Ha. I actually have two, both given to me as gifts :D In the first one, we put tomatoes at the bottom and strawberries on top and got lots of both. I just got the second one from a friend so I'm planning on doing the same.
Whoa... gotta admit I've never heard of this. More info?
I have 12 tomato plants waiting to go into the garden. It frosted last night, so it's definitely not time yet, but waiting to plant is getting harder and harder...
I have never used one and snarl at them when I drive past. As a true green thumb, I think they are idiotic, but that's my opinion and you wouldn't want me to hold back, would you? ; )
My grandfather had two and down here in South Carolina they were hard to keep watered and ended up scorched. The ones in the ground turned out just fine though, so he threw out the upside down ones. Maybe it would be easier to keep them watered in the less hot Northeast?
My girlfriend planted her tomatoes upside down... and she said several ppl she knew used the top to plant something else too. I think it's a great idea!
Yes 2 summers ago I used 5 of them,, They were fun but they did not produce as much as the commercial showed..they will start to grow upward.. I'm back to the old fashioned way....but they are great if you don't have a yard...and just a patio or balcony.
Mine have already started to grow upward - im not sure if that will be a problem anymore if they were growing up on a stake. I imagine they will get weighed down at some point with the tomatos, no?
We bought one to put on the deck when we first moved to MN. Ours was the kind with the big square base. The base had to be filled with 40# sand and was a bear to move into the garage for winter storage. It had 4 posts and the tray on top. The tomatoes were planted upside down through 4 holes in the top container. Then I put basil plants upright in the top portion. Just make sure to add some mulch or peat moss to the soil because it tends to require more even watering, particularly during the hot summer. When I used it, I found the best tomatoes to grow were the grape and cherry ones. Others can be far too heavy for the vines.
We ended up getting rid of last year as it took up too much space on the deck and I found that it didn't produce any more or better than the ones I would grow in my terra cotta planters (which also need a lot of watering if you don't treat the soil before you plant). Oh, the things you learn from folks here in the mid west who all seem to have been born with a green thumb. This New Yorker is sure she has been good entertainment for her MN neighborhood.
I've seen these before at the garden store, but never heard of anyone using them. I'll be they work great!! Can't wait to see your awesome tomatoes : )
I had one, it did not do well. Mostly because the dirt keeps getting compacted down with every watering, and tomatoes need a ton of water we all know....so after awhile you have dirt levels that aren't covering the roots and it gets dried out in a minute. I could handle continuously putting dirt in there, but the plant just didn't thrive so I said forget it! My tomatoe plant in a plastic bin from Target on my garage roof did WAY better.
I tried one last year. Planted too late and the seedling was almost too large to squish into the opening at the bottom. By September, I had a "Charlie Brown" tomato plant - a withered stem with one bright red cherry tomato!
I don't know if you have a dog or not, but here's a word of caution - my parents used these upside down tomato planters and the tomatoes were coming along nicely ... until ... they reached the grabbing range of their golden retriever. She had a hayday eating all the tomatoes that she could reach (which was...all of them). So, just keep in in mind in case you do have a larger dog. :-)
Cherry tomatoes pic? The TT Planter shouldn't be a problem. Last year I planted several Big Boy tomato plants in these things...ours is on a stand and has holes for up to 6 plants I believe. The tomatoes were gorgeous and we had artisanal pizzas all summer long, grilled in our Bklyn backyard. It's kinda early to put out tomatoes in my opinion (I usually plant them out after the 1st week in May), but your plants look like you got them as transplants, as opposed to seed, and its been a warm winter. The plants will grow skyward, and yes, these things are a godsend for Brooklyn backyards where space is a premium. The trick is to keep it well watered and never let it dry out, since it is a container, making sure the water drips out and the water reaches the stems. The tomato plants will grow like weeds.
The one that we had the most success with was started right side up ( about medium sized and getting bushy) then flipped over to hang. It did awesome! All others were sad and didnt do as amazing as that one.
Ha. I actually have two, both given to me as gifts :D In the first one, we put tomatoes at the bottom and strawberries on top and got lots of both. I just got the second one from a friend so I'm planning on doing the same.
ReplyDeleteWhoa... gotta admit I've never heard of this. More info?
ReplyDeleteI have 12 tomato plants waiting to go into the garden. It frosted last night, so it's definitely not time yet, but waiting to plant is getting harder and harder...
I have never used one and snarl at them when I drive past. As a true green thumb, I think they are idiotic, but that's my opinion and you wouldn't want me to hold back, would you? ; )
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather had two and down here in South Carolina they were hard to keep watered and ended up scorched. The ones in the ground turned out just fine though, so he threw out the upside down ones. Maybe it would be easier to keep them watered in the less hot Northeast?
ReplyDeleteTried one of those last year. Beautiful plant, no tomatoes. Then it got scorched. Thanks to the Alabama hotness.
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend planted her tomatoes upside down... and she said several ppl she knew used the top to plant something else too. I think it's a great idea!
ReplyDeleteYes 2 summers ago I used 5 of them,, They were fun but they did not produce as much as the commercial showed..they will start to grow upward.. I'm back to the old fashioned way....but they are great if you don't have a yard...and just a patio or balcony.
ReplyDeleteMine have already started to grow upward - im not sure if that will be a problem anymore if they were growing up on a stake. I imagine they will get weighed down at some point with the tomatos, no?
ReplyDeleteMy mom's started to grow upwards too, the stem was in the shape of a U.
ReplyDeleteWe bought one to put on the deck when we first moved to MN. Ours was the kind with the big square base. The base had to be filled with 40# sand and was a bear to move into the garage for winter storage. It had 4 posts and the tray on top. The tomatoes were planted upside down through 4 holes in the top container. Then I put basil plants upright in the top portion. Just make sure to add some mulch or peat moss to the soil because it tends to require more even watering, particularly during the hot summer. When I used it, I found the best tomatoes to grow were the grape and cherry ones. Others can be far too heavy for the vines.
ReplyDeleteWe ended up getting rid of last year as it took up too much space on the deck and I found that it didn't produce any more or better than the ones I would grow in my terra cotta planters (which also need a lot of watering if you don't treat the soil before you plant). Oh, the things you learn from folks here in the mid west who all seem to have been born with a green thumb. This New Yorker is sure she has been good entertainment for her MN neighborhood.
BIG plants...no tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteI've seen these before at the garden store, but never heard of anyone using them. I'll be they work great!! Can't wait to see your awesome tomatoes : )
ReplyDeleteI had one, it did not do well. Mostly because the dirt keeps getting compacted down with every watering, and tomatoes need a ton of water we all know....so after awhile you have dirt levels that aren't covering the roots and it gets dried out in a minute. I could handle continuously putting dirt in there, but the plant just didn't thrive so I said forget it! My tomatoe plant in a plastic bin from Target on my garage roof did WAY better.
ReplyDeleteI tried one last year. Planted too late and the seedling was almost too large to squish into the opening at the bottom. By September, I had a "Charlie Brown" tomato plant - a withered stem with one bright red cherry tomato!
ReplyDeleteSorry but it didn't work at all. We have much better luck with a plant in a pot. But maybe you will have more luck!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you have a dog or not, but here's a word of caution - my parents used these upside down tomato planters and the tomatoes were coming along nicely ... until ... they reached the grabbing range of their golden retriever. She had a hayday eating all the tomatoes that she could reach (which was...all of them). So, just keep in in mind in case you do have a larger dog. :-)
ReplyDeleteCherry tomatoes pic? The TT Planter shouldn't be a problem. Last year I planted several Big Boy tomato plants in these things...ours is on a stand and has holes for up to 6 plants I believe. The tomatoes were gorgeous and we had artisanal pizzas all summer long, grilled in our Bklyn backyard. It's kinda early to put out tomatoes in my opinion (I usually plant them out after the 1st week in May), but your plants look like you got them as transplants, as opposed to seed, and its been a warm winter. The plants will grow skyward, and yes, these things are a godsend for Brooklyn backyards where space is a premium. The trick is to keep it well watered and never let it dry out, since it is a container, making sure the water drips out and the water reaches the stems. The tomato plants will grow like weeds.
ReplyDeleteLast year we did one of these with cherry tomatoes. Worked great! Just water daily. Just wish the container wasn't so unattractive!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe one that we had the most success with was started right side up ( about medium sized and getting bushy) then flipped over to hang. It did awesome! All others were sad and didnt do as amazing as that one.
ReplyDelete