Upside Down Tomatoes! Yes or No?
Those snazzy upside tomato planters, such as the Topsy Turvy, seem to be all the rage these days when it comes to growing tomatoes. But do they really work?
I purchased a homemade planter for $10 from my local tomato guy , who grows and sells seedlings of 100 different varieties several times each year. He’s a great guy to have in town because I can try different varieties every season. I dropped by his nursery to pick up a Black Cherry tomato but the only ones left were in these upside down baskets, so I decided to give it a try.
His baskets look great and seem to be producing a nice supply of tomatoes. Mine (see photo), however, looks limp most of the time and is a little beaten up by the wind. It also hasn’t set much fruit. One difference is that he had all his baskets in rows together and they were surrounded by a jungle of a garden. My planter is out in the open and doesn’t get much protection from the wind. On a positive note, It will be nice to be able to pick up my basket and bring it indoors once colder weather arrives. That’s assuming it’s still alive by then.
The verdict is still out for me, but I’m strongly leaning toward the traditional method of growing my tomatoes in the ground as my favorite. What about you? If you’ve grown your tomatoes upside down, in a container you purchased or made, leave a comment and, let us know your results.
I purchased a homemade planter for $10 from my local tomato guy , who grows and sells seedlings of 100 different varieties several times each year. He’s a great guy to have in town because I can try different varieties every season. I dropped by his nursery to pick up a Black Cherry tomato but the only ones left were in these upside down baskets, so I decided to give it a try.
His baskets look great and seem to be producing a nice supply of tomatoes. Mine (see photo), however, looks limp most of the time and is a little beaten up by the wind. It also hasn’t set much fruit. One difference is that he had all his baskets in rows together and they were surrounded by a jungle of a garden. My planter is out in the open and doesn’t get much protection from the wind. On a positive note, It will be nice to be able to pick up my basket and bring it indoors once colder weather arrives. That’s assuming it’s still alive by then.
The verdict is still out for me, but I’m strongly leaning toward the traditional method of growing my tomatoes in the ground as my favorite. What about you? If you’ve grown your tomatoes upside down, in a container you purchased or made, leave a comment and, let us know your results.
5 comments:
Our upside down ones were very disappointing! I attributed it to my lack of experience...it's nice to know yours had some trouble too :) I've never tried growing them traditionally, so I have no idea if I have a preference.
What nursery do you go to get your tomato seeds? Are they in Orlando?
I tried the upside down tomato and also had disappointing results. I made a homemade container by cutting a hole in the bottom of an old pot and planted a sweet 100 cherry tomato plant. It was growing however the wind bent and broke the stem. Mayby it would work better if you have a more protected area from the wind.
Christy & Sanddune...Well, so far the verdict on upside down tomatoes seems to be a negative one. I would like to hear from anyone who's had a positive experience.
Anonymous...The tomato plants I purchase are from a local guy in Lakeland.
2 years ago I had tomatoes upside down but they did not produce well...
I guess there were too many plants in my container competing for nutrients.
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