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funnthesun

Ever used Root Pouches for Hostas?

Hi, guys

It seems like I have a flurry of questions all of a sudden, thanks for all the help I've been getting!

So, I have an order of Hostas coming in soon and am afraid I have run out of the good ole leftover nursery pots that are big enough to temporarily house hostas. So, I am looking into acquiring some cheap new pots to house my hostas (whether temporary or long-term). In my searching, I ran over these Root Pouch pots that are cheaper, but not so very ugly to look at long-term, like the nursery pots are. I need some long-term options until I can figure out what my plan will be for the new hosta bed. Anyway, anyone use these for hosta? Any experience or comments, just from looking at them? They are supposed to last for 6 years. If I can't make a permanent decision by then, lol, I need a head exam!

Here's the link for Root Pouches:

Root Pouch Pots

Comments (10)

  • Teresa_MN
    10 years ago

    Are these the bags that keep tree roots from taking over your hosta?

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No, they aren't spin out bags, although they can be planted in the ground, but I want to use them just as a sub for the black plastic pots above ground.

    What size would be the most common to plant new arrivals from Naylor, LOTG, Hallson's in? I'm torn between 3G and 5G.

  • Babka NorCal 9b
    10 years ago

    I don't understand your aversion to the black (or green) plastic growers pots. You can bunch them together, then put some small hostas in nicer pots in front of them to cover up the plastic. I do that all the time. Sticking them in bags wouldn't look good to me, and how do you hide the floppy handles? You would still need to group them together and put something in front of them just like with the pots. To say nothing of how quickly they might dry out... assuming they drain really well. My largest pots are 3 gal, and that is for some hostas that I've had for 5 or 6 years or more. New arrivals should be put into the ground (if you can) or into a pot that just contains the roots, plus a little depending on the time of the year. Right now, don't go larger than the roots, otherwise they will rot. A 3 gal container would be WAY too large for a mail order hosta the first year, unless you are getting a 4' wide plant.

    -Babka

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    am afraid I have run out of the good ole leftover nursery pots that are big enough to temporarily house hostas

    ==>>> there isnt a single nursery in NC that has a recycle bins for pots??? .. i just got 50 one gals the other day .... ONE MILE DOWN THE ROAD ... the woman was glad to be rid of them ....

    crikey.. i cant imagine paying money for pots.... to hold hosta ...

    it a different issue for pretty decorative pots.. that you slide the nursery pot and hosta into ...

    ken

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I went out and measured and the ones that I have been using for mail order are 1 to 2 gallons. That just sounds so small in my head, but its right! I know what size I need when I look at the pot, just never knew what gallon it was b/c they are just leftover perennial pots from purchases, of course.

    I guess everyone is different with what they like. I don't care for the nursery pots and I would like to try these. Call it an experiment. I don't think the handles are floppy, but we'll see. Even if they are, I think they look kind of cool. To each their own.

    I did think the study was interesting comparing overwintering and growth rates between these type of bags and the plastic pots. Wonder if it's legit. It seemed that it was.

    I like that it will drain well, as I tend to water more than less.

  • beverlymnz4
    10 years ago

    Hey Funnthsun, can you give us a followup on how you like them. I divide perennials every year and give them away, so I like you, run out of pots. I don't care for dumpster diving and would like to avoid the sanitizing of unknown pots. I think these would work in my plant stand also.

    Thanks for trying these and please give a review.

    Beverly

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I'll be glad to, Bev. They are on their way!

  • egflynn
    10 years ago

    I'd also be interested in a review. These look similar to Smart Pots ... and what do you know, it's the other type of fabric pot used in the study. I've used Smart Pots for edibles and had nice results (not sure if you can plant them in the ground like you can for the root pouches, though).

    Fwiw, sizes under five gallons won't have handles.

  • in ny zone5
    10 years ago

    Why buy these root pouches when you can get spinout bags for the same price, I compared the 10 gal bags? Some day your hostas will get invaded by tree roots, and spinout bags would then protect them, but not the root pouches. Bernd

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well, several reasons. The root pouches (2-gallon) are 1.20 each, when purchased in 25 pk bundle and the source that I found spin out bags are 2.00 each when purchased in a pk of 10. (Caveat - I am certainly no expert on spin out bag sources, there may be a cheaper source.). It seems that some of the sizes do have a difference in price.

    The other reason is that I like how the root pouches look, not so much the spin outs. If they were going in the ground, defin spin out, but they aren't. These will be above ground. I like that the larger ones have handles, too. That will really help with moving them around.