Topsy Turvy Tomatoes

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kykuzins

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jun 26, 2008
Messages
5
Location
Lexington, KY
Hi all, I'm a newbie to this site and wanted to say how happy I am to discover it. I bought my daughter a GT Express 101 several years ago and I've wanted one for myself ever since, she gave me hers minus the manual and cookbook. So I've been unsuccessfully trying to locate one ever since. This morning I found a PDF for one then I found you all. What a morning! About gardening. I recently have tried the topsy turvy tomatoes planting system. Two of the tomatoes look sick where as before I planted them upside down they were healthy looking little tomato plants. I followed the directions to a T, so can anyone tell me what I've done wrong. This is such a neat way to garden especially if you're like me and live in an apartment with a relatively small balcony. Any advice would be oh so welcome, thanks in advance.
 
I recently got one of those too - Target had them on clearance for $6!
I planted 2 cucumbers in it. So far they're really happy, but it's only been about 4 weeks, so no cukes yet, just leaves and curlie-cues. How are doing, as far as watering? It's kind of hard to judge the water, since mine is hanging a bit high.

BTW, glad you found our site!!
 
One of my tomato plants so far is doing great, two of the others however, not so good. I didn't buy anything special to plant them, instead I repurposed/recycled/reused. The one that is doing great is in one of the flower planters that you hang from the ceiling and has that coconut compressed liner in it. I just cut a slit in the bottom, slipped my roots of the tomato inside, held it in from the bottom, added some rocks and filled to top with dirt. Then I hung it up and watered it. The other I used a 2 liter soda bottle, I used a heat gun and a pair of plyers to make it. First you take hold of the top, where the lid goes with the plyers, then you turn the heat gun on and direct the heat toward the spot on the bottle where the neck area rises up to meet the rest of the bottle and as it heats up press down with the plyers and it will go inside of the bottle, sort of. That forms a gulley in the bottle. Then you cut off the very bottom of the bottle. Once again slide the roots into the bottle where the lid use to go, holding it in with one hand add some rock, (through the end you cut off) and fill up with dirt. Oh snap, I forgot to tell you before you add, plant, rock and dirt. On the end you cut off, make 4 holes around the perimeter of the bottle near the end, tie a string in each of these holes and then tie their ends altogether, you know have a hanging pot. You can make the string as long as you want, make it longer if possible. I am a somewhat short woman, 5' 1 3/4" and I have to take a step ladder out and water it every time. As soon as I get over punishment ( I did a stupid thing), LOL I am going to take it down and put a longer string, chain, whatever I can find so I won't need to use the ladder, (I will then reward myself for doing a smart thing), LOL . I have heard of the planters you buy, I also planted some flowers in the top of the planters, that space is really going to waste, as I live in an apt. with a small balcony I have to make use of the space in the best possible way and I think that is a good thing, (oh this is great, I get to reward myself, I hadn't realized I had done something smart), LOL. I want to plant cukes as well, I think the next couple of topysy turveys will probably be topped off with cukes, I don't know as I have to familarize myself with the watering needs of cucumbers. I'm really happy yours are doing so great. I've seen pictures of others who have used old lard type cans, small metal trash cans, etc.. and they grew really nice. I can't wait, I love tomatoes and anymore I'm leary of buying veggies in the supermarkets anymore. I have been fortunate not to have bought anything contaminated, I will take chances on some things but not my health and certainly not my grandchildren as they are always raiding my fridge. I still haven't figured out why the one plant is doing so well and the other two are not. I thought maybe its shock due to the transplanting but the other one was transplanted as well and its okay, I guess its just one of those tomatoes nothing much shocks, know what I mean? LOL.
 
It's a wise choice to plant the tomatoes by ourselves, than risking our health buying the tomatoes which contaminated with salmonella in the local markets.

Well, being one of the tomatoes fan, I can't even live without the existing of tomatoes in my daily life. ;)
 
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