How to Build Your Own Topsy Turvy and Grow Upside Down Tomato Plants

Bright Red Tomato

Building your own upside down, hanging tomato garden is an easy way to grow tomatoes nearly anywhere. By hanging your plants, the tomato vines will grow long, allowing for a very successful tomato harvest, regardless of how much space you have.

Things You'll Need

• Tomato plants or seedlings
• Sharp knife
• 3-5 gallon bucket
• Potting soil
• Coffee filters

Instructions

1. 

   Begin by preparing your bucket. Cut several "half-circle" shapes along the bottom of your bucket. Cut the bottom of the holes about an inch from the bottom to facilitate a layer of rocks for drainage.

   Four holes work well, but if you have more plants, you can squeeze in as many as you can. Remember that the tomato plant root balls will sit just behind the holes, make sure you have room.

2. 

   Add a layer of small to medium rocks to the bottom of the bucket. The rocks should not be higher than the bottom of the holes in the bucket.

   Block the holes from the inside with coffee filters. Use the rocks to hold the coffee filters in place.

3. 

   Add a small layer of potting soil to the bucket. Cut a slit or tear the coffee filter and carefully feed the tomato plants through the holes from the inside out. Be very careful, tomato plants are not very flexible and their branches easily snap off.

   After your plant is completely through the hole, except the root ball and an inch or so of the stalk, add potting soil to secure the plant into the bucket.

   Repeat this for all the tomato plants.

4. After all of your tomato plants are secure in the bucket, cover the root balls completely with potting soil and water generously.

5. 

   If you have additional tomato plants, you may wish to plant them in the top of the bucket. Continue to fill the bucket with potting soil about three-quarters full. Plant additional tomato plants into the top.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a sturdy hook to hang your upside-down tomato garden. Your bucket may be considerably heavy when hanging. Use appropriate precautions when lifting and hanging the bucket.

• The handle that is typically installed on a plastic bucket will not withstand the test of time on this heavy bucket. Consider drilling holes in the top of the bucket and using a piece of rope to securely hang the tomato bucket.

Resources

• If you have to have the store bought Topsy Turvy read this