How to Make Your Own Topsy Turvy Plant Hanger
If you have ever seen the commercials for the Topsy Turvy plant hanger, then you know that the device enables you to grow your tomato plants upside down. Unlike ordinary gardening that requires you to stake your plants to support them when they grow upwards, topsy turvy gardening relies on gravity to support the weight of the plant's stem, branches and vegetables when the plant begins to mature. But you do not need to spend a lot of money on commercially made plant hangers to take advantage of the power of gravity. In fact, you can make your own Topsy Turvy upside-down plant hanger from a bucket. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Secure hook within arms reach
- 5-gallon, heavy-duty plastic bucket with lid and handle
- Hole-saw
- Vegetable plant
- Potting soil
- Garden hose
- Compost
Instructions
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1
Decide where you will hang your bucket. You can use a sturdy shepherd's hook, or a hook secured to a post, several feet off the ground. Just make sure that the hook can support the weight of the bucket and that it hangs well within reach. You will need to reach inside the suspended bucket to assemble it.
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2
Choose a bucket that has a strong, secure lid and a handle. An all-purpose 5-gallon, heavy-duty plastic bucket will work sufficiently. Found in most hardware stores, home and garden centers and online, 5-gallon buckets usually cost just a few dollars.
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3
Use a hole-saw to cut a 2 to 3 inch hole in the dead center of the bottom of the bucket. Hang the bucket from the hook and gently place the leaves and stem of the plant approximately 2 to 3 inches through the hole, starting from the inside out.
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4
Hold the roots inside the bucket so that the plant does not slip all the way through. Add approximately 2 inches of potting soil and pack it around the roots. Use a garden hose to wet the soil, this way you can really pack it in to help secure the roots inside the bucket.
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5
Add two cups of compost to the potting soil in the bucket and then continue to add enough soil to fill the bucket to an inch or 2 from the top. Use the garden hose once again to water the plant; continuing until the water begins to flow down through the soil and out the bottom hole. Place the lid securely on the bucket to help retain moisture.
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6
Water your homemade planter regularly, just like you would a traditional garden. Place the hose in the bucket until the water runs through the hole, at least once a week; several times during a drought. However, try not to over-water. If the soil feels moist, skip the scheduled watering and check again one to two days later.
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Tips & Warnings
Any type of over-sized bucket will do. Kitty litter buckets work well, so do laundry soap buckets. Just make sure that you wash them thoroughly before use.
Make sure that the hook can sufficiently support the weight of the bucket. If the planter falls it can destroy the plant, or potentially hurt a small animal or child if it falls on top of them.
