I love air pruning my plants- have been doing that for the past 2 yrs. I grew tomatoes and peppers in different containers and had better results especially with the peppers-all hot varieties, than the ones grown in traditional plastic containers.Only downside is that you must water very frequently, daily in the summer. Air pruning definitely works. I've used the cloth like shopping bags sold at supermarkets-no landscaping fabric needed, just fill these bags and put them in old laundry baskets! I will try eggplants this year- have 3 that I have overwintered too.
I bought identical laundry baskets. Turned one upside down. Covered it with weed block, then placed the other one over it to sandwich the weed block between the two. I then turned it right side up and trimmed the excess weed block. Less waste and better coverage. Most laundry baskets are pretty flimsy so the 'double wall' made it stronger and less likely to sag on the sides. Since they are both identical, the holes line up exactly. I do not drill holes in the bottom. That 1/2" (1.25 cm) will hold a little water for wicking action from under the plant and not cause root rot. You can get cheap laundry baskets at a Dollar Store or similar for about $1.00 each. The soil costs a lot more than the container! I took glass bottles (beer bottles, soda bottles, vinegar bottles, similar), filled with water and inverted them, placing them in the soil. Bigger the glass bottle, the longer the watering works and the less refills you have to do. Green bottles seem to slow or stop any algae growth. As soil dries out, water is pulled from the glass bottle into the soil. When soil swells at the bottle neck, it stops the water flow. Automatic watering if you will. And you can see visually when you need to refill the bottles. Bottles MUST be glass. Plastic will collapse and you get too much water at first, then almost none later. I did notice that air pruning doesn't work as intended in humid places. But there is still the benefit of air getting in the soil. You can also mix in the proper amount of fertilizer if desired to automatically fertilixe at the same time. Drip irrigation lets too much water evaporate from the surface. Bottle method is similar to subsurface irrigation - less evaporation. Besides, weed seeds that fall on the top of the soil usually won't get enough water to grow when using the glass bottle method, but with drip irrigation, they have all they want. Sub irrigation (water reservoir under the soil) is prone to mosquitoes and can become stagnant/anaerobic. Bottle method does not have this problem. Best soil to use is potting soil. Regular soil does not work well (from experience). And to make things even easier, mix in some water crystals. Be sure to leave 2 inches (5cm) between the soil surface and the top of the container. You will still need to water from time to time. Also, the tall laundry baskets are a disaster to use. They bend in the middle and want to fall over. Use a rectangle one or a round one. Wider is generally better than taller. An observation - in humid areas where air is not dry enough to air prune, the sun will prune any roots that stick out.
PS people use kiddie pools and grow bags. While this is excellent for watering, it poses some problems - MOSQUITOES love that stagnant water. Unwanted animals come for 'food - yours - and drink. And almost impossible to stake up certain plants the normal way.
Tried Air pruning this season. It is really effective. I used a laundry basket, a $9 weed block fabric to assemble my Container. The yield of my plant have increased and the quality of the produce is also better. I will try planting other varieties and share my experience. This is a win for tomato and Holy basil.
I use the basket method all the time, and it is great for overwintering plants. I did find a bit of the drainage problem you mentioned, so i simply poked a few small holes directly in the fabric to help it drain. (I do drill bigger holes in the bottom than I see you have in your basket here. At least 3/4 inch I think.) The thing I liked best about it was that I can bottom water the plants really easily, or even stick the whole thing down into my compost tea for a good fertilizing, with the shorter plants like eggplant and bush tomatoes. The baskets are relatively light compared to many planters, so they are easy to move for things like that, as well as finding the best source of light for the plants. Since we have 115 degree days here for weeks at stretch (today was 108 degrees), it is very important to be able to find shade for the plants. Using this method with some portable awnings, I have been able to grow through the heat of the summer when I could grow nothing before.
Not a pro, no: not by a long shot. Just desperate I guess. ;-) Texas heat is no fun: I imagine Cajun country knows all about that. Good people Cajuns. Some of the best I ever met.
your video is very clear and the good point is that you have a conclusion and don't postpone it to another video. Meaning you are showing the result of your work in the same video.
Great Video! I have 5-15 gal fabric aerations pots that I've been using for 3 seasons now and for the price, I can't say that they have yielded spectacular results, but I did get better results with the fabric pots than what was grown in my plastic containers(I grew bush beans, Yukon gold potatoes and red potatoes in both types of containers). I did notice that the roots on the veggies grown in the fabric pots did have more little hairy roots so I guess you could say that it works, but this is coming from a "lets try this and see if it works" kind of gardener : ). The fabric pots are pricey so I haven't purchased any more. As a cheaper alternative I have used cheap dollar store laundry baskets lined with landscape fabric and have had similar results growing the same veggies in the laundry basket containers as I did growing them in the fabric pots. I pretty much have the same opinion as you do about air pruning.
I have made many containers of succulents & flowering plants by lining baskets & have noticed the weed fabric doesn't drain terribly well. Especially for plants that like a little more dry, I have used a bath poof, cut it up & stretched it out. This gives better chance for drainage while holding in the soil. Fine netting available at fabric stores would work for bigger needs!
To me, this is just the same as planting in buckets. I grew 18 tomato plants in ten inch buckets with huge success. At the end of the season, the buckets were full of roots and no spare soil to re-use. However, I like the idea of using washing/laundry baskets to grow anything in, so I will pinch that idea, thank you Happy New Year
+Marina Wilson I agree with you, the results are not very different, I am growing radishes and Swiss Chard in grow bags this year. Nice to know you liked the idea of using the laundry basket, do try it out. Happy New Year!
Thanks for sharing.. I like when you recycle Levi materials to line the soil. In Ann Arbor we are encourage to recycle. I tried growing lemon grass which was dying in the yard. I took it out and followed your method and its growing very fast. I also grew cutting Vietnamese mint and its growing faster than the one in my backyard. I like your ideas of gardening.
I have heard of good results for potted figs using air pruning. In my one example, it's vigorous but not that different. I plan to transfer some rooted cuttings and compare several different examples this year. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks alot I will certainly remembered your teaching techinque which i am interested of how to grow vegetables and fruits plants in air pruning when i am soon returning home for good to Malaysia. For sure i will go into video youtube searching for your page. I am going to made a note of your site. I am glad i got you as a teacher. L H Tan
I recently bought a good, electric powered, poly, "cement mixer" (from Home Depot, online), to use in mixing up potting soil mixes, etc.! I think it'll save a lot of back-breaking leaning over the "wheel-barrow"!!! LOL!!!
might consider using a riser so the air can also hit the bottom of the grow bag, there wouldn't be a mass of roots at the bottom like you see here because the bottom of the container was allows to accumulate water. my 2 cents. I have had great success doing this with grow bags and using a riser to set the bag on. when i pull the bags off to move the plant to bigger containers its more a fuzz where the root ends stop and they take off like crazy once in the bigger bag,
I just set up some cheap, Walmart laundry baskets, using "Burlap" as a soil retension layer, inside, and planting 4 "seed potatoes (1/2 of a sprouted potato), per pot. Then filling it to about 1/2 full, (using old compost), (to start); ( I'm intending to fill more completely as the potatoes grow taller), and so they sit now on my patio, in nearly full sun, and I'll keep them watered, and "mulched" as needed. I hope to get a lot of good potatoes bu the end of this growing season. Next, I'm going to set up pots/baskets, for tomatoes! Then some small popcorn, or ornamental/Indian corn! Perhaps, some Thai Basil, and also, some peppers?!...... [ I need to retire, ASAP, and Do More Gardening!!!... LOL!!!]
I did use a grow bag and didn't really like it. It was only once so I can't really say too much. For the time being, I would rather grow in the ground or in a regular pot. This would be a good experience for later. Thanks for the information. Will have to keep this in mind:)
I haven’t tried it. But, I am this year for the first time. I appreciate your advice and honesty. I plan to grow potatoes because they take up too much room in my beds. Also, do you know if I need to amend my clay soil after having used cardboard and wood chips?
When you opened the bag your roots are root bound, I watched a different video by "Larry & Eyvonne Hall" and his roots did not circle the grow bag, they pointed outward and looked very healthy. Maybe something he did that you may not have done is set the grow bag in water, and allow it to self water itself.
I love your videos! I've watched the older ones and was so happy when I heard you narrate instead of just reading your text. I am looking forward to spring in my region so I can get back to gardening again. I will be starting my hot peppers indoors in 2 weeks. Thanks so much! Very helpful.😊
+kikilicious99 Thank you, glad you liked the videos! Nice to know you are starting your peppers soon, looking forward to the Spring too. Happy Gardening!
Your video is interesting and well documented compliments for the same i have used a similar method for the similar types of odd size baskets i have used a mesh net and provided raw coconut husk which is shredded which forms as a base for holding the plant and i have used a little amount of soil which is sprinkled over the coconut husk i have planted money plant and the growth is good and to keep it moist i have used a home made drip irrigation from a coco cola bottle even a discarded medical Cather unit for controlling the flow of water.
thanks! thanks. that's the episode i am looking for a while. for result of air pruning on different plant. i have being using this technique for long time. for(mints and basil). it work absolutely perfect. even for compact pots.(i usually use hanging one). it yield large leave and very bushy. and also i used fiber cotton cloth instead of landscape fabric. it is much better than it. for cotton cloths having micro holes, roots get their way out easily and thus have better pruning.
Very nice video; I was wondering if Air Pruning made a noticeable difference. This is a definite "NO" for me, especially considering watering costs go higher (bags drying out quicker than in-ground soil).
Just a couple of points, first it's improper to say that root dye, they only dry, if roots were dying it would not produce branching or ramifications. A second point is the fact you used 2 annual plants in your demonstration. Initially grow bags were made for small trees not for annual plants, when you know the size of roots of the plant there is no need to use a big grow bag, for instance tomatoes don't provide large roots, there is no risk of root bounding. Use and compare grow bags for indoor or outdoor plants that makes root bounding, like ficus or monstera Deliciousa, that would be more correct. Thanks for the video anyway, the only person who said it was magic was Larry Hall, but he was selling bags, you should mention his name somewhere
Do you think a 3 gallon grow bag will grow tomotatoes, and cucumber's ??? I have never tried them but just got them today from amazon 3 gallon and 5 gallon. Please let me know, any advice will help. thank's Nicky from Michigan
Instead of grow bag if we can find Jute Bag (gony/bori as we call it in local lang) it would be an apt choice for this technique to work. India is Great...we have solutions that are great and inexpensive. Thanks
Iam growing tomatoes in the famous smart pots. They do fine, I have not taken them out to see the roots but I noted the soil do not get hard, still loose. Is the only difference I see so far.
An important use for grow bags is to control the size of things such as fruit trees that would grow too large or tall. I have read it keeps the roots from circling the pot and strangling itself.
+B. Champagne Good point. Container plants need to be repotted every few years. I have covered this topic in this video: ua-cam.com/video/F-kPytJbrmM/v-deo.html - Happy Gardening!
A good video on air pruning yet how inside the bag roots receive air to be pruned ? Also I m in Karachi have a little garden on roof I have tomato plants which bear flowers but not fruits these receive air sunlight any suggestion.
This air pruning, in combination with organic fertiliser tea for nutrients, would be a winning combination, wouldn't it? Also, have you tried pots made from compressed coconut? What are the benefits of that? Are they porous? Do they dissolve and act as fertiliser?
place bag in shallow buckets- the reservoir allows much less watering and labor = time and eco awareness! deep bags vs. wide are the key- simply adding fish emulsion with a little epsom to water, covers most needs, in addition to your tea!
i think air pruning will be ideal in location where summer is shorted for example UK where you have growing season for 3 months under the summer heat, veg like squash i would say would grow great in smaller conatiners like this as its the best way in my experience to yield far more, in raised bed i only harvest 2 courgettes on a grow bag more than 20 per month times 3/4 per plant i will experiement with air pruning and see how that works.
I believe the main benefit of air pruning pertains to trees that you plan on putting in the ground in the future. If a tree becomes root bound it will not grow well after being put in the ground.
Could you please list the ingredients and the ratio of each that you use to make your potting mix? Also, what kind of landscape fabric do you use to line the container?
Would it be ok to conclude that the yields are similar but the difference would be in how much cheaper is one container vs the other? Did I get it right? Be well and thanks! 🙏❤️👋😁
watched a couple of your videos now I'm addicted to your channel. just a little jealous of your California weather. I'm in Utah and the winters do get really cold and snowy.
nice video did you get this idea from larry hall..? thats were i got the idera from 2 years ago..and the wall mart bags work great for me have a good day
I like how u explain air root curing. any way, what do u do w those eggplant? someone on tv said that they were like cigarette bud. so what do i do w them, i don't know, but i don't want to eat them. do u have any idea? i like to plant them, but and i don't like to use salt. oh, air prunning, is any land scaping fabric ok to use? I have a lot of basket like this from walmart.
Grow bag needs saucer or material to keep some amount of water for an auto-self watering and regulate the water absorption. Common mistake why some grow back users fail. Lots of trials and errors. Best to check and reference other videos. Grow bag with good water absorbent material is a key factor.
Good tests. I'm just thinking, bigger roots maybe better only to an extent. Roots die and regrow like in this method may take energy that could be used for growing leaves and fruits. Roots' function is to support and absorb nutrients, maybe nature has an idea how big a root is big enough. So potting mix recipes encouraging bigger roots may not be the best? I have used all compost soil to grow vegetables, it drains too quick and seems don't have the structure to support the plants.
I think I make a mistake, I bought a beautiful plum tree , well no to beautiful it is dormant, but it's grafted with 4 different varieties of plums that is why I think it's beautiful, I planted in a raise bed. And know I think that was my mistake. Please please give me your opinion do I take it out of there and replanted properly at ground level????
+maricruz jaimes If your raised bed has ground below it (without any barrier between the raised bed and ground), leave it there, the roots will eventually grow into the ground. As a general rule, fruit trees can be directly planted into the ground though since raised beds are mostly useful for vegetables and herbs. Yes you can remove it carefully and plant it in the ground if you want to use the raised bed for something else (like veggies). Hope that helps!
So how do you know it is not just because the drainage is much better than in a regular pot, ie it has nothing to do with air but with draining the water? Just curious before trying it.
I love air pruning my plants- have been doing that for the past 2 yrs. I grew tomatoes and peppers in different containers and had better results especially with the peppers-all hot varieties, than the ones grown in traditional plastic containers.Only downside is that you must water very frequently, daily in the summer. Air pruning definitely works. I've used the cloth like shopping bags sold at supermarkets-no landscaping fabric needed, just fill these bags and put them in old laundry baskets! I will try eggplants this year- have 3 that I have overwintered too.
I bought identical laundry baskets.
Turned one upside down.
Covered it with weed block, then placed the other one over it to sandwich the weed block between the two.
I then turned it right side up and trimmed the excess weed block.
Less waste and better coverage.
Most laundry baskets are pretty flimsy so the 'double wall' made it stronger and less likely to sag on the sides.
Since they are both identical, the holes line up exactly.
I do not drill holes in the bottom.
That 1/2" (1.25 cm) will hold a little water for wicking action from under the plant and not cause root rot.
You can get cheap laundry baskets at a Dollar Store or similar for about $1.00 each.
The soil costs a lot more than the container!
I took glass bottles (beer bottles, soda bottles, vinegar bottles, similar), filled with water and inverted them, placing them in the soil. Bigger the glass bottle, the longer the watering works and the less refills you have to do. Green bottles seem to slow or stop any algae growth.
As soil dries out, water is pulled from the glass bottle into the soil.
When soil swells at the bottle neck, it stops the water flow.
Automatic watering if you will.
And you can see visually when you need to refill the bottles.
Bottles MUST be glass. Plastic will collapse and you get too much water at first, then almost none later.
I did notice that air pruning doesn't work as intended in humid places.
But there is still the benefit of air getting in the soil. You can also mix in the proper amount of fertilizer if desired to automatically fertilixe at the same time.
Drip irrigation lets too much water evaporate from the surface. Bottle method is similar to subsurface irrigation - less evaporation.
Besides, weed seeds that fall on the top of the soil usually won't get enough water to grow when using the glass bottle method, but with drip irrigation, they have all they want.
Sub irrigation (water reservoir under the soil) is prone to mosquitoes and can become stagnant/anaerobic. Bottle method does not have this problem.
Best soil to use is potting soil. Regular soil does not work well (from experience). And to make things even easier, mix in some water crystals.
Be sure to leave 2 inches (5cm) between the soil surface and the top of the container.
You will still need to water from time to time.
Also, the tall laundry baskets are a disaster to use.
They bend in the middle and want to fall over.
Use a rectangle one or a round one. Wider is generally better than taller.
An observation - in humid areas where air is not dry enough to air prune, the sun will prune any roots that stick out.
PS people use kiddie pools and grow bags.
While this is excellent for watering, it poses some problems - MOSQUITOES love that stagnant water. Unwanted animals come for 'food - yours - and drink.
And almost impossible to stake up certain plants the normal way.
You make the best gardening videos. No fillers, no bs.
+KALSINFILMS Thank you very much for the feedback. Happy New year!
i agree
Tried Air pruning this season. It is really effective. I used a laundry basket, a $9 weed block fabric to assemble my Container. The yield of my plant have increased and the quality of the produce is also better. I will try planting other varieties and share my experience. This is a win for tomato and Holy basil.
Have you tried this with strawberries? If so was it successful?
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They're currently listed as "unavailable". Plus I don't understand why you hawk these when you said in your video that Walmart bags are cheap?
I dont know abt it before.... but I using that kind of pot for years....i found the secret behind the healthy yielding...
I use the basket method all the time, and it is great for overwintering plants. I did find a bit of the drainage problem you mentioned, so i simply poked a few small holes directly in the fabric to help it drain. (I do drill bigger holes in the bottom than I see you have in your basket here. At least 3/4 inch I think.)
The thing I liked best about it was that I can bottom water the plants really easily, or even stick the whole thing down into my compost tea for a good fertilizing, with the shorter plants like eggplant and bush tomatoes. The baskets are relatively light compared to many planters, so they are easy to move for things like that, as well as finding the best source of light for the plants. Since we have 115 degree days here for weeks at stretch (today was 108 degrees), it is very important to be able to find shade for the plants. Using this method with some portable awnings, I have been able to grow through the heat of the summer when I could grow nothing before.
LL Mcbee you sounds like a professional, what state you growing in, in Southern Louisiana it gets pretty hot
Not a pro, no: not by a long shot. Just desperate I guess. ;-) Texas heat is no fun: I imagine Cajun country knows all about that. Good people Cajuns. Some of the best I ever met.
What I found with air pruning is, my goal was to grow my plants big in small containers, and for that part is works.
+red wormnation Nice to know air pruning worked for you to grow big plants in small containers. Keep growing!
your video is very clear and the good point is that you have a conclusion and don't postpone it to another video. Meaning you are showing the result of your work in the same video.
Great demonstration of air pruning concept and I love the time lapse pictures showing the results of what you are talking about.
I haven't tried it but I think a side by side comparison would be helpful. It would also be a lot of work too! Thanks.
+Jeb Gardener Thanks, glad you liked it!
Yes I would like to try the same type and age of plant in a side by side comparison.
I think I’ll have to try that myself
Great Video! I have 5-15 gal fabric aerations pots that I've been using for 3 seasons now and for the price, I can't say that they have yielded spectacular results, but I did get better results with the fabric pots than what was grown in my plastic containers(I grew bush beans, Yukon gold potatoes and red potatoes in both types of containers). I did notice that the roots on the veggies grown in the fabric pots did have more little hairy roots so I guess you could say that it works, but this is coming from a "lets try this and see if it works" kind of gardener : ). The fabric pots are pricey so I haven't purchased any more. As a cheaper alternative I have used cheap dollar store laundry baskets lined with landscape fabric and have had similar results growing the same veggies in the laundry basket containers as I did growing them in the fabric pots. I pretty much have the same opinion as you do about air pruning.
+Jmichelle A Thanks for your feedback on the techniques and nice to know our opinions match!
I started experimenting 3 wks ago with air pruning. This is all new to me. I'm excited to see what my results will be.
I have made many containers of succulents & flowering plants by lining baskets & have noticed the weed fabric doesn't drain terribly well. Especially for plants that like a little more dry, I have used a bath poof, cut it up & stretched it out. This gives better chance for drainage while holding in the soil. Fine netting available at fabric stores would work for bigger needs!
I think this is something I want to try in the spring
To me, this is just the same as planting in buckets. I grew 18 tomato plants in ten inch buckets with huge success. At the end of the season, the buckets were full of roots and no spare soil to re-use. However, I like the idea of using washing/laundry baskets to grow anything in, so I will pinch that idea, thank you Happy New Year
+Marina Wilson I agree with you, the results are not very different, I am growing radishes and Swiss Chard in grow bags this year. Nice to know you liked the idea of using the laundry basket, do try it out. Happy New Year!
I like watching your videos. Straight to the point, thorough information with visual demonstration.
Yes indeed ...no magic pill........especially for us in the desert.....Great Video ! !
I like the way you say "grow bag" :)
Thanks for sharing.. I like when you recycle Levi materials to line the soil. In Ann Arbor we are encourage to recycle. I tried growing lemon grass which was dying in the yard. I took it out and followed your method and its growing very fast. I also grew cutting Vietnamese mint and its growing faster than the one in my backyard. I like your ideas of gardening.
I have heard of good results for potted figs using air pruning. In my one example, it's vigorous but not that different. I plan to transfer some rooted cuttings and compare several different examples this year. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you. I have not tried this method but I may give it a try next summer.
Thanks alot I will certainly remembered your teaching techinque which i am interested of how to grow vegetables and fruits plants in air pruning when i am soon returning home for good to Malaysia. For sure i will go into video youtube searching for your page. I am going to made a note of your site. I am glad i got you as a teacher. L H Tan
Great technique. New to me. I am an Alabama Master Gardener and I grow red potatoes and sweet potatoes i grow bags. Thanks.
I will definitely try this in the spring. Baigan in a basket is a cool idea.
+EndUser2090 Nice to know you will be trying this. Fresh baigans are amazing :)
"this is my opinion" I respect that. Because the amount of hate he would get otherwise for seeming like he was a "genius" would just be unbearable
I recently bought a good, electric powered, poly, "cement mixer" (from Home Depot, online), to use in mixing up potting soil mixes, etc.! I think it'll save a lot of back-breaking leaning over the "wheel-barrow"!!! LOL!!!
Me too! I got a cement mixer from Harbor Frieght to mix up compost; it works. We are geniuses!
might consider using a riser so the air can also hit the bottom of the grow bag, there wouldn't be a mass of roots at the bottom like you see here because the bottom of the container was allows to accumulate water. my 2 cents. I have had great success doing this with grow bags and using a riser to set the bag on. when i pull the bags off to move the plant to bigger containers its more a fuzz where the root ends stop and they take off like crazy once in the bigger bag,
Thanks for your tip!
loved learning about overwintering eggplant.thank you.my plants hate city water so i collect alot
I just set up some cheap, Walmart laundry baskets, using "Burlap" as a soil retension layer, inside, and planting 4 "seed potatoes (1/2 of a sprouted potato), per pot. Then filling it to about 1/2 full, (using old compost), (to start); ( I'm intending to fill more completely as the potatoes grow taller), and so they sit now on my patio, in nearly full sun, and I'll keep them watered, and "mulched" as needed. I hope to get a lot of good potatoes bu the end of this growing season. Next, I'm going to set up pots/baskets, for tomatoes! Then some small popcorn, or ornamental/Indian corn! Perhaps, some Thai Basil, and also, some peppers?!...... [ I need to retire, ASAP, and Do More Gardening!!!... LOL!!!]
+guloguloguy Nice plans! Keep growing!!
Have you noticed grow bags in a kiddie pool with a constant 1&1/2" water and overflow holes at 2" to drain off excessive rain?
I did use a grow bag and didn't really like it. It was only once so I can't really say too much. For the time being, I would rather grow in the ground or in a regular pot. This would be a good experience for later. Thanks for the information. Will have to keep this in mind:)
+OmgKittys78 Nice to know. Happy Gardening!
I haven’t tried it. But, I am this year for the first time. I appreciate your advice and honesty. I plan to grow potatoes because they take up too much room in my beds. Also, do you know if I need to amend my clay soil after having used cardboard and wood chips?
Yes amending clay soil is a good idea. Add gypsum. If possible, mix in coarse sand as well
I am trying it with my eggplant and chili. I used the ecobags from supermarket
When you opened the bag your roots are root bound, I watched a different video by "Larry & Eyvonne Hall" and his roots did not circle the grow bag, they pointed outward and looked very healthy. Maybe something he did that you may not have done is set the grow bag in water, and allow it to self water itself.
Good. Old laundry basket with old jeans pant staples works.
I love your videos! I've watched the older ones and was so happy when I heard you narrate instead of just reading your text. I am looking forward to spring in my region so I can get back to gardening again. I will be starting my hot peppers indoors in 2 weeks. Thanks so much! Very helpful.😊
+kikilicious99 Thank you, glad you liked the videos! Nice to know you are starting your peppers soon, looking forward to the Spring too. Happy Gardening!
Your video is interesting and well documented compliments for the same i have used a similar method for the similar types of odd size baskets i have used a mesh net and provided raw coconut husk which is shredded which forms as a base for holding the plant and i have used a little amount of soil which is sprinkled over the coconut husk i have planted money plant and the growth is good and to keep it moist i have used a home made drip irrigation from a coco cola bottle even a discarded medical Cather unit for controlling the flow of water.
Your setup sounds great. Happy Gardening!
u should make a video hun on your talents I would love to see
thanks! thanks. that's the episode i am looking for a while. for result of air pruning on different plant. i have being using this technique for long time. for(mints and basil). it work absolutely perfect. even for compact pots.(i usually use hanging one). it yield large leave and very bushy. and also i used fiber cotton cloth instead of landscape fabric. it is much better than it. for cotton cloths having micro holes, roots get their way out easily and thus have better pruning.
+umar ufx Glad you liked it. Nice to know this technique is working well for you. This year I have Swiss Chard and Radishes growing in grow bags too!
thanx for sharing. Did you save the eggplant bush for next season? is it possible to reuse it next season?
Very nice video; I was wondering if Air Pruning made a noticeable difference. This is a definite "NO" for me, especially considering watering costs go higher (bags drying out quicker than in-ground soil).
Good idea. I just know it now, thanks a lot
Super experimental demonstration
Wow! I like your corn in containers it’s look awesome .
As a professional horticulturist, I implore you to learn the difference between soil and potting mix. The terms are not interchangeable.
Thank you for your answer, if it's not a problem I will live it in there.
+maricruz jaimes Yes you can. Happy Gardening!
Just a couple of points, first it's improper to say that root dye, they only dry, if roots were dying it would not produce branching or ramifications. A second point is the fact you used 2 annual plants in your demonstration. Initially grow bags were made for small trees not for annual plants, when you know the size of roots of the plant there is no need to use a big grow bag, for instance tomatoes don't provide large roots, there is no risk of root bounding. Use and compare grow bags for indoor or outdoor plants that makes root bounding, like ficus or monstera Deliciousa, that would be more correct.
Thanks for the video anyway, the only person who said it was magic was Larry Hall, but he was selling bags, you should mention his name somewhere
Do you think a 3 gallon grow bag will grow tomotatoes, and cucumber's ??? I have never tried them but just got them today from amazon 3 gallon and 5 gallon. Please let me know, any advice will help. thank's Nicky from Michigan
Your every video is a treat
Great demo.Nice explanation cum advice.Thanks.
Excellent Video from start to finish and Very Informative ! great job.
Instead of grow bag if we can find Jute Bag (gony/bori as we call it in local lang) it would be an apt choice for this technique to work. India is Great...we have solutions that are great and inexpensive. Thanks
Yes jute bag is a good option as well
Iam growing tomatoes in the famous smart pots. They do fine, I have not taken them out to see the roots but I noted the soil do not get hard, still loose. Is the only difference I see so far.
An important use for grow bags is to control the size of things such as fruit trees that would grow too large or tall. I have read it keeps the roots from circling the pot and strangling itself.
+B. Champagne Good point. Container plants need to be repotted every few years. I have covered this topic in this video: ua-cam.com/video/F-kPytJbrmM/v-deo.html - Happy Gardening!
PHOENIX.-. Yes you are right. This method stops roots from growing in circles and choking themselves. That's the theory behind this.
How do you over winter the eggplant plant?
Well done ..very well explained, professional filming.
Thanks
A good video on air pruning yet how inside the bag roots receive air to be pruned ?
Also I m in Karachi have a little garden on roof I have tomato plants which bear flowers but not fruits these receive air sunlight any suggestion.
This air pruning, in combination with organic fertiliser tea for nutrients, would be a winning combination, wouldn't it? Also, have you tried pots made from compressed coconut? What are the benefits of that? Are they porous? Do they dissolve and act as fertiliser?
Thanks for the info. I'm m going to try your soil mix in my wooly pocket containers. Love your your videos.
+saul johnson Thank you and good luck with your growing!
place bag in shallow buckets- the reservoir allows much less watering and labor = time and eco awareness! deep bags vs. wide are the key- simply adding fish emulsion with a little epsom to water, covers most needs, in addition to your tea!
+shanelle wabatu Here in SoCal the heat and sun make the reservoir dry in no time, but will still try to do it next season, thanks for the tip!
i think air pruning will be ideal in location where summer is shorted for example UK where you have growing season for 3 months under the summer heat, veg like squash i would say would grow great in smaller conatiners like this as its the best way in my experience to yield far more, in raised bed i only harvest 2 courgettes on a grow bag more than 20 per month times 3/4 per plant i will experiement with air pruning and see how that works.
I believe the main benefit of air pruning pertains to trees that you plan on putting in the ground in the future. If a tree becomes root bound it will not grow well after being put in the ground.
I think you need to cut some slits in the fabric as many of the roots do not die and push up or spiral around the container/pot.
Good point, thanks for sharing
Another characteristic of an ideal grow bag is to be able to allow sufficient air through the fabric. WalMart bag is ok but better ones out there.
Could you please list the ingredients and the ratio of each that you use to make your potting mix? Also, what kind of landscape fabric do you use to line the container?
how did you saved the eggplant during the winter I live in MN which sometimes the summer heat is not long ,
How often and for how long do you water these air pruners? I'm in hot area - full sun.
Daily
Thanks for basic 👍
Would it be ok to conclude that the yields are similar but the difference would be in how much cheaper is one container vs the other? Did I get it right? Be well and thanks! 🙏❤️👋😁
Is this method only good for vegetables? I would like to use it for my perennials...if possible.
watched a couple of your videos now I'm addicted to your channel. just a little jealous of your California weather. I'm in Utah and the winters do get really cold and snowy.
+mormonslayer71 Thanks! Yeah, I can understand, but Spring is round the corner, so get your gardening tools and get going! Happy Gardening!!
I will try some this year on my tomato plants.
+Judith Williams Do try it out and let us know how it goes. Wish you a Happy New Year!
landscape fabric / grow bags are made from plastic some even have heavy metals . if you google grow bags heavy metals, theres several sources
+PStimeless Thanks for sharing this information!
Can i use a sack instead of fabric?
nice video did you get this idea from larry hall..? thats were i got the idera from 2 years ago..and the wall mart bags work great for me have a good day
BILLY-THA-WAR MANICS-CHAMBERS my grow bags work great in the pools which take advantage of rain water
hi California Gardening, please can we use PP bags for the plant in air pruning?
another nice video.. 😀👍👍👍 keep it up! happy new year!
+kyle bustos Thank you very much. Happy New Year!
Hi Larry been a long time far of yours.. I'm using net pots this year for my raised beds. Would the plant survive?
I like how u explain air root curing. any way, what do u do w those eggplant? someone on tv said that they were like cigarette bud. so what do i do w them, i don't know, but i don't want to eat them. do u have any idea? i like to plant them, but and i don't like to use salt. oh, air prunning, is any land scaping fabric ok to use? I have a lot of basket like this from walmart.
Interesting!! I love your research!!
+SureHowDoYouKnow Thank you!
Do you have to put the pot into a water container underneath ? Thanks.
drill holes in drink bottle bury next to plant before it grows get water right to roots
right on growers love.
Due to the 4 inch rule look it up if you don't start air pruning before four inches it won't work rootmakers
Perfect information
Nice!! I wish I had your green thumb!!
+Colleen Kubricht Thank you. Happy New Year!
Is a grow bag the same as the ordinary eco bag?
Grow bag needs saucer or material to keep some amount of water for an auto-self watering and regulate the water absorption. Common mistake why some grow back users fail. Lots of trials and errors. Best to check and reference other videos. Grow bag with good water absorbent material is a key factor.
Good tests. I'm just thinking, bigger roots maybe better only to an extent. Roots die and regrow like in this method may take energy that could be used for growing leaves and fruits. Roots' function is to support and absorb nutrients, maybe nature has an idea how big a root is big enough. So potting mix recipes encouraging bigger roots may not be the best? I have used all compost soil to grow vegetables, it drains too quick and seems don't have the structure to support the plants.
In addition to compost you also need peat (or coco coir), vermiculite and perlite. It makes a great mix for healthy roots and plants
I think I make a mistake, I bought a beautiful plum tree , well no to beautiful it is dormant, but it's grafted with 4 different varieties of plums that is why I think it's beautiful, I planted in a raise bed. And know I think that was my mistake. Please please give me your opinion do I take it out of there and replanted properly at ground level????
+maricruz jaimes If your raised bed has ground below it (without any barrier between the raised bed and ground), leave it there, the roots will eventually grow into the ground. As a general rule, fruit trees can be directly planted into the ground though since raised beds are mostly useful for vegetables and herbs. Yes you can remove it carefully and plant it in the ground if you want to use the raised bed for something else (like veggies). Hope that helps!
What kind of fabric you used that hole pot???
I do air pruning love it it the best I posting soon I have tomatoes jalapeno peppers cucumbers bell peppers hot peppers cognac peppers
Can those dead root be used as moss.?
Martha Tan
yes you can my dear
So how do you know it is not just because the drainage is much better than in a regular pot, ie it has nothing to do with air but with draining the water? Just curious before trying it.
awesome video..
+Grant Jones Thank you, glad you liked it. Enjoy 2016!
nice video. thanks
What do you do with the substrate after it has no more nutrients?
+IIIYURYIII I usually reuse some and then put the remaining soil with the roots it in the compost bin along with the food scraps.
Thanks for the excellent video, and experiment, blessings, and Respect.......Seven Thunders///////
I see circling in the root mass, maybe the walmart bag isn't as good as others.
A layer of perlite on bottom would have prevented the roots sitting in the soggy soil from your overwatering...
and forgot to say!! happy new year!!
+umar ufx Happy New Year to you too! Have a great 2016, hope you grow a lot of things in your garden!