Instructions for How to Plant Upside Down Tomato Plants

Grow tomatoes upside down instead of planting them in the ground.

Instead of planting tomatoes in the ground, you can grow them upside down in buckets. This will allow you to move them to an area that receives plenty of sunlight. Tomatoes grown upside down are less prone to pests and disease because they are not grown directly in the ground. Once you decide to grow an upside down tomato plant, you need begin preparing it once the threat of frost passes.

Things You'll Need

• Drill
• 5-gallon bucket with lid and metal handle
• Newspapers
• Potting soil
• Tomato seedling
• Thick cotton rope
• Screw eye
• Water-soluble fertilizer

Instructions

1. Drill a hole centered in the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Drill 10 to 15 one-half inch holes on the lid of the bucket so that you can water the tomato plant.

2. Place three to four newspapers in the bottom of the 5-gallon bucket to cover the hole. These newspapers will also help to anchor the tomato.

3. Fill the bucket with potting soil. Place the lid on the bucket securely.

4. Turn the bucket over so that you can see its bottom. Cut two slits in the newspaper through the hole that you drilled earlier. Plant the seedling into the hole so that only 3 inches of the plant sticks out of the hole.

5. Tie a thick cotton rope to the handle of the bucket. Anchor the bucket on a sturdy beam or wood post with a screw eye.

6. Pack in extra soil around the plant to hold it in place. Hang the bucket in a sunny location. Water the tomato plant to keep the soil moist.

7. Fertilize the tomato plant with a water-soluble fertilizer. Follow the direction on the fertilizer carefully.

References

• Growing Tomato: Growing Tomatoes Upside Down
• Practical Home and Garden: How to Make Your Own Upside Down Tomato Planter
• New York Times: In the Garden: Upside Down Crops Are Growing in Popularity