Grow Bag Gardening: The Revolutionary Way to Grow Bountiful Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Flowers in Lightweight, Eco-friendly Fabric Pots

by Kevin Espiritu

Grow oodles of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers with no heavy lifting or digging required! Grow bag gardening utilizes lightweight, eco-friendly, fabric planter bags to grow great plants with minimal space and care. Get all the know-how you need to successfully grow a hearty homegrown harvest in Grow Bag Gardening.

Grow bags are perfect for urban, container, rooftop, balcony, and patio gardeners—but those with lots of property will find them useful, too. Grow bags fold flat for easy storage and are 100% frost-proof, so there’s no lugging heavy pots indoors for the winter. They can be used for many seasons and their mobility means you can easily move these pots around to maximize sunlight. Fabric grow bags offer gardeners a great way to grow that's cost effective, simple, and beneficial to plants.
 
In the pages of Grow Bag Gardening you’ll learn:
Why gardening in these special fabric planter bags results in big yields 
How this no-weed, no-mess method of gardening is a real game changer 
What makes this method so good for your plants (hint: no root circling!) 
Where and how to set up your grow bag garden to reap the biggest rewards 

Step-by-step instructions for continual harvests, sewing your own grow bags, building a specialized trellising system, caring for your grow bag garden, and more.
Who can use grow bag gardening? Everyone! From school gardens to urban homesteads, everyone has room to grow their own veggies in a grow bag garden. 

Kevin Espiritu, author of Field Guide to Urban Gardening and the mastermind behind the popular website EpicGardening.com, offers an in-depth look at this revolutionary gardening method and how it can help feed the world, one grow bag at a time.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Food, Adult

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 9, 2021

About the author

Kevin Espiritu is the founder of Epic Gardening, a multi-platform online gardening education company. His mission is to teach 100,000,000+ people around the world how to grow their own food at home.

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine book if you want to get into grow bag gardening. I didn't end up convinced, as this method is more expensive, more trouble, and worse for the environment than other types of gardening that are available to me (raised beds, no-till, etc.) and I don't necessarily agree with the author that these plastic-based bags are healthy for food crops. He points out that you can also plant in fabric like burlap but that those will disintegrate after one season. There are lots of great photos but not a lot of concrete information about what to plant and how to care for it. You'll also need to do more watering and he talks about methods like drip irrigation which seems like such a costly, work intensive way to water plants that are in bags. He goes into what soil mixtures to buy and mix up, what fertilizers to buy and so on, which is more expense and work as opposed to back yard composing and letting nature do way more of the work for you. I love my gardens but I like lazy gardening that also supports my back yard ecosystem, and this really doesn't seem like that method.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Grow Bag Gardening is a tutorial and technique guide by Kevin Espiritu. Due out 16th March 2021 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook available at time of review).

Several years ago I began noticing these fabric bags showing up in garden centers in my area. I didn't give them much thought because I had a fairly fixed idea about what my home flower and vegetable beds should look like and wasn't all that intrigued with things which didn't fit into my preconceived mental image. (shame on me). I had some serious problem areas with my home garden, for one thing my house is literally built on solid rock - zero soil, lots of gravel and no options other than raised beds or other permaculture type structures. These challenges also made grow bags a viable option for areas which I hadn't yet converted to raised beds. So I bought a dozen grow-bags and off I went and had one of the best gardening years with the vegetables I had ever had by growing in the grow bags.

This is the manual I wish I had had when I started with grow bags. The author is knowledgeable, cool, and writes with enthusiasm and genuine warmth. He knows what he's talking about and his positivity and encouragement are infectious. The book's layout is logical and information is easy to find and remember. The introduction explains why grow bags might be a good option (and where), choosing and sourcing them, what to grow in them, soil and substrates which will give optimal results, maintenance/culture, and ideas for planting and siting.

The book includes a short resource list with links (aimed mostly at North American readers, but including some useful for readers located elsewhere), and a cross referenced index. As with most Quarto books, the art layout and photography are superlative (they must have a killer graphics department). The photos are colorful and engaging and got my fingers itching to get started gardening immediately.

This is a well done gardening book and would be a good choice for coop garden libraries, public or home library acquisition, gifting to a gardening friend (maybe someone with limited space who wants to get their fingers into the dirt), or for activity/scouting group projects, or even rehab/retirement/or school gardens.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Dom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and informative read! Happy to learn more about container gardening in general as a renter who can't plant in soil I don't own. Was surprised and inspired by all of the information on soil composition and fertilization.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about an inspiring book! I could almost taste the plants and smell the soil mixes. Grow bags are brilliant for so many reasons. The author describes everything one could possibly wish to know for utilizing them, especially great for tiny urban areas such as balconies. Helpful gardening terminology is explained, too, and all done in an accessible, friendly and encouraging way.

Espiritu discusses the many positive attributes (convenience, easy storage, lighter material, more breathable than plastic and terra cotta) and includes wonderful photographs to illustrate. Amongst topics are soil mix ingredients and recipes, air pruning, mulching, weather protection, instructions for sewing bags (why didn't I think of that?!), what can be grown in them (you may be surprised!), square foot gardening, irrigation, attracting beneficial insects and birds and so on. I'm a master gardener and have yet to grow pop-up raised bed bags! Gardening in Zone 2a (only about 80 frost-free days a year) is a challenge but if I can grow vegetables and other plants in bags, anyone can.

The number of growing options is staggering including many vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits (think figs, raspberries and blueberries) and shrubs. Kids would love to have their own wee bag garden, too. Not only are they fun but very practical. Gardening means you are doing something lovely.

My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - Cold Springs Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this gorgeous book in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be buying the hard copy.

[Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grow Bag Gardening by Kevin Espiritu is a delightful guide to growing plants in bags! Espiritu suggests that this book is best for gardeners with some prior experience in gardening. In my opinion this book is so well detailed that a novice could experiment using this book as guidance.

I loved Espiritu’s introduction about how he started gardening and using grow bags. The rest of the book gives you all the information and answers to any questions you could ask. The detailed pictures are bright and beautiful. Espiritu will go over the science, pros and cons, a diy dolly, how to buy, care and store your bags and much much more. This is great for any gardener but if you are looking for alternative containers this would be a must have guide.

My favorite part was how to attract pollinators and the ideas for what to grow near the end. I will definitely be setting up a kitchen and stir fry bag. This must have guide will have you itching for spring to start your own garden!

#netgalley #GrowBagGardening #KevinEspiritu #containergardens #gardening #garden #homegarden

[Stephanie Dagg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness, my head is reeling! There is so much information packed into this book.
Author Kevin Espiritu is obviously passionate and incredibly knowledgeable about gardening in general and grow bag gardening in particular, and his enthusiasm shows on every page. It’s only to be expected that the reader absorbs this fervour too, along with all the information.
Anyone, anywhere can do grow bag gardening, whether you only have a balcony or are blessed with a good-sized garden. Grow bag gardening means you can create a small, dedicated environment for a particular plant. If your soil type has hitherto limited what plants you can grow, well, that’s no longer the case. You can create a patch of sandy, well-draining soil in the midst of your heavy clay, or vice versa. You can grow everything from microgreens to a tree in a grow bag. The author gives you the ‘how’ for every scenario. He also throws in the where (indoors and outdoors), when (seasonal or pretty much all year round depending on the plant involved and where it’s being grown), what (everything) and why (too many reasons to list here!) for good measure. And don’t forget the who – everyone can grow-bag garden.
I learnt a truckload, and not just about how to choose or make the ideal grow bag for whatever project is in mind. I’ve been gardening for years but hadn’t come across air-pruning before, nor such detailed guidance concerning creating your own potting mixes and fertilisers. I love to discover new concepts, approaches and ideas and I’m already putting them into practice.
The book is well written in that everything is clearly explained and demonstrated, and the accompanying photographs are relevant and instructive.
It’s without a doubt one of the best gardening books I’ve ever read. And in nearly six decades I’ve read a heck of a lot!
Revolutionary, inspiring, absolutely to recommend.

[Kimberly Tierney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of gardening in this style until this book. Grow bag gardening is a lot like container gardening, but since the bags are lighter in materials, it actually helps your plants to grow better and healthier. This book goes through the pros and cons of gardening this way compared to other methods. It also breaks down the best ways to use a garden of this type for the most successful gardening experience.

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grow Bag Gardening is a comprehensive book which is just what I wanted for this year's foray into growing veg in bags and pots. The images are clear as is the written content. The science parts were easy to understand and I gained a lot of knowledge about mulching and watering to heat protection and prolonging the life of grow bags (which I hadn't given the slightest consideration to!). All-in-all this is an informative books for growers and one I will return to time and again.
I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Kirsten Lost 2022 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oodles of information for growing things in grow bags. Grow bags are very useful and I'm glad they're coming into more prominence. A bit optimistic in places - I can't imagine growing artichoke in one is very practical!

[Iggylizard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, a book that details how I can successfully use these grow bags on my patio. With everything from how to plant things to what grows best, this book is an in depth look at how to maximize the potential of grow bags to get the best gardening experience. I’ve been looking for something that will help me understand what I keep doing wrong and how to properly use these grow bags and I’ve finally found my solution! If you’re like me and looking for a way to replace those plastic pots with something better for your plants, pick this book up!

[Zoë Jackson-Newbold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live in a flat with a paved over shared garden, so most of my gardening happens inside. As I’m running out of surfaces to put houseplants on I thought I’d pick this book up and have a flick through for ideas of what I can do with my share of our rather sad back garden.

I was familiar with the author from his YouTube channel, which I’ve found helpful for tips on growing basil before. In this accessible book Espiritu extols the virtue of grow bags, an option I’d never really considered before. He presents the different kinds of plants that can be grouped together, related DIY projects and recommended varieties, amongst other things.

I appreciate that he also mentions the cons of using grow bags, and what problems may occur.

I look forward to trying out some of the smaller projects in the book and would recommend it to anyone strapped for space but wanting to garden.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that the holidays are over, it is time to start planning gardens! As a homeowner with a septic system and wooded lot, I have struggled with how to best grow our vegetables and considered using bags. This book is a short and easy read, but also chock full of information. A seasoned gardener will not necessarily find much of the growing-specific information to be new, but the pros and cons, bag materials, and how it all relates to bags as a container if extremely informative. There are even instructions for how to make one's own bags, as well as the best ways to water them and plans for making accompanying items. I can tell from the information and pictures (which were very useful) that a lot of actual experience and experimentation went into this book, and those are always the very best kinds of gardening resources! I am planning some grow bags of my own now this summer.

[Otto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grow Bag Gardening is by Kevin Espiritu of the popular YouTube channel Epic Gardening. This book is about using somewhat eco-friendly bags that store flat on each other and expand when filled with soil. It is about those multi-colored, porous baskets that help your plants’ roots breathe, even after repeated soakings by your well-intentioned neighbor on duty while you vacation in Sicily. It is a helpful guide, albeit with minor editing issues within its pages. Almost all of my 100 or so indoor plants are sitting in grow bags.

[Kate TerHaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did some experimenting with grow bags last season and was very pleased with the results. With the knowledge I learned from this book I am looking to even better results next year. Great ideas for watering and placement. I will be on the lookout for seeds for the varieties of vegetables mentioned.
This is a great resource for anyone interested in grow bag gardening.

[Laurla2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

-4-5 stars. a very good book. it touched on a lot of topics, though i wish it went into more depth in a couple places.

-grow bags are made from plastic spunbound fabric, recycled PET plastics, or polypropylene plastic.
-benefits - air pruning to roots, no more rootbound plants.
-downsides - they only last 2-6 years before breaking down. and they stain, both the bag itself and the surface the bag sits on, needs more frequent watering than in-ground gardens.
-consider building a wheeled dolly for bags, and the book gives plans to do so.
-stick with 15 liter (4 gallon) or larger bags as smaller ones tend to dry out too fast.
-it recommends 4 seed potatoes in a 15 gallon bag. or 6-7 in a 20 gallon bag. (as i'm starting with potatoes in a grow bag, this was helpful to me.)
-roll down the sides of the bag and cover sprouted potatoes with 3-4" of soil. when sprouts get 6" tall, cover with more soil until only 2" show, rolling up the sides of the bag as you go. when foliage yellows, harvest potatoes.
-carrots in grow bags, use a sandier soil.
-nanps.org native plant society. (mnnps.org for minnesota)
-bees are more attracted to blue and purple flowers, butterflies to pink and red, beetles to white and cream, flies to white and yellow, wasps to yellow and brown. those with UV spectrum coloring are found even more attractive.
-to refresh potting soil add 3 parts old mix to 1 part new mix, and add a couple scoops of worm castings.
-don't soak grow bags in water. "water, wait, water". water them lightly in one pass, then go water somewhere else while waiting. then come back and water again more thoroughly. if you over-water, it just all runs out of the bag, and leeches nutrients with it.
-use a chopstick to aerate the soil in the bag gently, to help water get down to the middle of the bag without running off.
-mulch to help retain moisture
-plastic drainage tray with high sides under bag to help retain moisture
-grow bag cloche
-white shade cloth keeps things cooler, but lets more light through. black shade cloth blocks more light, but heats up badly.
-preying mantis for pest control
-ladybug house
-raspberries in grow bag, they cant spread their roots.
-kelp meal, abundant all natural fertilizer, contains 70+ trace minerals, vitamins, plant growth hormones, and amino acids. is high in potassium.
-worm castings act as ph buffer keeping soil ph within a tighter range allowing nutrient uptake to continue. increase soil mix's ability to retain water in containers. doesn't burn via over-fertilization, practically impossible to over-apply. highly active in living biology, bacteria, fungi, worm cocoons. water soluble nutrients.
-recipes for different soil mixes - p. 82-85.
-drip irrigation starting on p. 104-109. i felt there was not enough info, and the unlabeled pictures weren't very helpful.
-fertilizer DIY mixes p. 115-119.

[Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good in letting me know that grow bag gardening is the shit. It makes so much sense! Why wouldn’t you want to air prune your roots for all your plants? It also helps with the biggest problem that most indoor plants face, which is overwatering. It is such a mess to think about all the plants that end up drowning because there isn’t enough wind in the room to give the roots air.

What is annoying about the book is how unedited it is. His language is pretty much like in his YouTube videos. Which is a shame because really the book could use a bit more research and serious words in it. It’ll help people want to look back as an almanac of sorts, instead of having to read through bad writing.

Overall a good book for the idea. But I just wish it was written better. And also with tips on grow bag gardening indoors. Cause doesn’t it make the most sense to do it there? Why the heck should we do it outside only?

[Ligaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've grown veggies in grow bags for two years, but will pass this year as my raised beds and other spots are finally in good shape. The information in the book is great for newbies of those interested in gardening and grow bags in particular but one thing I was struck by was how pretty most all of the grow bags looked. Mine quickly looked moldy like those on page 144 and my potatoes really suffered when I had to move them from one part of the garden to another. My success was mixed and the investment in time and materials was surprisingly high. I have a covered deck and a balcony where I wouldn't dream of putting grow bags because of the potential for staining the deck boards and since I have my raised beds set up, I'll likely not continue with grow bags, but it was an interesting experiment.

[Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for beginners!

Solid introduction to the pros/cons of Grow bags, including a discussion on different types of plastics, a simple project to build a rolling dolly, using found materials as a bag and instructions for sewing your own. The section on square foot gardening and how to choose the right grow bag for your project (with a handy dandy chart to compare the gallon size/ height /diameter size of different grow bag) was very helpful!

There are whole chapters breaking down Grow Bags maintenance, how to feed & water your plants, managing drainage, and fertilizing.

Espiritu also goes into growing plants--veggies, fruits, herbs, and flowers, and where a beginner can start.

[Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. I do raised bed gardens and was curious about the grow bags that I see in the garden centers. Kevin lets us know that grow bags are so much more than they seem. He covers most everything that I didn't even know would be important...from the dirt in the bag, to the size of the bag, and how to water them. I will be trying potatoes and carrots in a grow bag as soon as I can. This book was very well written, lot of nice color photos, and a nice balance of reading and pictures. A good book to have.

[Cindi Whittaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have become a fan of Kevin Espiritu through his You Tube videos so when I got his book I may have been pre-disposed to liking it. Regardless I will say that this book is really good for both beginner and experienced gardeners who are looking for small-space solutions.
There are well-explained reasons why to grow in grow bags along with the possible cons. Maintenance and care are covered very well and the author's recommendations for plant varieties is quite helpful. I am excited to be going into this garden season better informed thanks to this book!

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed with this! I just bought grow bags weeks ago and came across this while watching Kevin's YT shorts. How's that for a coincidence. This book is a wealth of information. It has soil mix recipes, companion plant tips, hacks (moving them around your yard? genius). Love this one so much.

Little nitpick on the formatting of the book: when it gets to the soil recipes, the picture and text don't really line up and stay on one page. Would've been better to have some division cause reading vertically between 2 columns gets confusing.

[Lou Baldry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and how handy it was.

I planned this year to make a veg garden in front yard and as all I have is gravel using grow bags and containers are perfect for me.

It contains a wealth of knowledge and easy steps on what to choose, when to plant etc. Perfect for any budding gardener.

I’m actually planning to get the physical copy so I can highlight and tab for easy access. Highly recommended.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great informative book about growing veggies in grow bags! With limited space I am excited to see how these work for potatoes! The author gives great useable info re soil mixtures, ways to plant for maximum results, and much more! Im sure I will revisit this book repeatedly as my grow bag garden expands!!

[Samantha Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ton of great information about grow bag gardening. I've gained lost of inspiration and the charts and projects throughout were a nice addition.

The only thing I wanted to see more of were pictures of the projects throughout the process.

[Andrew Violette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book on grow bag gardening, and kind of a companion reference to his youtube channel.

One thing that did bother me about the book was that the dark green sidebars with black text were really difficult to read (at least for my old eyes )

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you didn't have a yard, would be good gardening alternative

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some very good charts and tips in this book, many of which are useful for any kind of container gardening.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of information on
-bags, even how to DIY
-soil mix composition
-fertilizers
-how to water and drip irrigation
-how many plants per bag

[Snipes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and easy to read. I gained a lot of new knowledge on grow bags and know how to find and correct mistakes.
Some typos and formatting weirdness but not distractingly so.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really found this book to be helpful. It was above your entry level book with practical tips and recommended projects, while still being accessible to new gardeners.