Smart Pot with Handles Fabric Planter | Black | 3 to 25 Gallon

Smart Pot with Handles, the Original Fabric Aeration Container

A Smart Pot is a soft-sided fabric aeration container, and this version adds handles so a full pot can be lifted and moved. Smart Pot has made these containers in the USA since 1984, from a performance fabric that is BPA- and lead-free. Air passes through the wall on every side of the root zone. When a root tip reaches that wall it stops and branches. The mix fills with fine feeder roots instead of a few thick ones circling the bottom. The same breathable wall lets excess heat escape, which keeps roots cooler than a rigid black pot sitting in full sun. Water drains through the fabric itself, so no extra holes are needed. The pot keeps its shape once filled and folds flat when empty. Six black sizes are listed here. The 3, 5 and 10 gallon pots have cut-out handles at the rim. The 15, 20 and 25 gallon pots carry sewn strap handles, which matter once a pot holds several bags of wet mix. Footprints run from 10 in across on the smallest to 21 in on the largest.

Moving and Watering a Fabric Planter with Handles

Fill a fabric planter with handles using a light, airy mix, since fabric drains fast and a dense soil holds more water than roots want. Set it on its final spot first, because even the mid sizes get heavy once watered. The handles earn their keep later, when a plant has to come out of the tent or back under cover before a cold night. Grab both handles together and lift straight up so the rim does not fold under the load. Water until a little runs from the base, then let the top inch dry before the next feed. Fabric dries faster than plastic, and that is the honest trade for all that air. In a warm room or on a sunny patio, the smaller pots can want water twice a day at peak growth. A saucer or flood tray underneath catches runoff indoors and gives the base a small reserve. Coco and soilless mixes suit drip lines, where short, frequent cycles match the quick drainage. The mid sizes carry tomatoes, peppers and single plants through a full veg and bloom run. The larger ones hold dwarf fruit trees, blueberries or anything that stays put all season. Between crops, knock out the root ball, rinse or brush the fabric, and let it dry before folding it away.

Key Features

• Air-Pruning Fabric Wall: Roots branch where they meet the breathable wall instead of circling, building a dense mass of feeder roots.
• Two Handle Styles: Cut-out handles on the 3 to 10 gallon pots and sewn strap handles on the 15 to 25 gallon pots.
• Drains Through the Fabric: Excess water leaves through the base and sides, so the mix stays airy and no extra holes are needed.
• Cooler Root Zone: The porous wall lets heat escape rather than trapping it the way a rigid black container does.
• BPA- and Lead-Free: Performance fabric suited to growing vegetables, herbs, berries and fruit.
• Made in the USA: Smart Pot has produced its fabric containers in the United States for over forty years.
• Folds Flat: Empty pots rinse clean, dry quickly and fold flat for storage between seasons.

Technical Specifications