Grow Upside Down Tomatoes for Your Family

Tomato gardening can seem like a daunting task. There are many decisions to make before you even start planting. Which variety will you grow? How far apart will you plant them? Will you have to stake the plant and how? An easy way to get around these problems is to simply grow tomatoes upside down.

Grow Upside Down Tomatoes in Plastic Containers

You can grow tomatoes upside down in practically any sturdy plastic container. Your best choice is to use a 5-gallon bucket with a wire handle. Drill a hole, two to three inches in diameter, in the center of the bottom of the bucket.

Use Small Determinate Tomato Seedling

Next, chose the tomato plant you would like to grow. You can grow practically any type of tomato in upside down containers, as long as they are determinate, meaning that they stop growing once they have reached maturity. Look for tomatoes that are labeled as container, dwarf, or bush. Buy a 2-inch seedling of the tomato variety that you decide upon.

Be very careful when planting your seedling in the hanging planter. Hold the bucket upside down, and gently pull the seedling through the hole at the bottom, stopping at the root ball of the plant. Pack a dense material, such as newspaper, sphagnum moss, or coffee filters, between the root ball and the planter, so that no more than two inches of the seedling stem sticks out of the bottom. Fill the rest of the container with soil and compost, up to one inch from the top of the planter.

Hang Upside Down Tomato in Secure Location

After you have securely planted your tomato, carefully hang it upside down by the wire hanger on the bucket. Make sure to hang your tomato on a sturdy structure, away from any windy areas, and away from anything that it might hit if the planter swings. If you are growing tomatoes in a small area, a patio for instance, you can use 20-ounce soda bottles or hanging baskets as planters.

General Care of Upside Down Tomato Containers

Although upside down tomato gardening is easier than the in-ground version, you still need to water, fertilize, and take good care of your plants. According to the University of Illinois Extension Office, container tomatoes require more frequent watering than in-ground tomatoes. Make sure your tomatoes are getting enough water by checking the dampness of the soil by the root ball daily.

Upside down tomatoes also have a habit of growing upwards towards the sun before they start producing fruit. Make sure your plants do not begin to grow up and back into the soil at the bottom of the hanging planter. Don’t worry, as your tomatoes will begin to grow back down towards the ground by the time they start producing fruit.

Don’t be put off by the many wants and needs of tomatoes in the garden. Simply flip them on their head, and grow those tomatoes upside down! Gardening with tomatoes is a rewarding and delicious experience, and growing them upside down makes it even more fun and tasty.