Plastic pots vs fabric bags on a windy 8th floor balcony, fabric wins by a mile

Last spring I started with those standard plastic nursery pots for my tomatoes and peppers. They kept blowing over every time the wind picked up, which on my 8th floor spot in Chicago is basically daily. I lost two seedlings that way in March alone. Then a neighbor in my building told me to try fabric grow bags, the 5 gallon ones. I picked up a pack of three for like 12 bucks and anchored them with a couple of bricks. Night and day difference. The fabric lets water drain way better too, no more soggy roots after a heavy rain. My cherry tomatoes are twice the size they were last year. Only downside is they dry out faster on hot days, so I have to water every morning before work. Has anyone else switched over or found a better way to keep pots stable on a high balcony?

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craig.parker28d agoMost Upvoted

Fabric bags are the only reason my balcony plants haven't joined the neighborhood wind migration yet. I tried tying plastic pots to the railing with zip ties last year and ended up with a tangled mess that looked like modern art gone wrong. The drying out thing gets annoying, but I just told myself it's a free excuse to sip coffee on the balcony every morning before work. If you ever find a stable pot that doesn't need bricks, let me know, my back could use a break from hauling those up the elevator.