Fruit Trees in Fabric Pots with Kevin Espiritu

Fruit Trees in Fabric Pots with Kevin Espiritu

Author: Susan Poizner, OrchardPeople.com February 28, 2024 Duration: 1:00:11
Orchard People
LeisureGardenHobbiesHome

Learn when, why and how to grow fruit trees in fabric pots. Our show guest on the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Kevin Espiritu of EpicGardening.com. Kevin is the author of the book Grow Bag Gardening: The Revolutionary Way to Grow Bountiful Vegetables, Herbs, Fruit and Flowers in Lightweight, Eco-Friendly, Fabric Pots.

The images used in the video version of this episode were supplied Giving Grove (www.givinggrove.org) and by Smartpots, the original US company that invented the idea of fabric container and the leading brand of Grow Bags. 


The host of the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website www.orchardpeople.com.  Tune into show LIVE by going to RealityRadio101.com on the last Tuesday of every month at 1.00 pm Eastern Time or download the podcast. 


Learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully. Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's premium online courses at https://learn.orchardpeople.com/. 

These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

  • (00:00) - How Giving Grove uses Fabric Pots in their Community Orchards
  • (00:42) - The Benefits and Challenges of Bare Root Trees
  • (02:09) - Exploring the Use of Fabric Pots with Kevin Espiritu
  • (02:45) - How to Submit Questions and Comments
  • (03:18) - Why Fabric Pots are Useful in Small Spaces
  • (03:52) - Why Fabric Pots Boost Root Health
  • (06:05) - Fruit Tree Pruning for Food Forests
  • (07:01) - Fruit Tree Pruning in Permaculture Food Forests
  • (07:28) - Kevin's Approach to Fruit Tree Pruning in his Food Forest
  • (09:07) - Susan's Approach to Fruit Tree Pruning to Improve Fruit Quality
  • (10:03) - Pruning and How it also Helps Thin the Fruit on the Tree
  • (11:51) - Using Fabric Pots in the Low Desert
  • (12:44) - Using Lined Grow Bags and Fabric Pots
  • (13:56) - Using Large Grow Bags and Fabric Pots for Raised Beds
  • (16:02) - Using Grow Bags in Cold Climates
  • (19:30) - Growing Blueberries in Fabric Pots
  • (22:01) - Soil Mixes for Plants Grown in Fabric Pots
  • (22:30) - Where to Learn More about Kevin
  • (23:01) - What are Grow Bags and Fabric Pots Made of
  • (24:10) - Recycling Materials to Make Your Own Grow Bags and Fabric Pots
  • (25:40) - Maintaining and Reusing Grow Bags and Fabric Pots
  • (27:19) - Kevin Espiritu's Publications and Where to Find Them
  • (29:05) - Protecting Apple Trees in Grow Bags from Heat
  • (29:57) - The Benefits of Mulching and Grow Bags
  • (30:18) - The Use of Grow Bags for Trees
  • (31:08) - The Importance of Root Care
  • (31:46) - Mixing Soil for Blueberries
  • (33:16) - The Legacy of Ruth Stout and Her Gardening Method
  • (35:12) - The Benefits of Perennial Vegetables in Orchards and Food Forests
  • (35:42) - The Use of Citrus in Planters
  • (38:40) - Commericals
  • (41:57) - Introduction to Part 2
  • (43:10) - Introducing Matt Bunch from Giving Grove
  • (44:21) - Using Smart Pots Fabric Pots in the Giving Grove Nursery
  • (45:38) - Irrigation and Fabric Pots
  • (46:49) - Do Grow Bags and Fabric Pots Damage Tree Roots?
  • (48:29) - Sanitizing Fabric Pots after Use
  • (49:55) - Tips and Tricks for Indoor Gardening
  • (53:20) - Orchard People Contests
  • (54:28) - The Ideal Applications for Grow Bags
  • (55:33) - Kevin's Favorite Uses for Grow Bags and Fabric Pots
  • (56:47) - Using Grow Bags for Potatoes

Imagine stepping into your own backyard and picking a perfect, sun-warmed apple from a tree you nurtured yourself. That tangible connection to the land and the deep satisfaction of growing your own food is at the heart of Orchard People. Hosted by fruit tree care educator Susan Poizner, this podcast digs into the practical and often surprising world of cultivating fruit trees, whether you have a few pots on a balcony or several acres to explore. Each episode feels like a thoughtful conversation with a knowledgeable friend, as Susan and her guests unpack the nuances of pruning for better harvests, managing pests without harsh chemicals, and understanding the life beneath our feet through soil health. You’ll hear from specialists on topics like grafting heirloom varieties, designing resilient food forests, and integrating permaculture principles into any space. It’s more than just tips and tricks; it’s about building confidence and community around sustainable growing. Tune in to this garden-focused podcast for grounded advice that helps both new and experienced growers foster healthier trees and more abundant yields, season after season.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
youtubelinkedin
Orchard People
Podcast Episodes
Growing Hardy Kiwi Vines with Iago Hale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:17
Hardy kiwi vines produce berries that are sweeter than table grapes and they have more vitamin C per ounce than an average orange. And while the fruit is similar to the larger, fuzzy kiwis that grow in New Zealand and Ca…
Why Pests Can't Attack Healthy Plants with Thomas M. Dykstra [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:52
According to Entomologist Thomas M. Dykstra, Ph.D. of Dykstra Laboratories in Gainesville, Florida, insect pests can't attack healthy plants. Learn more and ask your questions in this live radio show.
Growing Heirloom Peaches with Lawton Pearson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:46
There are some fantastic heirloom peach cultivars that are not available at your local supermarket....but you can grow them at home! Lawton Pearson of Pearson Farm talks about his family's history of growing peaches in G…
How to Grow a Fruiting Wall with Matthew Whiting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:07
Commercial growers are increasingly growing sweet cherries and other fruits in an easy to prune, maintain and harvest fruiting wall structure. Matthew Whiting, Extension Specialist from Washington State University, playe…
Turning Your Backyard into a Food Forest with Dani Baker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:43
Learn how to transform your backyard into a food forest, integrating existing fruit trees and shrubs into the design. Dani Baker, author of The Home-Scale Forest Garden: How to Plan, Plant and Tend a Resilient Edible Lan…
Espalier Fruit Trees for Small Gardens with Ron Perry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:07
Fruit trees can be productive, they can be beautiful, AND they can fit in small spaces!In this episode learn how to create an espalier fruit tree planting where the tree is trained up against a wall or fence.Our expert g…
Do Plant Hardiness Zones Matter with Dan McKenney and John Pedlar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:48
In the past, you would consult a plant hardiness zone map if you wanted to know whether a fruit tree or any other plant could survive in your climate. But our climate is quickly changing. Are plant hardiness zone maps st…
Grafting Fruit Trees with Steph Roth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:20
Steph Roth from Silver Creek Nursery in Ontario talks about how she grafts fruit trees. We will cover collecting fruiting wood, rootstock choices, bench grafting and more. The host of the Orchard People radio show and po…
Perry Pears for Cider with Barry Masterson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:33
Cider apples are a hot commodity these days. But what about perry pears? In this episode, Barry Masterson of Kertelreiter Cider, talks about perry and tells us how to make it and what pear varieties to use. Barry, who is…

«12345678910»