Upside Down Tomatoes

Upside Down Tomato Growing appeals to me even if it sounds a half-baked idea. But how crazy is it and does it really work?

The thought behind growing tomatoes upside down is to do away with the trouble of weeding, pests, digging, staking out and utilizing tomato cages. Additionally you don't have to bend over to water, tend and harvest.

There appear to be a range of commercial products available to assist you invert tomatoes, such as the topsy turvy grower. However I would opt a more homemade answer, especially as the available products appear to look homemade!

Two different solutions seem to exist either using a modified hanging basket or a modified plastic container (often with a lid). Both solutions permit you to grow other plants on the upper surface which can improve the appearance or add different crop. Wonderful space saver!

In both cases a hole needs to be made in the "bottom" of the hanging container. Inside the hole use a fiber mat which a slit cut in it to let the seedling to be planted through but maximizing your probability of retaining the soil in the correct place. If you use a container with a lid this is easy enough to do.

Remember in doing this yourself that you need to leave hanging room for the plant and to allow for the weight of the mature plant and juicy tomato crop. What could be more soul destroying than having the whole lot come crashing down ruining weeks of loving care.

On person I came across adapted a bird table to give the tomatoes a good hanging room and a great place for birds to feed. So you can watch the bird come and go while your tomatoes grow.

Growing tomatoes upside down is going to put a large amount of stress on the plant which will still be trying to do what comes naturally. You need to grow the plant right side up until it reaches 10 inches above the container. Having a lid helps during this stage to keep the soil together.

Hang your bucket in a protected bright area and water. You can add soil to the top if need be and feed through the top surface.