How to Grow Tomatoes Upside-Down in a Hanging Basket With a Coconut Liner

Tomatoes grown upside-down in a hanging basket don't require staking or caging.

Growing tomatoes upside-down in a hanging basket is a convenient and space-saving way to garden. No weeding, tilling, staking or caging is necessary and you can harvest the tomatoes without bending over. A hanging basket keeps tomatoes off the ground, making it harder for insects and critters to get to the plants. Wire hanging baskets with coconut liners make attractive container choices and the fibers in the liner retain moisture, cutting back on watering time. Upside-down tomatoes reach upward toward the sun, adding even more interest and character to the plant.

Things You'll Need

• Patio tomatoes
• Wire hanging basket
• Coconut basket liner
• Hooks, brackets, poles
• Scissors or utility knife
• Sphagnum moss, newspaper or coffee filter
• Potting soil
• Tomato fertilizer
• Watering can or hose

Instructions

1. Select a location that gets at least eight hours of full sun to encourage maximum fruit production. Hang upside-down tomato baskets on a sturdy support, such as an eave, porch, balcony, deck rail or swing set. These baskets become quite heavy and may bend a shepherd's hook or bird feeder pole.

2. Plant tomatoes after your area's spring frost date. If you have already planted the tomato and expect a late frost, store it in a garage or shed until frost has ended. See Farmers Almanac in the resource area below for frost dates.

3. Choose tomatoes made for containers; they're usually labeled as patio plants. They have smaller root systems and produce smaller tomatoes, lessening the weight of the basket. Tomato plants 8 to 12 inches tall are best for transplanting.

4. Remove a tomato plant from its container by running a knife around the inside of the pot. While supporting the pot with one hand, turn the container over, tap the bottom and gently slide out the plant.

5. Insert the coconut liner in the wire basket and turn it upside-down. With scissors or a utility knife, make a hole by cutting an X in the bottom of the liner. Try to center the X in an area where the basket wires will support the outer edges. After you have cut the X, turn the basket right-side up.

6. Cover the bottom inside of the coconut liner with sphagnum moss, newspaper or a coffee filter to help secure the root until it grows. Make a small hole in the newspaper so that it aligns with the hole in the coconut liner. While holding the newspaper, turn the wire basket and liner upside down and carefully insert the tomato plant through both holes.

7. Hang the basket in the designated area while securing tomato plant with the other hand. Mound and tamp down enough potting soil around the root to secure it. Continue filling the pot, leaving a 1 or 2 inch gap below the rim to allow for mulch.

8. Leave the top bare; add mulch or plant herbs or flowers. If you decide to plant the top, use a plant with a small root system so it does not compete with the tomato plant. Try parsley, basil, cilantro or marigolds.

9. Feed plants with a tomato and vegetable fertilizer. Don't use a fertilizer too high in nitrogen, as this results in more foliage than fruit. Fertilize regularly according to the directions on the package.

10. Water regularly and thoroughly throughout the growing season. Container plants dry up quicker than ground plants so check the basket often. Stick your finger 2 inches into the soil, and if it's dry, add water. However, don't let soil dry up to the point it starts cracking and pulling away from the pot. This stresses the plant and causes tomatoes to crack.

11. Check tomatoes regularly for bugs and disease. There are both organic and inorganic products available to remedy these maladies, but proper care is the best defense.

Tips & Warnings

• Harvest tomatoes when firm and deeply colored.

• For fullest flavor, store tomatoes at room temperature.

• After a few waterings, the soil in the basket may settle. Add more when needed.

References

• University of Missouri Extension: Growing Homegrown Tomatoes
• University of Illinois Extension: Tomato
• Container Gardening Tips: Hanging Tomato Plants Upside Down
• The Ohio State University Extension: Growing Cucumbers, Peppers, Squash And Tomatoes In Containers

Resources

• Farmers Almanac: Average Frost Dates
• Aggie Horticulture: Tomato Questions