Upside Down Tomatoes

[Rockfish]

No doubt that many of you have read about this topic. I did alot of reading and thouhght on the subject. I have never tried it because I thought it too impractical. I thought, if I were to do this, why not do it like a hanging plant? Think about it, you still have to water/feed it, regardless if it is upside down or not. The biggest advantage is that it is off the ground away from diseases and fugngi. You really wouldn't have cage it. picking would be easier. That of course would depend on how you trellis it if you did at all. This year I am going to hang a couple of tomatoes and see what happens.

[Pharmerphil]

Use a loose mixof soil, hang them in a good location, water when the soil just starts to dry on the top,(or would I say bottom in this case)? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/Phlaura/throwtomatoes.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/Phlaura/throwtomatoes.gif
Here is a pic a member of my forum posted last year on this subject, clothes line looks good to Me!http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/Phlaura/thumb.gif
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/Phlaura/Phunny%20Pharm%20Pix/39tip05a.jpg

[ceresone]

well, i tried it last year, as well as container gardening--huge pots on my deck. I'll go back to my heavily mulched gardens this year--too much work. had to be watered sometimes twice a day, and i used the lil water crystals too.

[walleye]

I still have not got this method perfected either.

You can reduce the frequent watering problem by planting a living mulch on the top part of the bucket. I used weeds one year and it worked fine! Might be a good use for Creeping Charlie too.

I learned last year not to wait until the plants are 18 inches tall before putting them in the bucket. The stalk was too "un-flexible" at that point and the constant twisting in the wind snapped it off at the stem in about 3 days.

So this year I won't even start the seeds for the plants I am going to hang in the bucket upside-down until about 4 weeks later than I start my other tomatoes.

[Helen Wong-Joe]

I always wanted to do the upside down tomato thing, but can't find containers.

[justdoit]

Helen, five gallon buckets are usually easy to get at delis in grocery stores... just have to ask. I noted in the picture posted by PharmerPhil that the lid is used to hold down evaporation...has a hole in it for watering. I suspect the shorter tomatoes will work best, but I'd try whatever I like, if it were me. Aluminum foil wrapped around the bucket would reflect the heat away from the roots. Tomatoes like Roma do well in containers.

I believe the little plant is put in place as the bucket is filled...with the bucket hanging. Maybe someone else can tell you what size hole to drill in the bottom... I would guess the minimum to be 1".... 1.5 might be best.

[mrtomatoexpres]

you got it justdoit just use 5gal pails with a hole in the cover drill holes on the sides to hold heavy wire on the bottom of my containers i use in the garden the 4holes 3/4 in the cover i would drill a hole about the size of a paper coffeecup then slide the small plant in the holesnap the cover on but i would drill 1/4 inch hole on the cover close to the sides and about2 or 3 inches on the side of the pail and use zipties or wire to help secure the top from falling off in the bottom i would drill 5 or 6 3/4 inch holes so you can water and the bottom will keep it water from evaporating

[Helen Wong-Joe]

thanks justdoit and mrtomatoexpres, I am going to give it a try next year.

[mrtomatoexpres]

great have fun :)

[Jeannine]

I've never heard of this method before.....I live a sheltered life for sure! I did try the hanging bags of strawberries one year and wasn't overly impressed with how that experiment worked out, but just maybe......It sure would make it easier to do several varieties with the space needed to have pure seeds available for the next season, at least for me. Hum, sure looks like it would be easier on the back as well, another newly encountered problem. Guess I need to start collecting some 5 gal. buckets!!!

Thanks for the idea!
Jeannine

[TastyofHasty]

Joan, what WAS the Hanging Bags of Strawberries idea???

I guess I'll stop at a deli or two next time we're in town & see if they have five gallon buckets!

[morgansgardenofdoom]

I tried this last year. I just used a cheap hanging basket I bought at BigLots. I just cut a hole big enough to thread my plant thru the bottom, used coffee filters to cover the hole in the bottom and filled with soil/compost mix. The top of the basket I planted with chives and parsley. During the really hot spell during the summer, I had to water twice a day, but they made great conversation pieces as I had them hanging by the walkway near the front porch.

[tuk50]

well, my son talked me into trying upside down tomatoes this year and so far so good, below is a pic of black krim in the first one and two japanese black potatoleaf in the second one. I've been watering about a quart each morning in 98 degree temps this week and they get sun from sunrise till about 2pm when the deck roof shades them. There are a few blooms starting now and will see if they set ok this week. They tend to wilt around noon, but I resist watering them and so far they seem to bounce back as soon as the shade gets to them in the afternoons. :cool: