Growing tomatoes...upside down??

[LikeMarigold]

Does anybody do this? I'm tight for space and a sucker for convincing marketing. Should I try it?

[doccat5]

Yep, but don't buy one..........google for it, there are all kinds of directions on how to make a cheapy out of a 5 gal bucket........LOL they have them for peppers also

[opabinia51]

I've never done it myself but, several of our members have done it over the years.

I have done tomatoes in hanging baskets though, and it works like a trick!

[wurzelgummidge]

Does anybody do this? I'm tight for space and a sucker for convincing marketing. Should I try it?

there is a variety called i think tumbler or tumbledown good for hanging baskets.

[JPlovesflowers]

My neighbor's mom made her own out of 5 gal ice cream buckets, I think and had great success...Another friend of mine bought the commercial ones and she is having a problem keeping them watered. Don't know how they will produce yet, it's too early in the season. Good luck!

[Brandywinegirl]

I bought the Upside Down Gardener from Hammacher Schlemmer last year and I got zero tomatoes from it. The herbs grew great on top. I am trying it again this year since I already spent $80.00 on the contraption!

[opabinia51]

Yikes! That's a lot of money! I hope they work!


Is Brandywine your favourite Heirloom? I've never actually done that one.

[Brandywinegirl]

I know - crazy!!!

Yes, I do love Brandywine tomatoes - they are my favorite. I am trying quite a few heirlooms this year - I got them from QVC. We'll see how it goes.

[opabinia51]

You know last year I was living in a town called Qualicum and at the local supermarket they were selling heirloom tomatoes. I was really happy to see that.

Here in Victoria the only place that I know where to get them is at our local organic nursery.

And to grow them from seed myself.

Opabinia

[wurzelgummidge]

My neighbor's mom made her own out of 5 gal ice cream buckets, I think and had great success...Another friend of mine bought the commercial ones and she is having a problem keeping them watered. Don't know how they will produce yet, it's too early in the season. Good luck!

i found a watering device in a kleeneze catalogue which is a upside down bottle with a drip spout attached which you stick in to plant pot and get slow release of water,still waiting for delivery though.

[JennyC]

Opabinia, I bought heirloom tomatoes last night at Wal-Mart. You might give it a look.

[jules26]

Hi there,

This is my first year growing tomatoes (and first time posting)... I bought Early Girls and Grape tomatoes. My question has to do with the Grapes... my stepmom suggested growing them in a hanging basket, but I'm not sure how this works. Someone mentioned they've done and it worked great, so I would love some tips.

My stalks are already about a foot tall and I'm worried that once planted the stalks will just break off when they start to bend/fall over. Should I have bought them smaller or started from seed to grow them this way? Or am I worrying for nothing?

Also, our backyard faces south, so lots of sun and also pretty windy since we are near the water, so I would also worry about them getting blown around too much.

I have 6 stalks of the grape tomatoes... how many can I plant in one container or should they each have their own?

Thanks in advance- all advice is appreciated!

[Rowlett Don]

I have 3-4 different kinds in a upside planter. I went the cheep way. Got the plants from Wal Mart, potting soil from Wal Mart and I used the hanging baskets for 4.99 that I foundin their garden center. The baskets are the kind that has the coconut liners in them. I slit the liner in a X fashon in the center and eased down the stem from the inside. That will leave the root ball in 1 piece. Only used 1 plant per basket and it's working great so far...

[jules26]

Oh wow, so the plant is actually upside down? I've been thinking about this all wrong then I was thinking of a hanging basket where the flowers simply grow over the edges and thought it would be the same for the tomatoes. It never occured to me to plant them upside down. Veeery interesting, but I like! Thanks for the input!

[cheshirekat]

Here's my upside-down tomato setup. Sorry all the photos are slightly on the dark side since I took them early in the morning and the sun wasn't high enough yet. At least part of it. I'm not done getting them all arranged. Some of the tomatoes I planted from seed are still too small, so a couple more weeks for them. I'll take more photos later.