I'm really super duper late with this post. This really isn't the right time anymore to start growing potato. Remember the potato growing bags that looked like trash cans? I made them because I got white plastic from work. Before I had received the plastic I had thought of making potato growing bags from tarpaulin, but changed my plans because of the free plastic, which then turned out to be an ugly idea.
After making three ugly trash can bags I decided to go with my original idea. My original idea was inspired by these hideously priced Bacsac growing bags or these bit more modestly priced Zigg Zagg ones. The Bacsacs do look nice at least the colourful ones, but Hello! I won't buy them at that price. The Zigg Zagg ones I could had bought but the colours are all wrong.
I wanted my potato bags to be white and so I bought a white tarpaulin with less that ten euro. Then sewed bags from that. I made two sizes, one with diameter and hight of about 40 cm and other with 30 cm. For both I cut a square, folded that in half and sewed the long egde together. Then turned the top over the bottom half, so that the seam was now left inside the two surfaces. After that I tucked in the sides of the tube and sewed the bottom close.
Then I sewed on a handle, so the bag is easier to move if needed. For the bigger one I sewed the handle to go all the way through the bottom, because I want it to support the bottom a bit. But I admit that it was quite difficult to sew, so on the smaller one I just sewed two handles on the sides. Since I made only two bags from the tarpaulin so I'm still left with a HUGE pile of it.
So I did not put potato into the bags, instead in the smaller one I planted some fall flowers and the bigger one I'm using to store some clothes of the kid. Next summer I can use the bags as I originally intended. The bag is not maybe the prettiest one for flowers. The point in using bags as containers is that those can be collapsed later when container gardening season is finished.
Please ignore the fact that I put way too little soil into the bag and the plants are now too deep to look their best.
One thing I would like to mention. Do not use cotton thread if you plan to grow something in this type of bag, it will compost, it's better to use polyester thread, that should last longer.
Then I sewed on a handle, so the bag is easier to move if needed. For the bigger one I sewed the handle to go all the way through the bottom, because I want it to support the bottom a bit. But I admit that it was quite difficult to sew, so on the smaller one I just sewed two handles on the sides. Since I made only two bags from the tarpaulin so I'm still left with a HUGE pile of it.
So I did not put potato into the bags, instead in the smaller one I planted some fall flowers and the bigger one I'm using to store some clothes of the kid. Next summer I can use the bags as I originally intended. The bag is not maybe the prettiest one for flowers. The point in using bags as containers is that those can be collapsed later when container gardening season is finished.
Please ignore the fact that I put way too little soil into the bag and the plants are now too deep to look their best.
One thing I would like to mention. Do not use cotton thread if you plan to grow something in this type of bag, it will compost, it's better to use polyester thread, that should last longer.
I think the flowers look really cute in the bag, it's different. Great idea to use the tarp too, re-purposing is so fun (and so often cheaper). Your bags look professionally made.
ReplyDeleteThank you Cristina! Yes this is definitely cheaper, I could make tens of these bags on the price of one Bacsac bag.
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