Grow Bags vs. Monotubs
Usually when people ask me, “Hey, should I fruit in bags or tubs?” I respond with a million questions of my own. By the tenth questions they say, “Dude, just give me an answer,” at which point I send them the link to this article — because at the end of the day there’s no one size fits-all answer. Both monotubs and grow bags offer many benefits, after reading this you’ll know which fits your plan best.
YIELD - Slight Advantage to Monotubs
More surface area with the tubs will get you a bigger first flush. Planning on more flushes? That’s good, cause total yield starts to even out by the third flush.
SPACE - Grow Bags by Unanimous Decision
About two-and-a-half 10 lb. fruiting blocks can fit inside the same space as a monotub that would be filled with 10 lbs of substrate (so 2.5x more yield after 3 flushes in the same space). “B-but you can stack tubs.” Don’t you have a shelf? Read a book, my guy.
CONDITIONS UPKEEP - Monotubs by Unanimous Decision
Grow bags are nice and easy to fruit in with no extra equipment (see the “Hood Method”), but if you want to maximize yields you’ll need an environment with consistent humidity and temperature. Monotubs solve for at least one of these problems as the air flow that naturally occurs with them can help you keep stable humidity levels with zero upkeep and extra supplies.
Fresh air exchange is incredibly important to mushroom growth too, and the holes in your monotub allow fresh air to come in and stale air to exit. Grow bags beat this when the bag is cut completely open, but you better make sure your environment is humid enough or the whole thing will dry out.
EFFORT - Grow Bags by TKO
Monotubs are a pain to clean. And if you’re a neat-freak, save yourself the paranoia of “what if that contam from 4 months ago is still in there?”
Time to mix your spawn into substrate? Just dump it into a bag, seal and shake.
CONCLUSION - Grow Bags Win
They’re simply easier and more versatile. Especially if you’re a beginner. Tubs are great if you have a specific plan that require them. If you’re in the process of seeing what works for you, go with grow bags.
