Gardening on the balcony. Enjoy plants more freely with Bacsac's soft planters

Something I'd always thought, "I'll do it someday."

With so many days spent at home lately, I thought it was the perfect chance to finally do something I'd long been saying "I'll do it someday" about, so I decided to start growing plants on my balcony. I love flowers and often buy cut flowers at the florist to display, but when it comes to potted plants, I'd always felt a bit intimidated by the upkeep and never tried it. This time, using planters made from a soft material called Bacsac, I started to understand the joy of growing plants.

What exactly was my hesitation about potted plants?

✔️I live in an apartment, so my balcony is small

✔️I hate the idea of everything getting soaked after watering

✔️With seasonal plants, I worried about where to store planters when they're not in use

With these worries in mind, I thought that Bacsac's planters might solve these concerns, so I decided to take the plunge and give them a try.

What is Bacsac?

Bacsac is a brand born in France, created to let people enjoy greenery freely, functionally, and stylishly, even in the city. Its material, soft and flexible like a fabric bag, offers a lightness, portability, and durability that typical ceramic or plastic planters don't have. It's also said that because soil, water, and air are held in an ideal balance, it can recreate an environment similar to planting directly in the ground.

For beginners? Trying the 3L size

I chose the "3L size," the smallest of the three sizes we carry at ZUTTO. At about 15cm in diameter, it's perfect for growing small greens or herbs. The outer material is called Batyline, which is apparently also used for things like outdoor and poolside deck chairs. Its mesh structure ensures breathability and lets excess water drain out. The inside is made of non-woven fabric, soft and flexible just like a bag. When not in use, it can simply be rolled up and stored away, so finding a place to keep it shouldn't be a problem.

Planting cilantro & lavender

Since this was a special opportunity, I decided to enjoy it together with my child, and we each picked out our favorite seedlings. I chose white lavender, and my daughter chose cilantro, saying, "because you can eat it." While Bacsac can be used as a planter cover, it's recommended to fill it directly with soil and plant into it.

The transplanting was finished in under 10 minutes, and with the addition of greenery, the balcony somehow felt brighter! As for my worry about the balcony getting soaked when watering, perhaps because of the non-woven inner lining, it seems to hold water better than an ordinary pot—the outside just becomes gently damp rather than dripping, making it easier to use than I'd expected. (Though I imagine it would drip depending on how much water you use.)

Hanging it opened up even more enjoyment

Since my balcony is small, I tried using the handles on either side of the Bacsac to hang it from the balcony railing. I think it would be even easier to hang if the handles were positioned a bit further back, but even so, it's nice to have a way to enjoy it beyond just setting it down.

Also, these handles turned out to be more useful than I expected. When you want to move the planter into the sun, or bring it indoors for a bit, having these handles makes a huge difference. It's the kind of benefit you only really appreciate once you've tried using it yourself.