Upside down tomato plants

[jabbur]

Has anyone tried the Topsy Turvy™ Tomato Planter - Harriet Carter - Customer Favorites They are containers you hang and plant with tomato plants (in dirt/potting soil) that then grow out the bottom of the container. I don't have the yard for a garden and would love to have some fresh tomatoes this summer and thought about trying these but wasn't sure how well the tomatoes grow.

 

[Callisto in NC]

My neighbors had those last year and they grew beautiful tomatoes.

 

[Michael in FtW]

You might want to check out this thread we had last year about this: Upside-Down Tomatoes

 

[babetoo]

i currently have two, planted tomatoes in both. about two weeks ago, plants not seeds. one died , the other seems to be holding its own. will know more as season progresses. i think i will do some other vegs, in one that is now empty. have tomatos in a pot as well.

 

[jabbur]

You might want to check out this thread we had last year about this: Upside-Down Tomatoes

Thanks for the link. Somehow I missed that thread. I'm thinking about trying it. They are only $10 so I won't be out much if it doesn't do well. Thanks for all the info.

Babetoo, let me know how yours grows. I'll let you know when I get mine started.

 

[JMediger]

I have a similar product from Gardener's Supply. It was a gift from my parents for our anniversary and we love it! My husband had our local welder make a stand that would support the weight so it sits at the corner of the garden. If you are prone to storms, you will want to be sure it is protected as the vines will break easily if it gets tossed about or falls over (speaking from experience here). Also, they dry out really fast - it seemed faster than our potted things. The one we have has a gallon reserve on top and it needed to be filled at least once a day.

 

[Claire]

I ordered one last year, but they were so popular that I didn't receive mine until August! Obviously, way past tomato planting season. I do plan on using it this season though. When I plant in the ground I use "early girls" because our season is so short. But I've also grown plum tomatoes and, last year, what was called "Amish Paste" tomatoes. Any advice about what varieties work well in the topsy-turvey?

 

[JMediger]

I think any variety would work well. We put a beef steak in ours and until it fell over, it was doing really well. The tomatoes we did get off of the vines that were left were perfectly shaped and delicious!

 

[MNTaxi]

I am fixing to make my own up side down planters for tomattos. Going to drill a 2-2 1/2" hole on the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. Cut circles out or roofing paper that will cover the bottom of the bucket. Over the hole cut a slit big enough to slide the tomato start through. Than fill the pot up with dirt.

Bonus: You can now plant herbs on top of the tomato plant. Your basiclly getting 2 for 1. You can also plant flowers on the top if your not into growing your own herbs and spices.

 

[babetoo]

Thanks for the link. Somehow I missed that thread. I'm thinking about trying it. They are only $10 so I won't be out much if it doesn't do well. Thanks for all the info.

Babetoo, let me know how yours grows. I'll let you know when I get mine started.

i am so excited, i have tomatos in the topsy turvey planter. 7 little ones, it is a cherry tomato plant, early producer. now if the birds will just leave em alone. replayed in the one where plant died. to soon to tell on it. little green worms at a bunch of lettuce. guess that is the risk you take, so did you plant in yours? how doing?

 

[jabbur]

I ordered online and they are back ordered so may not get to try it this season (bummer) but will have them ready for next.

 

[babetoo]

I ordered online and they are back ordered so may not get to try it this season (bummer) but will have them ready for next.

i saw them in a cvs drugstore here. check out that kind of store. or "see on tv" try that as a website

 

[the cookie monster]

It looks pretty cool to me, they said you can also plant strawberries in them. Yummy. :]

 

[Scotch]

QVC sells these things, and they get pretty lousy customer reviews: CLICK ME

 

[mcnerd]

You can easily make your own upside-down planter, using any container that has a hole in the bottom that you can fit your plant through originally and can be hung up. Cut a piece of stiff gardening fabric to the size of the bottom, cut a 1" or so "X" in the center so it won't bind of the plant stem and then I also make one cut all the way out to the edge. That way I can open the sheet around the plant stem and not sit there trying to force it through the hole. The sheet just helps keep dirt from coming out the bottom. Fill up with potting soil and you are off an running.

Just remember to water almost daily. They dry out much faster than regular pots.

Strawberries need lots of little plants, just like the ceramic planters designed for them, so I would try to find a hanging planter I could do the same thing with.

Don't forget those open-wire containers with moss linings. Easily modified for hanging veggies.

 

[jabbur]

You can easily make your own upside-down planter, using any container that has a hole in the bottom that you can fit your plant through originally and can be hung up. Cut a piece of stiff gardening fabric to the size of the bottom, cut a 1" or so "X" in the center so it won't bind of the plant stem and then I also make one cut all the way out to the edge. That way I can open the sheet around the plant stem and not sit there trying to force it through the hole. The sheet just helps keep dirt from coming out the bottom. Fill up with potting soil and you are off an running.

Just remember to water almost daily. They dry out much faster than regular pots.

Strawberries need lots of little plants, just like the ceramic planters designed for them, so I would try to find a hanging planter I could do the same thing with.

Don't forget those open-wire containers with moss linings. Easily modified for hanging veggies.

We have some plastic 5 gal buckets around here (soy sauce from DS restaurant). I may try them and see about cutting a hole in the bottom. Thanks for the idea!

 

[mcnerd]

The plastic buckets might work but it may last only one season since the sun's UV will dry it out and probably make the plastic very brittle and break. I wonder if painting the outside with some protective paint might reduce that problem. Use the lid to help keep the soil moist or, alternatively, put plants in the top portion also

 

[babetoo]

QVC sells these things, and they get pretty lousy customer reviews: CLICK ME

they do have a great price. the best i've seen. i have two hangers, had to replant one one has little baby tomatos already, seven of em. i also so planted one in a big pot. will see which does the better job.

i don't think it needs all that dirt. makes it heavy and hard to gauge the amount of water. if u do fill with dirt. plant something in the top. am doing cilantro in one and cat grass in the other i think.

 

[lifesaver]

i thought about trying an experiment of my own on seeing how well a regular ordinary tomato plant would grow hung upside down. i would use a 2-liter pop bottle that i have cut off the bottom. put 3 to 4 pin size holes around the bottom, just big enough to string a strip of wire to hang it from. then i will put the root part of the tomato plant through the neck hole of the pop bottle holding it in place while i feed the soil through the bottom of the bottle filling it all the way. i'll let you'all know later how it turns out.