reusable shopping bags as a grow bag?
 

Anyone tried using the reusable shopping bags to grow plants in yet. Seems like they would work well and pretty cheap at 0.50 to 1.00 a piece.

If you buy in bulk heard the price can be as low as 0.25 each.

The Sun leaves Grow bags I can get 5 gal ones for about 0.53 with shipping cost included.

Anyways wondering if anyone here has tried it yet.

Here is a link to a non profit group that uses them in their growing projects.

[url]http://www.globalbuckets.org/p/grow-bags.html[/url]

Some of those reusable bags have lead in them. They've been in the news for the past few months. You just need to be careful which reusable bags you buy.

Ahh Guess its good I ordered a 50 pk of the sun leaves plastic grow bags already. I was planning to test out the reusable shopping bags but I guess I will have to wait and see what the grocery stores do.

Do the sunleaves plastic grow bags breathe like fabric pots/bags?

[QUOTE=Chucker;199476]Do the sunleaves plastic grow bags breathe like fabric pots/bags?[/QUOTE]

No they have holes for drainage but they do not breathe

Here is a report from the Center for Consumer Freedom giving the lead and cadmium content of various reusable bags (pdf format): [URL="http://www.consumerfreedom.com/downloads/ccf_bag_report.pdf"]http://www.consumerfreedom.com/downloads/ccf_bag_report.pdf[/URL]

I was going to use some Ikea bags next year so good to know they are low in lead. Another good idea, if you have any leftover landscaping fabric you can sew or staple it into a pot shape for an even cheaper (ie free) grow bag.

I did read in Jerry Baker's book that you could plant in paper grocery bag and while plant is still small the bag can be folded shut to protect it from a cold spell.

Plant the paper grocery bag into ground in the tomato hole.

Some of those reusable grocery bags are also made out of a [B]cloth like paper[/B] (which tear rather easily) and I'm sure they wouldn't last a whole season. Also I wouldn't count on the fabric ones to last a full season either as I doubt they have [B]UV blockers[/B] and the [B][COLOR=red]Sun[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=red][B]can be a[/B][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=red]harsh mistress[/COLOR][/B]. But who knows--I could be wrong as I'm just making a semi-educated guess. :dizzy:

Has anyone tried bags like[URL="http://www.texashydroponics.com/shop/product.php?productid=1000&cat=101&page=1"] these[/URL] before?

They seem pretty inexpensive, but I've never tried them. I am thinking of getting some to try dwarfs in.

I was thinking that since they were for indoor use, they might not hold up well to outside weather... but then again, they are meant to be filled with water, so how bad could they be?

Wow, those are cheap!! Nice find! And close by too!

[QUOTE=BlackestKrim;199762]Has anyone tried bags like[URL="http://www.texashydroponics.com/shop/product.php?productid=1000&cat=101&page=1"] these[/URL] before?

They seem pretty inexpensive, but I've never tried them. I am thinking of getting some to try dwarfs in.

I was thinking that since they were for indoor use, they might not hold up well to outside weather... but then again, they are meant to be filled with water, so how bad could they be?[/QUOTE]

I ordered the Sunleaves ones they are 0.02 cheaper but the reason I ordered them is the inside is black but the outside is white, so its supposted to keep the roots from getting as hot from the sun. Other than that same thing I will be using this year.

Those are cheaper in lower quantities though I guess.

White (or black) poly 5 gal. grow bags are available in 10 packs for $3.80
[URL="http://chem-gro.com/cart/product_info.php?products_id=768"]Hydro-Gardens[/URL]
They also sell 5 gal grow bags with enough coco coir to fill them for under $3 each, but are out of them until May...must be waiting for the ship to come in from Sri Lanka.

[QUOTE=RinTinTin;199833]White (or black) poly 5 gal. grow bags are available in 10 packs for $3.80
[URL="http://chem-gro.com/cart/product_info.php?products_id=768"]Hydro-Gardens[/URL]
They also sell 5 gal grow bags with enough coco coir to fill them for under $3 each, but are out of them until May...must be waiting for the ship to come in from Sri Lanka.[/QUOTE]

That is about the same as I paid depending on shipping cost. The link you gave says they charge the actual shipping cost and can not tell you the price in till the item is weighed. So with shipping the price per unit goes up.

My cost per bag ended up being 0.53 (including shipping) theirs is 0.38 (plus shipping) so without knowing the shipping rate its hard to compare the prices.

[quote=BlackestKrim;199762]Has anyone tried bags like[URL="http://www.texashydroponics.com/shop/product.php?productid=1000&cat=101&page=1"] these[/URL] before?

They seem pretty inexpensive, but I've never tried them. I am thinking of getting some to try dwarfs in.

I was thinking that since they were for indoor use, they might not hold up well to outside weather... but then again, they are meant to be filled with water, so how bad could they be?[/quote]

I was just at that store for pearlite and took a look at the grow bags. They are just black plastic bags, not a breathable fiber or anything. I think I'd go with another site for grow bags.

Did get some 5gal plastic pots and spray painted the outside white.