Made of a lightweight and breathable material, fabric containers offer advantages for home gardening. In addition to being portable and easy to set up, their permeability allows for more ventilation than plastic pots.
“When plant roots are exposed to oxygen, root tips naturally prune themselves; this is known as air pruning,” says gardening author Misilla del Llana in Four-Season Gardening.
Air pruning has been shown to reduce transplant shock, increase yield in fruiting plants, promote faster growth after transplant, prevent roots from circling, and plants less susceptibility to root rot and disease.
“This process stimulates plants to consistently produce new, healthy branding roots,” dela Llana explains. “A fibrous root structure is more efficient as it can take in moisture and nutrients within a larger area including near the surface. Air pruning prevents roots from circling around inside the pot, which leads to root bound plants.”