Why You Should Consider Using Grow Bags For Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a summer staple in the garden. If you're hesitant to grow them because you think they need a lot of room, you'll be happy to know they make good patio plants. But rather than choosing plastic containers, consider using fabric grow bags for tomatoes. These bags provide benefits like portability and easy access, and they help tomatoes grow healthy root systems. They're fairly inexpensive and can be reused a few times, making them an environmentally and budget-friendly option. You can even save your empty potting soil bags and turn them into grow bags for tomatoes to make the most of what you have on hand.

Some tomato plants make better patio plants than others. Some varieties have been cultivated to grow in containers, such as Bush Early Girl, Super Bush Hybrid, or Patio Princess. However, you don't have to limit yourself to varieties that specify how they should be planted. Tomatoes come in indeterminate or determinate varieties; the former will keep growing and producing fruit, while the latter will grow to a certain height and set fruit all at once. To find success with tomatoes in grow bags, stick to determinate varieties since those won't grow into crazy long vines.

If you live in an area that has a small yard or no yard at all, you don't have to give up on growing your own tomatoes. One of the many benefits of using grow bags for tomatoes is that you can put them almost anywhere. Tomatoes need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to be healthy and productive. If you have limited sunlight access, grow bags can help with this problem thanks to their portability. If buildings or trees block different parts of your yard, move the grow bag to a sunnier location throughout the day. You can also move them closer or further away from grow lights, which you may need to settle for if your balcony is devoid of all sunlight.

One thing to note is that fabric grow bags will leak water. This is a benefit to the plant, but it could affect how you plan your grow bag garden. If you want to use grow bags for your tomatoes indoors, you'll need to find a way to collect excess water so you don't ruin your floors. Consider keeping them in a large storage tote or on a plant stand with a dish underneath that can catch the water. You'll be able to pour the water out so you don't have to worry about stagnant water causing problems in your home.

When growing tomatoes in the ground, they can easily become difficult to tend to, especially if they're planted between other plants. When you have tomatoes in a grow bag, however, they become much easier to manage. You should plant only one tomato plant per bag. At the time of planting, add a support system like a tomato cage or bamboo trellis. As the plant grows, you'll have easy access to every portion of the plant. Even if you place it near a fence or other plants, you can turn the bag around as needed. 

Rootbound tomatoes will rarely be an issue since fabric bags allow for air pruning, which is when roots stop growing because of their exposure to oxygen. Roots can grow through fabric grow bags, but they'll stop once they reach the outside of the bag. This is good for the plant because the dead root encourages it to develop even more roots, which will help it absorb water and nutrients more evenly. The plant can't become rootbound, so you don't have to worry about repotting. It should be noted that the bigger the grow bag, the better. Tomatoes need plenty of room to grow, so find the largest bag you can reasonably fit in your space for the best results. Small containers will result in small or even stunted plants.