Grow Bag Gardening

As a child I remember my dad using grow-bags on the patio for growing his tomatoes and my mum complaining about the sight of them. But, they have come a long way since those early days and now have dedicated websites, blogs, flicker sites and even their own houses.

So what is the phenomenon?

Traditionally the bags were used in the greenhouse because of their space saving efficiency and also plants or vegetables would not become infected by any diseases lurking in the existing soil. Although, they are still widely used in the greenhouse they make ideal plantings areas for small gardens where space is at a premium.

How to prepare and plant

• Loosen the compost in the bag by shaking and kneading it like a pillow.
• Shape the bag into a low hummock, making sure compost is evenly spread.
• Pierce the base of bag for drainage and cut out the pre-marked planting areas of a trough if you are planting salad crops.
• Scoop out compost from each planting area leaving a big enough hole for the root ball of your plant. Put a plant in each hole and refill around it with compost. The top of each root ball should be just below the top of the bag.
• Improve the effectiveness of your watering by burying a small flower pot in the compost alongside each tomato plant. Filling the pot when you water means water is directed to the roots of the plant and doesn't run off the surface of the compost.

What to grow

Growing bags are ideal for plants that don't have deep roots, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, chilli peppers, aubergines and courgettes. However, with so many additional accessories available such as bottomless plant pots you could try a whole range of plants for instant colour in difficult planting areas.

Aftercare

If you are growing taller or top-heavy or top-heavy crops push a cane into the bag next to each plant. Tie the plant to the cane and attach the cane to a frame. This will prevent the plants from toppling over in the wind or if they become top heavy.

Keep the compost moist and feed plants such as aubergine, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers with a high potash fertiliser when flowers appear - this will ensure you get the plumpest fruit. When crops have finished, split the bag open and recycle the compost as a soil conditioner in the garden.