sphinxeyes
gardener
Suburbia, small garden in side yard, containers on larger back deck. Hot humid summers.
Posts: 154
|
Post by sphinxeyes on Apr 7, 2009 2:28:42 GMT -5
I've been seeing ads in magazines and on tv lately all about growing tomatoes upside down in those "topsy turvy" tomato bags. I thought it might be an interesting experiment to try, but I was thinking of making my own containers out of buckets instead of buying the bags they advertise on tv.
Has anyone ever tried growing tomatoes this way (or anything else for that matter)? Apparently the increased air circulation is supposed to make them less susceptible to disease and regulate the water absorption. I don't think it would work well for large varieties, but maybe for smaller ones.
Hmm, any opinions? Innovative idea or complete waste of time?
|
|
|
Post by plantsnobin on Apr 7, 2009 16:38:18 GMT -5
I would guess pure marketing hype
|
|
|
Post by grungy on Apr 7, 2009 17:30:34 GMT -5
Actually a neighbor of ours tried it and wasn't very favorably impressed. The plants went down a ways and then sort if curled back around the pail. And that help hold the humidity in which led to some kind of disease.
|
|
|
Post by flowerpower on Apr 8, 2009 6:15:55 GMT -5
My friend just bought 2 of these things. Since I am providing her mater plants this yr, I'm wondering what variety she should put in them. I was thinking about Guido.
|
|
|
Post by grungy on Apr 8, 2009 15:09:58 GMT -5
Flowerpower, I didn't notice the word friend in quotation marks. I only hope you were kidding as Guido when it likes where it is living can produce 45 pound of fruit per plant and that would be an extreme load for the hanger of the tomato pot. I would suggest that you give your friend either a smaller sized plant of cherry tomatoes or perhaps a dwarf type plant. Cheers, Val aka grungy
|
|
sphinxeyes
gardener
Suburbia, small garden in side yard, containers on larger back deck. Hot humid summers.
Posts: 154
|
Post by sphinxeyes on Apr 8, 2009 19:04:36 GMT -5
Even with average size tomatoes they show the hangers being supported by heavy duty wooden beams. I read up on some reviews of the hangers and most of the complaints are about the sun either drying out the bag and making it brittle, or that the weight of the dirt and the plant will cause the bag to ripe and break.
|
|
|
Post by juliekru on Apr 9, 2009 5:56:30 GMT -5
We actually use them every year and as long as you keep them moist, they work just fine. We built a large wooden frame and hang them evenly around that. You have to be careful not to put too much weight on one side or it will tip. We have planted all kinds of tomatoes in them from cherries, pears and other mid-size varieties. Last year I had Husky Gold, Sweet Orange Roma, Wapsipinicon Peach and yellow pear in them (can't remember the fifth). They come with a sponge that you plant 3/4 of the way up in the container and that is critical because they do dry out fast. My main problem last year was I had a Belgian Giant growing too close by and it took up a lot of space/sun from the hangers. I have tons of pictures if anyone would like to see them. Also, yes, they do curve up as they grow but it doesn't really affect them at all.
|
|
|
Post by flowerpower on Apr 9, 2009 6:13:34 GMT -5
Val, I was kidding my GF about the Guido because she said she wanted a big mater for this contraption. I told her it should be small. (I am giving her 2 Guido for her garden.) I think I want to put a non-red variety in them.
|
|
|
Post by bunkie on Apr 9, 2009 9:22:32 GMT -5
i have a friend in Georgia who had a couple of upside down tom plants last year and said they did really well and she's going to do them again this year. she was amazed at the produce they produced!
val, i still have only one little guido plant, and he looks like he may not develop any leaves???! one of those weird fellas. i have a couple seeds left and think i'll try sprouting them in damp newspaper...
|
|
|
Post by grungy on Apr 9, 2009 22:29:00 GMT -5
Go for it bunkie and if you fail to get a Guido this spring let me know and I will send you fresh seed this fall. We have been racking our brains trying to figure out what went wrong and the only thing different this year was we tried Dave's method of using the baggies for fermentation and maybe I let them ferment too long or too short a time. This fall I am going to experiment both ways and then compare the results. Guess it only proves that I should have done a germination test on each batch. (I hate killing the willing to grow babies - wished I had a giant greenhouse.)
|
|
|
Post by bunkie on Apr 18, 2009 9:33:48 GMT -5
val, have the Guido seeds in damp settings right now...crossing fingers. the one little falla is hanging in there with very very very tiny leaves! as for the upside down tomato, here's a blog where the guy tells you how to make one yourself...second post down... ;D www.cheapvegetablegardener.com/
|
|
|
Post by freedomsailer on Jan 13, 2010 11:10:20 GMT -5
ive used this system before, only i got the cheap dollar store 2 gallon mop buckets and cut holes in the bottom to plant the plants in, the bails make good hangers ive grew tomatoes and strawberrys, peppers and a few more veggies in them, i passed some out to some older people in town that live in gov. housing where they cant have gardens, now u drive through them they are buckets with veggies growing everywhere. also use a 2 foot or longer peice of 6 to 8 in. pvc pipe filled with potting soil with hole drilled in it about 1 in. in dia. staggered 10 to 12 holes with a pipe cap on the bottom and a wire hanger inserted through the top. and plant your plants in the holes they grow everywhere LOL, but most of all it give thoes people "room" to grow whereas they wouldnt have the space.
|
|
|
Post by ozarklady on Jan 14, 2010 0:49:26 GMT -5
I have seen regular 5 gallon buckets, with holes cut in them, and then they were hung from beams out on decks, over hanging the yard. Those pots were absolutely gorgeous... They were loaded with tomatoes, some of the vines went down with the weight, then grew back up and bloomed again. Gorgeous! Would I do it... no. I am not growing tomatoes to be a flower plant... I think it would take too much upkeep to keep them looking and growing well. But, if I were going to just grow 4-5 sure, why not... It could be fun.
|
|
|
Post by JanetM on Feb 1, 2010 9:24:39 GMT -5
Hi! I am new to this club. I have been reading your ideas on hanging bags/buckets and I just have to try this. I am a 'farmer's' daughter, now living in a woods. No room to put a garden and miss having even a tomato plant. I do have a good size deck that now gets some good sunshine a few hours during the day, thanks to the strong winds of the huricane that came though last year (we lost 12 trees). I am going to hang a couple on the deck and see what happens.
|
|
|
Post by flowerpower on Feb 2, 2010 5:14:13 GMT -5
Welcome to HG , Janet. You should definitely grow some tomatoes this yr. Just remember to keep them well watered. Containers can dry out very quickly.
|
|