I've seen commercials for the hanging baskets to grow upside down tomatoes. Do these really work and does anyone know how difficult they are to use? Thanks so much.
Hardiness Zone: 7b
By Tamra Benson from NC
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I used 2 liter pop bottles two years ago, they worked great (just do a web search for upside down planters). Last year I got a good deal on the topsy turvey planters and they also work well. I put heavy hooks into the ceiling beams of my porch. I wanted them away from my garden as the year before I had blight in my tomatoes. Having them upside down and up high they did not get blight. Note: I grow cherry tomatoes so they are not as heavy. If you use the bucket idea you could grow marigolds on the top and they will keep pest bugs away from the tomatoes and look pretty.
these are great but.... yes there is a "BUT". Do not hang on a shepherds hook. MUST be hung from sturdy hook. These becomes easily 20-30 lbs when filled and watered. I hung mine on front porch in sun. water them until water leaks back out. Also you have to still prune them or the will get too long and bear no fruit. If the leave touch the ground or other plants below them, the cut worms and other pests will still get them!
My husband moved mine the were touching the ground and they didn't produce. Cut worms crawled up the surrounding plants and ate them! They are good if you hang them high and in the sun.water every other day use fertilizer (liquid) twice a month and you are good to go
My success was not as great as I had hoped. We cut a hole in the bottom of two five gallon buckets, planted the tomatoes into the hole and filled with soil. We hung them on a t-shaped 2x4 form, sunk into the garden soil. They just didn't grow lush like our garden planted varieties and seemed scraggly. So I think I'll dress the form like a scarecrow this year...just wish it would keep the woodchucks out of the broccoli!
I grew the cherry tomatoes and they grew really well in the hanging basket. The next year I tried the bigger tomatoes in the hanging basket and they never produced for me although in the top of the container a bird built a nest!
Funny I just read about this today! Here is a good resource from tipnut.com to grow tomatoes upside down using 5 gallon buckets
www.upsidedowntomatoplant.com/
Happy gardening, Patricia in Colorado
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