpkins
Dwarf citrus or fig trees
Larger pepper varieties

For specific size recommendations and current product picks, see our curated fabric grow bag list on the Amazon affiliate storefront.

How to Set Up Your Fabric Grow Bags

1. Choose the Right Soil

Regular garden soil is way too heavy and dense for fabric grow bags. The breathability of the bag is wasted if the soil inside compacts and chokes the roots. Instead, use a high-quality container or potting mix. A good homemade blend is:

Roughly 1/3 quality compost
1/3 peat moss or coco coir for moisture retention
1/3 perlite or vermiculite for drainage and aeration

Coco coir is a great peat moss alternative if you want a more sustainable option. We use it for microgreens too. Here's the coco coir we use on the Amazon storefront (we no longer sell coco coir directly).

2. Add Mulch After Planting

Once your plants are in, add about 2 inches of mulch on top of the soil. This dramatically slows evaporation and helps the soil stay evenly moist between waterings.

3. Find the Right Spot

Most vegetables and herbs need 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Morning sun is generally the best because it's less intense than afternoon sun. In hot summer climates, partial afternoon shade can actually help prevent heat stress and water loss.

4. Water Consistently

Check moisture daily, especially in hot weather. The "stick your finger in" test still works perfectly: if the top inch of soil is dry, it's time to water. In peak summer, smaller bags may need water twice a day. A drip line on a timer takes this off your plate entirely.

5. Feed Your Plants

Fabric grow bags drain so well that nutrients can wash out faster than in sealed pots. Plan to feed your plants with a balanced organic fertilizer or a liquid fertilizer like Ocean Solution 2-0-3 through the growing season. This is the same fertilizer we use for our microgreens, and it works well for outdoor container gardening too.

Container garden beginnings with seedlings and herbs ready for planting

Year-Round Use and Overwintering

One of the underrated perks of fabric grow bags is portability. In colder climates, you can move tender plants like herbs, peppers, or small citrus trees inside for the winter and back outside in spring. Hardy crops like collards, kale, carrots, and potatoes can often stay outside through mild winters with minimal protection.

If you live somewhere with hard freezes, group the bags together against a south-facing wall and cover with frost blankets when temperatures drop. The breathable fabric won't insulate as well as a thick plastic pot, so cold protection matters more for fabric bags than for traditional containers.

Edible flowers and herbs harvested from a container garden

Frequently Asked Questions

Are fabric grow bags really better than plastic pots?

For most plants, yes. Fabric grow bags allow air-pruning, drain better, regulate temperature naturally, and prevent root-bound growth. The tradeoff is more frequent watering. We've grown side-by-side in fabric bags vs. plastic pots and the fabric bags consistently produced healthier, more productive plants.

How often do you have to water fabric grow bags?

It depends on bag size, plant size, weather, and sun exposure. In hot summer weather, smaller bags may need water once or twice daily. Cooler weather or larger bags may only need water every 2 to 3 days. Mulching the top and using drip irrigation makes this much easier to manage.

What size fabric grow bag do I need for tomatoes?

For one tomato plant, we recommend a minimum of 5 gallons for determinate varieties and 10 to 15 gallons for indeterminate varieties. Larger bags hold more soil moisture and provide more root space, which directly translates to better yields.

Can fabric grow bags be reused?

Yes. Quality fabric grow bags typically last 3 to 5 seasons or more with proper care. At the end of each season, empty the soil into your compost or garden bed, give the bag a thorough rinse, let it dry completely, and store it folded flat for the off-season.

Do fabric grow bags leak on patios?

They don't "leak" in the dripping sense, but the wet fabric can leave muddy ring stains on concrete, decking, or hardscape. Use a saucer, liner, or plant caddy underneath when placing on patios or decks.

Can you grow potatoes in fabric grow bags?

Potatoes are one of the best crops for fabric grow bags. The bag makes harvest dramatically easier (just tip the whole bag over and dig through the soil), and the breathable fabric prevents the soil moisture issues that can cause potatoes to rot in sealed containers.

Where do you buy fabric grow bags?

We no longer sell fabric grow bags through On The Grow directly, but we keep a curated list of our current favorites on our Amazon affiliate storefront. Look for bags with 280-gram or heavier fabric for the most durable options.

What soil do you use in fabric grow bags?

Skip regular garden soil, it compacts too easily. Use a quality container or potting mix, or blend your own from compost, coco coir or peat moss, and perlite or vermiculite in roughly equal parts. Here's the coco coir we use.

Final Thoughts

Fabric grow bags have completely changed how we approach outdoor container gardening. The combination of air-pruning, better drainage, temperature regulation, and portability makes them a better choice than plastic pots for almost every crop we grow. The slightly higher watering demands are a small tradeoff for the gains in plant health and yield.

If you're setting up a new container garden this season or upgrading an existing one, fabric grow bags are an easy place to start. Check out our curated Amazon list for the bags we currently use and recommend.

If you grow with us, we'd love to see what you're putting in your fabric grow bags. Tag us on Instagram or share in our Facebook community group. We love seeing what other growers are up to.

CJ & Mandi, On The Grow

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Published: February 10, 2023
Updated: May 25, 2026
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