Upside Down Planting of Tomatoes

Tomato plants will grow upside down as well as right side up.

Thanks to hanging planters like the Topsey Turvey tomato, growing tomatoes upside down is now common sight. Tomato plants will grow upward toward the light, so as the plants hang upside down, they develop a "J" shape. Any hanging planter with a hole in the bottom is suitable for growing tomatoes, but the specialized planter designed for growing upside down tomatoes is relatively inexpensive. The trickiest part of growing tomatoes upside down is planting them properly.

Things You'll Need

• Broom
• 2 chairs
• Upside-down tomato container
• Tomato seedlings
• Lightweight growing mix

Instructions

1. Pass a broom's handle through the hanging strap of the upside down tomato planter. Place each end of the broom handle on a chair back. This will suspend the tomato planter in a position that is easy to work from.

2. Remove the plastic funnel from the top of the bag. Reach into the bag and remove the two foam rings and split foam circle from the bottom of the bag where the tomato will grow.

3. Tease the roots out from a tomato plant. Remove the branches all the way up the stem to the topmost leaves. Allow these leaves to remain in place. Insert the tomato plant by the root ball into the hole in the bottom of the container. Move the plant all the way into the container so only the top leaves emerge. The tomato will put out roots all along it's stem to anchor the plant.

4. Slip the split foam around the stem to trap the tomato in place. Insert the split foam into the shelf near the end of the bag. With your hand, add damp potting soil to the bag. Pack it around the stem and root ball of the plant carefully so as not to damage the plant. Do not allow air pockets to form within the bag.

5. Fill the grow bag one-third full of potting mix. Place a foam ring on top of the mix. The grow rings help to keep water and fertilizer evenly distributed in the bag. Continue filling the bag with soil until it is two-thirds full. Place the second foam ring into the bag and fill it again until the potting soil is just 2 inches from the top.

6. Replace the plastic funnel and hang the container from a hook in a location where it will not fall due to the weight of the tomatoes and soil.

References

• Washington State University Extension: Try Something Different
• Oregon State University Extension: Country Living
• Topsy Turvy: FAQ

Resources

• Mother Earth News: Grow It; Lindsey Siegele; July 2010