Geo Fabric Pots

Why growers use fabric pots instead of plastic

A fabric pot is a soft-sided container of breathable non-woven fabric. Every wall is porous, and that is what the roots respond to.

Roots air-prune instead of circling

In plastic the tap root hits a solid wall, has nowhere to go and circles until the plant is root bound. Fabric stops that tip the moment it meets air. Geo Pot calls the follow-on forced lateral branching into fibrous feeder roots, which do most of the uptake. Rhizo and AC Infinity claim the same for their ranges.

Air and water move through the whole wall

Drainage in plastic is a handful of holes in the base. Fabric drains and aerates through every wall, so the medium stays moist rather than waterlogged. AC Infinity states this permeability makes its pots difficult to overwater, and that thick fabric insulates the root zone. Grow Sack uses grey fabric to keep root temperatures lower.

Our range of fabric pots

Rhizo-Pot — 3.8L to 78L

Nine sizes as singles, 3 packs and 5 packs. The three smallest are plain: 3.8L (15 x 15 x 19cm), 8L (21 x 21 x 21cm) and 12L (26 x 26 x 22cm). Carry handles start at 16L (28 x 28 x 26cm) and run through to 78L (50 x 50 x 40cm). Rhizo describes the fabric as reusable, biodegradable, made from recycled materials and suitable for all media types.

Geo Pot — 19L to 380L

The Geopot with self-supporting handles covers 19L, 38L, 57L, 76L, 114L, 171L and 247L. Stitching is marine-grade and the handles are rated to move a full pot. Above that sits the Geopot 380L (100 gallon) in geotextile fabric — past home-grower size and into field work.

AC Infinity heavy-duty — 3, 5 and 7 gallon

These come as 5-packs in 500G non-woven fabric, double stitched, with nylon handles. AC Infinity publishes true rather than nominal capacities: 3.4 gallons (12.87L), 5.39 gallons (20.4L) and 7.66 gallons (30L). Built-in steel rings let twist ties route through for low-stress training. AC Infinity states the fabric is BPA-free and safe for growing vegetables.

Grow Sack and pot stands

The Grow Sack 30L is 100% recycled material, with reinforced handles and double-stitched seams. The RhizoStand Small takes pots up to 16L and the RhizoStand XL takes pots up to 39L, lifting the pot so it drains freely. The Rhizobrain Unit gathers run-off from up to six lines and 72 stands and empties it with a float-switch pump.

How to choose the right fabric pot

1. Size to the finished plant, not the seedling. Indoors, most growers settle on 16L to 39L per plant. Use 56L, 78L and the larger Geo Pot sizes for outdoor beds and long-season crops.
2. Decide if you need handles. If you will lift the pot full and wet, buy one with handles. On Rhizo-Pot that is 16L and up; every size in the Geo Pot self-supporting range already has them.
3. Convert litres and gallons before you compare. AC Infinity quotes true capacity, so the 3, 5 and 7 gallon pots hold 12.87L, 20.4L and 30L. A 7 gallon label is not the same volume from every maker.
4. Match the pot to how you water. Fabric dries faster than plastic, so a large hand-watered pot in a hot room is extra work. Fit a stand if you want the run-off caught.

Watering, washing and reuse

The store's fabric pot guide says fabric pots need watering slightly more often than plastic. The trade-off it names is a much lower risk of root rot — the same airflow that dries the medium also stops it sitting wet.

Cleaning decides how many cycles you get. Rhizo rates the Rhizo-Pot for four to five reuses; a Geo Pot is five to six, both if you clean them. After you pull the plant, let the pot dry out completely, brush off leftover medium and roots, then rub the sides together. Dry and clean, it folds flat until the next cycle.

Read more in Best Fabric Grow Pots Australia, then pick what goes inside.