I have a lot of 1-3 year old trees in rootmaker fabric pots. I just up-potted 2 figs, and feel like I just butchered their roots trying to remove the pots (for reuse) and finding a lot of deeper root infiltration of the fabric (not just the tips).
Is deeper root infiltration of the fabric expected (I thought just the tips would enter the fabric)? Is there a trick to removal without significant root damage, or do the pots have to be cut away?
On one that was clearly overdue for up-potting, I was surprised how many larger roots had circled.
I am about to park 5 trees in large fabric bags tomorrow. By parking I mean I will transplant them this coming dormant season once I decide where to put them in my yard.
These were fig cuttings started in the spring of 2023. I want to say I put them in there during the 2023-2024 winter, but it could have been late summer 2023. So one full growing season, maybe a little more.
The roots on mine don’t grow into the fabric like that. I’ve had figs in fabric pots for 5-8 years, 20-30 gal, with little or no roots circling or growing into the fabric.
I’d say in yours that for some reason the media near the fabric isn’t drying out the way it should. Either media holds water too well or the outside is staying wet. For instance, some people wrap their fabric pots in plastic to reduce watering needs. But that defeats the purpose of fabric pots which is to allow the outer layer of media to dry out thus tip pruning the roots.
I like the big fabric pots because they can go longer without root pruning. Like 6 yrs. By then I’m ready for a new plant. Just start another in a 20 gal and dump the old plant when the bag falls apart or the plant losses too much vigor.
The small fabric pots not so much. I tried a lot of 1-2 gal and soon quit that. Those do dry out too fast. The big ones not as bad.
Rolling down the bag on the outside helps, so at the end removal it’s essentially inside out.
You can make a vertical slit and work the roots back from the bag as you slide your hands inside from the slit gap. Then stitch it up or attach Velcro for the next plant.
If it’s a smaller bag (5-10gal) and I am going bigger, often I will just leave it. Then drop the old bag into the new bag but slightly highier in the new bag. Essentially half way into the new bag, while halfway out. I call this the wedding cake method. The roots grow down into the new bag filling it very evenly. Then the two tiered bags get cover cropped w stawberries or annual herbs.
Here is an annual grown into another bag wedding cake style. The roots go right thru if countersink the pot into the new bag.
The rootmaker fabric pots are laminated on the outside, except the bottom inch down. As you know, it’s quite arid here, and so my concern with fabric pots was them drying out. Hence, I chose the rootmaker pots for their solid sides and lower temps (white). I will call them a ring, too.
On your other point about holding too much water, I’m also amending the media with diatomaceous earth, an idea I took from Drew. Again, concerned about them drying out in our climate.
FWIW, the 3-gallons I’m using with the same media seem to do decent without drying out as per your concern, but as we’re seeing that might prove to be a different issue.
And it’s really good to get some sanity check that this isn’t normal with fabric pots. While I would not say roots were circling extensively, there was definitely some of that with some medium sized roots (say 1/8-" dia). Some of the same sized roots were growing within the fabric. You could actually see them bulging the white layer.
Do I remember correctly that you were also using some landscape fabric in plastic containers as a homemade fabric + rigid pot? Those don’t see any issues like this, either?
@Drew51 - with your DE amended soils, have you seen more root infiltration into the fabric?
Do you have thoughts on pots vs grow bags? I had erroneously thought a pot may be better for something like a fig, but if you’re using them it can’t be all bad! Would grow bags be appropriate for everything from raspberries and strawberries to figs (1-5 years old) as well?
I was basically rolling down the pot, but it was a very forceful thing. Mine have two sturdy handles, and it was still a fight pulling them down - even after running my fingers or scissors down the inside to break roots attached to/through the fabric.
That is an idea on the slit and re-attach. How does that end up working with watering?
Interesting approach on your wedding cake method for sure. It seems you get the root infiltration too, but just when (as fruitnut suggests) when there’s reason for them to do so.
Like he said it’s entirely a matter of size.
In my opinion there is no point to small grow bags, the area for the roots (where they won’t air prune themselves) is tiny and they immediately dry out. For less than 8-10 gallons just use plastic
Anything bigger (especially 15+ gallon) and fabric pots are great (easier to move and won’t get root bound as easily), including figs, even when I had them in SE AZ
It’s simply a volume/surface area ratio thing with fabric pots
It’s the bag. That bag isn’t function as a fabric bag, it’s functioning like plastic. It’s not allowing the outer layer of media to dry out.
I do put saucers under my big fabric bags. That helps keep them wet. But it’s also partly to protect the fabric material on the floor of my greenhouse.
Exactly, an inch or two dry on the outside is a much bigger deal on a small pot. And that’s about the area on the outside that doesn’t have many roots after 5 years.
