Growing Tomatoes Upside Down

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 NEWSLETTER

At first thought, it might seem an unusual way to grow tomatoes: upside down in hanging containers. But there have been many benefits discovered to hanging tomatoes in planters or buckets. First, the air can circulate better so the plants have almost no disease problems. Second, the fruit doesn't rot as quickly as those which might be on the ground. And, some insects that eat tomatoes have trouble getting to the ripening fruit.

There are gardening catalog's offering a number of different hanging planters to grow tomatoes upside down, but you can make one yourself using a 5 gallon bucket with a tight lid.

Supplies Needed to Make One Bucket Planter:

1. 5 gallon bucket with tight lid.
2. Power drill, with a 2" hole saw bit - oe some other tool to cut hole
3. 2 coffee maker filters
4. Chain
5. Chain loop fastener
6. One heavy duty, screw-in eye bolt - as is used to hang a bench swing. Optional depedning on hanging method

Instructions For Making The Planter

1. Before starting, scrub the bucket thoroughly with soapy water to remove any dirt or contaminates, and make sure the handle is attached securely. Avoid using buckets in which toxic chemicals were stored.
2. Cut a 2" or larger diameter in the center of the LID. This hole will be used for drainage while the seedling is establishing roots, and then for for watering when the planter is hung upside down. You can drill the hole with a hole saw bit, as is used for drilling doorknob holes.
3. Now, cut a 2" hole in the BOTTOM of the bucket.
4. With the bucket standing upright and the lid off, cover the hole in the bottom with a coffee filter or scrap of fabric. That way the soil won’t fall out when you turn the bucket over. Fill the bucket full of a lightweight potting mix, shaking it to settle the soil. Add a teaspoon of hydrated lime per one gallon of soil mix. Do not use cheap-grade, dollar-a-bag potting "soils' as they will not hold moisture evenly.
5. Before putting the lid back on, lay another coffee filter over the soil where the hole will be.
6. Next, put the lid back and turn the bucket upside down.
7. Next, cut a slit through the coffee filter in the hole and plant a seedling. To give the tomato a fast start, strip off the lower leaves and plant the seedling deeply so roots can form along the stem underneath the soil.
8. Place the bucket in a sunny location and keep it well-watered for the next few weeks.
9. When the plant is a foot tall or so, you can hang it up. The bucket full of moist soil can become heavy, so make sure that whatever you are hanging it on is sturdy and offers solid support. A large, screw-in eye bolt, such as is used to hang a bench swing, should be okay provided the wood you screw it into is stable and sturdy. Or you can fasten to a sturdy clothesline pole structure. Two people are needed to hang the planter - one to lift and hold it in place, and the other to thread a chain through the handle and through the eye bolt, then fasten the two ends of the chain with a chain loop or heavy piece of wire. A chain loop that can be unscrewed or unfastened to allow for raising and lowering of the bucket planter is recommended.
10. That's all there is to it!

Care For Your Upside Down Tomato Plant

Water as you would any other container-grown tomato plant: enough to keep soil damp, but not wet.

Fertilize every week or two with a water-soluble fertilizer as directd on label.

For pest control, here's a good natural recipe for insect repellent: In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests. See, that's easy, less expensive, and safe!

Now don't get too much tomato juice on your chin!

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