I need to pot up some other babies here and I started looking at lots of nursery type plastic pots on Ebay and saw http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-GALLON-PLANT-FABRIC-GROW-POTS-Prune-smart-10-lot-10-/120758545187?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1dc52b23

Has anyone had success with this type of container?

I use one for my blackcurents. It's good. but water evaporates quickly. I think it's good for roots breathing. 

I really wonder if they hold up to the outside elements. I wanted to use them for figs but also for loquats and some citrus trees too.

I use them for potatoes. They seem to work really well. I may have to stick a fig into one next year.

I use Root Pouches and I think they're great. I pulled several trees out for up potting and the root structure was very healthy compared to plastic. I have been using them for a while now and have been changing all my trees out from plastic to cloth.

I see many youtube videos of people using the woven plastic Walmart tote bags for 50c ea.  I'm going to grow a few trees in themand see if they have the same result of root training as the expensive grow pots.   They're going into the ground next Spring and if they deteriorate during winter I can just stick the whole thing into pots.  

Soni

I use root pouches and Smartpots. I like them both. Root pouches cost less. I think my plants do really well in them.

They seem pretty pricey considering a 3 gallon pot costs about $1 and you can usually get them free at Home Depot.

Is there something about them I'm missing?

You can get 10 nice clean solid white pots (5 gallon) from HD for $30 online and they have handles. What is it about these soft pots that's so appealing?
thx

This is a recent up pot. The picture quality sucks but you can get the idea. The roots are well branched and bushy. No wrap around like in black plastic. It is a 2 gallon root pouch to a 10 gallon root pouch.

There are many advantages such as:
Less root wrap or bounding
Superior aeration
Inexpensive especially when you are buying 10 gallon and up
Less heat build up compared to plastic
Easier to store empties
Cuttings are hard to over water especially with a fast draining mix.

I am sold on these pots. My hope is that my 25 gallon figs will require less root maintenance with these pots but I won't know that for 2 years. But by looking at my up pots this year I am confident they can go an extra year or two vs plastic.

Thanks for the info. I think I may give these a go. You never know til you try!

Check out Root Pouch https://rootpouch.com/
I buy them at greenhousemegastore. The pouches come in different grades of material with different pricing. I usually buy the cheapest grade in 1 gallon for my cuttings and the highest grade for my very big pots. I bought some of the second highest grade too for my longevity testing and they seem sturdy too. They keep selling out of them but are a great value compared to other brands such as smart pot which I also use but are much pricier.

Ooooh, thanks for the lead! I went ahead and placed and order with them instead of buying on eBay. I liked that I could get a few different sizes of the heavy duty ones and even with shipping, I saved a handful of dollars! Yayyy! TY

Sophie,

It is possible for the bags to be damp while the growing mix is still relatively dry. If the moisture level of the mix falls below a certain level, it will become hydrophobic and push water to the sides... The bag becomes wet, but the growing mix is not saturated. I normally water my containers several times. I will water all of the containers briefly, wait a few minutes, then repeat with a more thorough watering. If I feel the containers are still not wet enough, I'll repeat a second time.

I do find the bags are a good indicator of when to water. I feel the underside of the bag. if it is wet, hold off on watering. If it is completely dry, I either water then or the next day depending on the weight of the bag. Your watering needs may differ slightly, but this is the gist of it.

Good luck.

Though not cheap, another pot I have found to give good aeration for smaller trees is the basket they sell for waterlilies. Square with plastic mesh sides, they seem to work out OK for some of the cuttings I rooted this year and they hold about a gallon of soil.

I've had very good luck with the 10 gal Boxer Brown Root Pouch. I've been using the 15-20 Month Black pint and quart pouches for all my vegetable seedlings and the 10 gal for figs. I just put in my order for 25 gallon boxer brown root pouches so I'm ready next year. The boxer brown pots are as strong as they say they are. I put my pullup bar through the handles and gave some good jumps. No budge.

Storing them takes up very little space. I look for any excuse to get rid of my plastic pots now.
They are perfect for me. Especially when not in use, since I hate clutter so much. If I wasn't at work, I would post pictures. Actually, I'll do that later today!