If I use a plastic pot with holes, I put a mesh liner to hold regular dirt. I also put a fertilizer tablet in at the bottom. Mesh would be like a used blanket cut into pieces and fabric like that.

brown paper bags are composed of post consumer content. not sure of the percentage. also, a brown paper bag will decompose in a few years making something better. cant say that about plastic bags. as far as recycling plastic, yes theyre recycling plastic. however alot of places its difficult to find someone to recycle plastic bags. here in virginia i have to go to a business that takes plastic bags(target is the only one i can think of now). the city wont recycle them. the city wont recycle anything that isnt a plastic bottle. they recently starting allowing the caps. some places are years behind the curve. i had to throw a patio chair in the trash even after arguing with the waste management folks that HDPE is HDPE regardless of what shape it comes in... silly. and i just realized this thread is a year old. sorry

They were on sale for 4.99 a piece. Cheaper than a 20 gallon pot. The sungold was a dollar, I figured if it doesn't make it no big loss. Thanks Suzi and Dave - if I do use it will be next year and I'll check before watering. I always check the soil before watering anyway - we're in a drought and I hate to waste it. I've grown tomatoes in pots before and they did ok, but I wasn't sure about those bags. I just don't have a lot of space in my back yard and I can put a bag about anywhere. I'm going to make some raised beds this fall too and get them ready for next year. I'm already checking out my next varieties. This year I have Cherokee Green, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Black Krim, an unknown paste variety and Red Currant cherry tomato. I planted most of those at a friends house that gets more sun than I do but since I had a very large tree that was rotting taken out I'm going to plant at my house next year. Can't wait! :)

If they don't have them at the container store they probably don't exist. I don't know how expensive it would be but what about 4" pvc pipe and caps for each roll. Or just a long plastic bag. I had some room sized area rugs made at a local carpet store and they put them in long plastic bags for me to bring them home. Or you could put them in a gift wrap container, leave off the lid and cover with a trash bag.