BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Gardening Hanging tomatoes

Has anyone tried growing hanging tomatoes? Some call them upside down tomatoes.
Also found a site where it's called topsy turvy tomato.
Sheryl

I've seen lots of ads for them but haven't tried them. My thought would be the dirt would pour out the bottom. When I have plants in pots, the dirt can be seen coming out the bottom overrun hole. I'm curious too if anyone has tried these.

I have not tried them but I asked the guy at the garden shop. He said they cannot sell the kits because they are patented but you can improvise and make your own. The website I checked said you need to let them set a week in the bucket so that the roots become anchored and the dirt settle. My only concern is the weight of the plant, dirt, and bucket and what I can use on my deck to support it all.

I have a friend who made one of these. He said he used his wife's pantyhose to hold the dirt in. He also said that you have to remember to water them everyday.

I saw an advertisement for Topsy Turvy Tomatoes on TV tonight. They didn't use a bucket but they did use something that looked like kite or banner fabric. It was probably 24 inches tall and 9 inches in diameter. It would not be as heavy as the 5 gallon bucket.

Did your friend just put the pantyhose/nylons across the bottom and cut a hole to put the tomato through?

Yes, I imagine you would have to water thoroughly everyday.

Now that I think about it, I don't think I listened close enough but I think he put it around the dirt inside the bucket.

yes, my granddaughters 10 and 7, who usually do a traditional garden with their mom, have got these going and so far this spring they are working fine

I was talking to someone today and she told me she bought the Topsy Turvy kits and will grown some upside down tomatoes. I may try my hand at it. From the looks of the advertisement, the planter seems to be made out of parachute cloth or banner fabric which would be considerably lighter than a 5-gallon bucket full of dirt and holding a large tomato plant.

I am curious about these as well. My husband grows tomatoes in the garden. Are these cherry tomato plants or regular plants? I would think the weight of regular tomatoes would be pretty heavy.

I would think you would have to use a small sized tomato. The pictures I see of the hanging plants though are always on a very sturdy T pole - clothes line or other. I am sure it is heavy especially if it is in a five gallon container.