Have you tried growing tomatoes upside down? Chances are good that you've seen the Topsy Turvy Upside Down Tomato Planter commercial on TV. Is the Topsy Turvy a passing fad or a legitimate way of growing tomatoes? That is what this post will attempt to answer.
Growing tomatoes upside down has been a craze now for the past few years and is probably losing some of its excitement. I doubt there are many gardeners who haven't heard of this before, but just in case you missed it, here is what the ads look like:
Originally popularized on TV, they then became available in retail stores, and now are available on Amazon
Growing tomatoes upside down isn't a new idea with Topsy Turvy. The first time I grew a tomato plant out of the bottom of a planter was nearly 20 years ago.
Before I tried the Topsy Turvy, I thought it was all hype. After I bought some and grew tomatoes with them, I discovered that they actually do work well.
Even though Topsy Turvy Planters are a good option, you don't need a Topsy Turvy to grow upside down tomatoes. You can make a planter yourself and I've seen much written about different designs. Some of course are better than others but I've seen people use hanging baskets, buckets and two liter plastic bottles. The key to success when making your own is to have enough soil volume. The Topsy Turvy works because it is cylindrical which gives the roots more room. I'm fairly sure a two liter bottle does not allow enough root space.
If you have never grown tomatoes or any other vegetables from hanging planters before, you probably have some questions about doing it. I will attempt to address some here:
Why would I want to grow upside down tomatoes? Are there any benefits to doing so?
If you have plenty of space in the ground to grow your vegetables and you are not curious about growing upside down tomatoes then there is little benefit for you. If you don't have much room to grow crops in the ground however, then this may be great for you. Here is a picture of an inner-city dwelling that has zero yard associated with it. By using patio containers and hanging containers, they have a great little garden!
Half of their hanging planters are Topsy Turvys and half are made from buckets. As you can see, the results are about the same from both:
They also have chili peppers growing from one and cucumbers from another. Notice the cucumber hanging at the bottom of the planter on the right below:
These city dwellers illustrate the main benefit of using hanging containers for vegetables - They are a creative use of growing space. Other benefits are that you don't have to bend over to harvest your veggies and you can locate the planter close to your kitchen door and close to a water source. With tomatoes, upside-down planters are better than regular patio planters because there is no need for staking or caging the tomato plant. Last but not least, they are fun and great for kids too.
What kind of soil should be used in hanging containers?
Regular garden dirt should not be used in containers because it will compact too much. You should use a loose growing medium. I use organic potting soil with compost and coir (coconut fiber) or peat mixed in to hold moisture.
What about watering?
As with all container gardening, watering is the most difficult part. Vegetables need even more water than flowers, so you have to keep up with the watering. Just watch for the soil to be dry on the top few inches. If the plant begins to wilt, add water. Be careful not to be over zealous here though. Watering every day, even if the plant does not need it may cause more harm than good. Tomatoes especially don't like to stay wet and too much water can cause fungal problems.
Do you get more or fewer tomatoes with an upside-down planter?
That depends on a lot. If you are able to keep it growing well, a tomato plant will produce the same amount of fruit hanging upside down as it does right side up. The container aspect is what may change the outcome. I don't think you can expect as much harvest with container grown plants as you get in a garden bed. The roots do become restricted more in a container.
What are the drawbacks to upside-down planting?
As mentioned above, getting the watering correct could be considered a detriment. In addition to striving for the right amount of water, watering can cause another problem. When you water your hanging planter, excess water runs out the bottom of the container and gets the leaves wet. Tomato leaves tend to collect water because it is the underside of the leaves which can form a cup. This standing water can also cause disease problems on those leaves.
Another drawback for some people is that you have to find somewhere sturdy to hang them from. If your container has the right amount of soil, it gets pretty heavy and of course must hang for the entire growing season. Most people use a carport or porch roof to hang them from which can over-shade your planter. I have had success with hanging them from my deck's pergola.
The Topsy Turvy people offer a solution to the problem of where to hang the planters in their product, the Topsy Turvy Tomato Tree. This is basically one of their planters on a central stand and it is pretty expensive.
These planters look better than the hanging ones, which brings me to the final reason some people don't want to grow upside-down veggies. They think the planters are ugly! My wife is one of those people. I guess suspending a plant upside down is so unusual, it can look strange and unattractive to some.
So what is my verdict?
I like my upside down tomatoes and will continue to grow some.
It is a bit of a challenge which I don't mind, and it is fun for me.
I WILL NOT stop growing tomatoes in the ground the old fashioned way and don't suggest that for anyone.
If you have no ground growing space and want a tomato plant, I would give this a try. Upside down planters are also good as an addition to your regular garden, especially if your vegetable garden is on the smaller side.
So now its your turn - what do you think about upside-down tomato planters? Have you tried them? Do you want to try them? Do you think the drawbacks outweigh the benefits or does the fun and novelty outweigh the drawbacks? I'd love to know your thoughts in a comment below.
Thanks, and Happy Tomato Tuesday!
-Marc
My upside down tomato planter has a good size tomato plant, but has yet to produce one tomato. All the blooms that the plant has produced have fallen off. I have 3 other plants( which were planted about the same time)in the ground and they all have tomatoes, some more than others. It seems hard to believe that the root system in the upside down planter could grow effectively. Last year when I pulled my old tomato plants up, the roots were large and very extensive- would never fit in an upside down planter.
Posted by: Reada | June 26, 2011 at 03:46 PM
I used a 4 arm plant stand to plant 4 upside down planters: an early girl tomato, a cucumber, an asian eggplant, and a bell pepper. Early in the season, the tomato plant flourished,flowered, and set many small green tomatoes. As the heat of summer set in in late July with temps above 100 degrees, the tomato showed signs of heat and water stress. It was hard to keep the moisture level consistent, the roots reached the top of the planter, and it seemed that the roots were cooking in the exposed planter. The tomatoes ripened smaller in size. It's definitely easier to grow in a raised bed from a water standpoint. The bell pepper and the eggplant did very well, the cucumber drowned.
Posted by: Loves a Garden | February 10, 2012 at 02:21 AM