# Pond planting baskets vs planting bags



## chinwag (23 May 2021)

I need to pull and repot some of my pond plants - one of the things I find is that the hessian lining degrades and goes almost algae like when I use plastic planting baskets.

I also tend to end up with roots sticking through the mesh but I think that probably says more about how attentive I am when it comes to maintenance than anything else.

Just wondered if anyone has use planting bags like these, and if they're worth trying as an alternative, or if there is something I can use instead of hessian if I'm using baskets?

Thanks.


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## martin-green (23 May 2021)

What about those baskets that don't need hessian (Allegedly) The ones with the very tiny holes. I am thinking anything made of fabric will either collapse, let things grow though it, or just turn into "mush"


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## dw1305 (24 May 2021)

Hi all, 


chinwag said:


> and if they're worth trying as an alternative, or if there is something I can use instead of hessian if I'm using baskets?


I'd actually see the biodegrading nature of the hessian as an advantage.  Once it has done its initial job (of holding the soil in), you don't need anything once the plant has grown roots. 

cheers Darrel


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## not called Bob (26 May 2021)

I have just used the mesh pots and clumping cat litter, run a sharp knife round the outside at the time of repotting/splitting to free the plant with out destroying the pot.


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## chinwag (3 Jun 2021)

Thanks for all the pointers.

I wonder if I'm just having too much hessian sticking up above the pot then, I find the hessian is still there, but the frayed edges turn to mush and end up looking a real mess.

I've got some fabric pots and finer mesh pots to try so I'll have a play and see how what holds up best.

I find a lot of my plants exit the pot through the hessian, through the mesh holes and then start growing outside the pot entirely!


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## Tucker90 (4 Jun 2021)

I used these bags  https://www.swelluk.com/velda-plan...C3o3m-Q5YQNLezbx3kwstTxCZ57Dwj5EaAtunEALw_wcB 

for the plants either side of the waterfall. They house grasses, iris, reeds and some other stuff. 

My only issue was lack of space to plant, I had to use very small plug plants which were hard to source! 

But they have been in for a year now and look great, you can bend them to the contours of the pond which was handy! 












Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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