If you have a horse or chickens, or both you also have a lot of empty feedbags. Some people consider them garbage, but why throw away what could become a practical and useful planter bag!

The materials you need will include:

Empty feedbags
a sewing machine
thread
soil
seeds or plants

Step 1: Preparing the Bags

Since I was going to put dirt into the bags, I didn't clean them very carefully. I just wiped the inside and out side of the bag with a damp cloth. These particular bags are made of a sturdy woven fabric

The dimensions you choose for your planter bag will determine how large you will cut the pieces in this step. I first cut open the side of the bag, then I cut off the bottom, and finally I shortened the vertical height of the bag.

I also cut down the height of the bag after I cut out the pieces and saw how large the diameter of the planter bag was going to be.

Step 2: Sewing the Top Structure

I put the two bags together right sides together. I like the colorful outside of the bags but you can also choose the uniform white side that was the inside of the bag for your outside as well.

Sew the two side seams and then hold up the bag to see if the diameter of the top is the size you desire. If its too large, slice off one of the seams, cut off however much you need and resew the side seam.

I just sewed the seams on my sewing machine with a #14 needle and polyester thread.

Step 3: Fitting and Sewing on the Bottom Panel

I choose to have a rectangular bottom panel because it is easier to fit onto the base for sewing.

I first lined up one long side of a rectangle of feed bag from the discarded portion when I trimmed the feed bag down to the preferred height. Then I sewed the second and third sides.

I pieced the bottom out of two rectangles of feed bag discards so that there is a slit between the sides to allow the plant to have better drainage.

Step 4: Finishing the Planter Bag

To finish the bag, turn it right side out. Be careful to push out the corners.

Time to plant your bag! These bags can grow a wide variety of different plantings but they are particularly helpful to grows where you are going to a root that gets harvested like sweet potatoes.

Enjoy!