fabric pots are just as good as airpots and not as expensive. you'll get a huge root mass and production is much better as the plant can uptake more nutrients.

I assume you can probably get propagation size fabric pots too? Thanks sah

I just used raised beds and plastic pots. but, someone once told me, instead of paying the price for the fabric pots, just buy some heavy duty landscape fabric and make your own. That way, it's not only cheaper (they sure are proud of their fabric pots) but you can make whatever size you want.
Pam

I plan to get some walmart bags to try them out and see if there is a big difference.

I would love to make my own, but I have no sewing skills.

Ronny

I'm not going to be using pots for the most part. We have more than enough space for however daring I get with the size of our garden. However I usually pot a few of my favorites and keep them on my deck. Therefore, I'm not worried about spending a little extra on 5 pots if it's a big difference in production.
I'm also curious about using fabric or plastic air pots for the beginning stages as opposed to using a solo/styrofoam cup. Does that make much difference or not because they are only in those smaller pots for a couple of weeks.
Im more than likely going to try a few anyway just to experiment. Thanks for the input from all of you.

Wanted you to know you are a bad influence checked out the air pots and there are now twenty five of the small ones on their way to my door. They look like they will work great in my hydro system for starts I'll let you know. Would like to try the 15 gal but $30 with shipping is a little steep a pack of eight was pushing hard at $250 that's more than 30 fabric pots

Haha cool. It's fun to experiment with new stuff. I'll be anxious to hear how it goes.

Here is my TR Hovey papaya in a home-made air-pot

Wall Mart (i hate shopping there)
but, cant beat the price... $7

sturdy handles are a bonus

i put newspaper about 5 layers deep taped on the inside.
i figured the small particles would settle out, by the time the paper fell apart.

I kind of wished i had used some fabric though.
the paper works OK, but, little bits of soil fall out sometimes
not a lot, but noticeable.
its outdoors, so really no big deal.
i was too cheap and lazy to go find fabric to work :) LOL

ALL of my other plastic pots are filled with dozens of knife holes, to aerate the sides.
i do think it helps

I experimented with "Fabric Bags" this past season. And planted some of my peppers in them. I chose the inexpensive route, I used Fred Meyers $.88 shopping bags. I thought they were right size for peppers (~ 4 gallons), as I don't want to waste too much valuable potting mix that I make. I have yet to pull the dead plants and check the root system. But growth wise, they did pretty good, to me.
I have a perfect climate for fabric bags (PNW cool, rainy, cloudy). So watering and drying up is not an issue. Instead they offer a good drainage . And from what I have read, FB provide oxygen to the roots too.
Next season, I will mostly use FB in place of plastic pots.

This just saved me a ton of trouble. I've been trying to figure out what to do about pots and I like the idea of making your own out of Landscape Fabric.
I got some good reusable plastic pots from Lowes throughout this past season and Saturday I picked up a full garbage sized bag of them. 4" round and square ones. Great condition too. Home Depot doesn't save them but Lowes does. Check in your area to see if you can get them this way. They throw out the dead plants and save the pots for customers. Takes a while cleaning them out, but sure beats the cost of buying new ones (I use bleach too).
I like to germinate them in small containers with lids (got 4 in a pack for a $1 at the Dollar Tree). Gotta get more too, Haha! Then from there to the 4" pots (I prefer the round ones).
Then from there to Fabric Pots - Sounds good to me.
Will check it out.

Garret, Thanks for the LOWES idea. I will check with them. I have saved some 4" round or square pots but I can use more when I start germinating. The next up size would be 1/2 gallon. Then the plants will either go in the Fabric Bags or raised beds.

This is great. We learn so much valuable things in this forum. Landscape fabric, as suggested by Pam, is a fabulous idea for someone who can saw. But it is easy to make a liner with it , like in an old laundry basket.

Seysonn

Local nurseries are great for getting some free flats. Seysonn, do you use the pots in favor of your soil because of soil quality or do you thinks are just better in general?
I have pretty good soil here in the Midwest, but I like the mobility of the pots.

The woven rice bags should work and be close to 20 gallon your favorite Chinese Restaurant should be able to hook you up.

Check your local hydroponic shops if you are going to buy fabric pots they can be a few dollars cheaper than Amazon or home stores

As for landscape cloth as a liner or small pots it might be OK but as my plants grow they have stretched the fabric pots bulging the sides and they are heavy cloth with triple stitched seems and reinforcement straps

Seysonn, do you use the pots in favor of your soil because of soil quality or do you thinks are just better in general?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
ozzy ,

The reason I use pots, is because of limited ground space (raised bed). As you mentioned, pots have an advantage of mobility

Right now it is freezing cold here, but once it warms up, I will pull a few plants , both from fabric and plastic pots and examine the root system. I will report on my observation then.

Seysonn