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Upside Down Tomato Planter
Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying, and Grow Some Tomatoes.
This afternoon I’ve got a how-to for you. The garden blogs have been commenting on, and I’ve been scouring out pricing for, the Topsy-Turvy Upside Down Tomato Planter. For those of you who haven’t seen this, it is a “system” for growing tomatoes, or any other plant really, in a hanging upside down manner. The theory goes that this helps you avoid all sorts of issues from cages, to air circulation, to ground-based bugs, and just get great tomatoes. Also, you can hang these things in places where they’ll get great sun, in many cases even better than on the ground ( especially in small spaces like my patio ).
I was sold. So I started scouring the web for these things, and the best price I found was $14.95. That seemed reasonable until I started looking more closely at the pictures. This is a bag with a little sponge around the bottom. Not rocket science. One day soon after this revelation, I was at Whole Foods and I noticed their new re-usable plastic bags. These are plastic grocery bags, with 2 handles, that are thicker and sturdier than a regular grocery bag. They cost $0.25, and they give you a nickel each time you use it. A light bulb went off, and I realized this could be just what I needed. Hence my own hanging planter. Let’s break it down.
First, here’s what you need. One of these bags from Whole Foods. Or any other bag that can support some weight. I put about 10 bottles of beer in one to check the weight. That was heavier than my bags of wet soil, and I haven’t had any issues yet. You also need a plant, some potting soil ( I added some worm castings ), a paper towel, and a pair of scissors.
Next we’re going to cut a small hole in the bottom. I used scissors, and cut it to about 1 - 1 1/2 inch diameter. Due to ease of cutting issues, I made it a diamond shape. Snip. Snip. Done.
Then, take your plant and carefully stick it in the bag and shove the foilage through the hole. Be gentle, but also realize I did it with this tomato and didn’t even lose a flower.
Now take your paper towel, fold it up, and wrap it around the trunk of the plant. This will help contain the dirt.
Then fill with soil, and water.
That’s it. For 20 cents and a paper towel, you have a hanging upside-down tomato planter.
I’ve had this one up for almost a month, through rain, winds, and normal watering, and it is going strong. It’s a Brandywine, and I’ve already got flowers. I’ll keep you posted on the progress. For all the pictures in big sizes, check out my flickr set Make an Upside Down Planter.
posted to In the Garden, at 02:28 PM. permalink
your thoughts on this post:
Nice idea, but one thing I’d be careful of is using a clear bag. If the roots creep along the bag itself, they can be killed by strong sunlight. You could probably cover the planter bag with a lighter-weight opaque plastic bag to prevent that.
posted by: Reading Dirt | March 24, 2006 06:22 PM
Thanks for the tip, I hadn’t thought of that. Thus far the only root growth I can see is along the bottom which doesn’t get any direct sun. I’ll try out some loose bags over the top though. Do you think it will negatively impact soil temperature too much though? would I be better off lining them on the inside before I fill them with dirt?
posted by: brian | March 24, 2006 07:08 PM
Could this be done with an inverted 2 or 3-liter plastic bottle? would green plastic help the sun-damaged root issues? They would certainly be cheap, and maybe even more reusable. Guess you could maybe paint the outsides, too….just an idea.
posted by: ehmbee | March 25, 2006 12:33 PM
You can use the soda bottles, and I’ve read instructions to do so, but the issue I see is the size. These bags hold about 4 times as much dirt, which generally leads to better results for me.
posted by: brian | March 25, 2006 01:42 PM
Just curious if jute/burlap bags would work??? Any thoughts?
posted by: Jen | March 25, 2006 02:46 PM
2 Litre soda bottles work great! I’m the one that came up with the idea to use them several months back and had posted my plans on Make. I have had zero problems with direct sun light killing the roots. I will be posting some closeup pictures of all the roots growing up to the edges of the clear soda bottle on my site in a day or two. This is a good idea for outside use where having a larger planter is not a concern.
posted by: Matt | March 25, 2006 03:29 PM
Thats fantastic,what a good idea.
posted by: Nancy | March 26, 2006 04:39 AM
Another great idea to use them for- Landscaping. Plenty of possibilities for creating hanging vegetable gardens as new landscaping ideas. Both a veg garden and part of your yards scenery.
posted by: DR | March 27, 2006 10:11 AM
Greetings!
I love the idea of making your own products to save money, time, and to exercise the creativeness in all of us. I have an idea that I’m hoping will save my lawn, and water an area under my house eaves that doesn’t get wet when it rains because my eaves are so wide.
My roof is very steep and I don’t have gutters, so when it rains, the water pours in a very strong torrent onto one patch of my lawn, and has caused the grass to die (drown, I believe) and only crabgrass will grow there. So my idea is to put a plastic barrel in that spot to catch the rain run-off from the roof (or maybe a plastic garbage can, or whatever), attach a spigot near the bottom, attach a soaker hose to the spigot, and run the soaker hose along the garden area under the eaves. That way the garden under the eaves will get watered and I won’t have an ugly patch of crabgrass, all without lifting a finger. I’m also thinking about attaching a plastic trellis around the barrel (I’ve got quite a lot of scraps of it hanging around)and planting a climbing annual around the barrel to dress it up a bit.
My only problem is that I can’t find a barrel that already has a spigot attached, and I’m not sure how to attach one myself. Anyone have any ideas?
posted by: Lynn M. Taplin | March 29, 2006 11:29 AM
This site seems to be a good resource: http://rainbarrelguide.com/ Though I would think that if you found a plastic/pvc barrel it would be easy enough to go to your local home improvement or hardware store and pick up a 1/2” pvc valve and drill a hole into the barrel. You also may need to calk around it for a tight seal.
posted by: Matt | March 31, 2006 11:13 PM
Brian, I have used hanging burlap bags for strawberries. I think they would work if you sew around the bottom opening to prevent unraveling. The only problem I had with them is that they dryed out quickly, but I have that problem with all my hanging plants.
posted by: Starla | April 2, 2006 11:14 AM
I would be afraid when the tomato plant matures it will get too heavy even for a sturdy plastic bag, especially if it hangs in the sun. Heat and sun could make the plastic brittle and the handles might tear. Too bad if it fell with all the tomatoes on it! I had some thoughts about a cheaper version of the topsy turvy bag, haven’t tried it though: Costco dishwasher detergent buckets. Free after you use up the detergent. I would cut a small hole in the bottom to insert the plant and re-enforce the handles. Either leave the lid away altogether for easy watering or cut a hole in the lid for watering. And to make them “pretty” the buckets could be spray painted and decorated. Has anybody a comment?
posted by: Barbara Ehrmann | April 2, 2006 02:08 PM
I haven’t tried it yet, but I also thought about using a plastic bucket, one of those 5 gallon paint containers. Cut a big enough hole on the bottom so you can put the root ball in from the bottom up. You can use the lid to cut out a donut shape circle with a small center hole and bigger in diameter than the hole on the bottom and put a slice on one side of it so you could wrap it around the stem, thus holding it in place.
posted by: Robbie | April 5, 2006 12:10 AM
For Lynn, spigots for your rain barrel watering. I picked up some gallon ice tea makers with spigots for avery reasonable price at GoodWill. The spigots were easy to remove and I used them on a similar project.
Good luck
posted by: Sande | April 9, 2006 03:33 PM
how about those large plastic ice cream buckets? They already have handles on them?
posted by: Sande | April 9, 2006 06:17 PM
I have found a site that uses 5 gallon buckets (2 gallon ones are also do-able) for growing upside down tomatos www.minifarmhomestead.com/gardening/tomato.htm
posted by: Jackie | April 11, 2006 01:30 PM
My husband made 2 upside down planters. He used both a planter and 5 gal bucket. He used screen wire and cut it as wide as the bottom of the planter, and cut a slit 1/2 across the piece so you can put the tomato plant through it. This will keep the dirt from leaving the planter. Another tip we were given was to put a black t-shirt across the top of the planter, holding it on with clothes pins, thus keeping the sun from drying the dirt out. Ours was just planted about 2 weeks ago, in central Indiana, and is growing by leaps and bounds. We rejected the idea of ice cream bucket because the handles are not strong enough to hold the weight of the dirt for any length of time.
posted by: Joyce Metz | April 30, 2006 01:18 PM
I planted a tomato plant upside-down this week in one of those large hanging “coconut” lined hanging baskets and am amazed at the growth of the plant … could be because of gravity … I also planted petunias on top … pretty so far hanging from my deck … picture of the deck on my web page …
Thanks,
Ott
posted by: Otmer Horn | May 3, 2006 09:53 AM
does anyone have a plan i can get an idea of how to make one out of wood free standing??upside down tomato planter
posted by: rich | May 9, 2006 09:32 AM
All great comments and ideas!! But I have a few questions:
What is the “original” Topsy-Turvy made of? Is it canvas with a plastic liner? Why not make it that way? Or use an old lampshade form?
Also, I don’t think that a plastic bag is going to make it through a whole summer with the weight of the plant and all the tomatoes. I like the idea of a canvas bag better. And you could make the opening with a drawstring?
I would be careful about using used paint or detergent containers. Up here they don’t even want you to recycle them because of all the chemicals that have leached into the plastic.
But I think that the formed bottom would help to hold the water in better than one where the hole (where the plant is) is the lowest point of the planter?
This is so exciting! What a great way for people with disablities to be able to garden!!!
- JB
posted by: JB | May 9, 2006 08:19 PM
i am growing tomatos in a 5 gallon bucket and they’re growing faster than the ones i planted in the garden. i cut a hole in the bottom of the bucket and filled it with potting soil and they have just been in there for 2 weeks and they are twice the size as the ones in the garden.
posted by: tina | May 10, 2006 04:03 PM
Well … I picked out my planter … one of those coconut fiber ones in a basket … planted my tomato on the bottom and petunias on top … picture on myspace web site …
Ott
posted by: Otmer Horn | May 29, 2006 08:19 AM
I think an empty cat litter container would work well too. They are strong enough to handle 25+ pounds of litter. Plus they come with a snap on lid. I think I will give it a try!
posted by: Kathy | May 30, 2006 02:12 PM
That’s awesome! I’m doing almost the same thing, but using regular plactic grocery bags (triple thick / 6 thick for the more detailed design). I’m growing cherry tomatoes. They are growing great, but have found that the new growth grows up (towards the sun) until it get too tall, and then twists 180 degrees (pointing towards the ground) the plant seems to compensate okay, but it does cause some rippes in the stem that concern me a little. Do you think I need to support the plant stems, or just let it go? Thanks for the advice!
posted by: Jason Drummond | June 3, 2006 06:17 PM
How about putting the plastic bag with dirt in a burlap/canvas bag for support?
That way if the plastic bag rips or the roots grow through it, it’ll still be intact. I think it is the extra heat on the roots that is causing it to grow so fast. Hence the reason people plant them in a mound in the ground.
posted by: Wes | June 7, 2006 09:14 AM
Hi, I planted 12 tomatoe plants - 10 in the ground and 2 hanging… my two hanging are doing the best and starting to bear nice fruit. I put both in a placestic whole foods bag and then put that into a cavan tote bag that you can get at a craft store for about 2 dollars. It is working beautifully and very strong.
posted by: Vivian | June 16, 2006 11:41 AM
my brother used 2” square stock to build a pole, with a small platform on top with a pin in the center, for growing tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets. on top he put an 8x8 piece of plate with a hold drilled in the center, and then used 1’ square stock going from the center to the corners and out the sides. he hangs a bucket on each arm) if any of the buckets seem lik they are not geting enough sun? he uses a broom handle to turn them around as the top swivels on the pin. I used a piece of 2x6 nailed to a land scaping tember that was in the ground with nails in the end to hold the buckets in place. works for me. Now my mother in law wants me to build her some of them.lol
posted by: JT Bond | June 26, 2006 02:44 PM
These are great ideas but my main concern is the plant once it starts maturing and growing tomatos. I have 32 tomato plants growing in my garden and the are all almost 6 foot tall and they are so heavy with tomatos, that they are pulling down the steel rebar that they are tethered to. Any ideas on something strong to plant for areas where the weather makes plants grow HUGE? I am just scared that the plant will get too heavy and pull the roots right out of the hole.
posted by: Gina | July 12, 2006 03:32 PM
I love the upside down planter I dea so much I’ve tried it with almost everything (corn was a failure but how was I to know) anyway I have tomatoes, peppers, beans, and something I call my cube of doom (thought its not quite cube shaped) basically it’s a re-inforced square plastic box about 700mm square, that I grow all my herbs in… one on each side. rosemary, sage, oregano, basil, and thyme.. I didnt grow anything on teh top as thats where the chains hold it from. works a treat.. wonder if I can plant a lemon tree in one???
posted by: Ryan | July 21, 2006 11:51 AM
This is very interesting and I have thought for a long time about how I could make a Topsy-Turvy. I cut a hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. My problem was that I didn’t know how to suspend it. Could I have put the handle over a tree branch? I also thought about using pant legs from old or outgrown jeans but could not figure out how to suspend it from a tree? fence(not tall enough)? I know I would make a drawstring at the bottom to hold the plant and soil in but what should I do with the top? How to hang it?
posted by: Helen | August 11, 2006 07:17 PM
I purchased some plastic pots at the Container store that are perfect. Since I grow only Hierloom tomatoes and do not get the yeild some people get, I love this process. Shepard hook plant hangers at Lowes and Home Depot work great for 2 buckets on each. I place a drip irrigation unit in each bucket (1/2 gal/hr) and water with my drip system that is for my greenhouse. I have not tried other plants but intended to try pole beans and cukes. I figure 2 cuke plants and 4 bean plants to a bucket. I use sponges around the plant stalk seems to preserve my soil the best.
posted by: Bob | January 21, 2007 09:08 PM
I have been researching about upside down gardening for days, and stumbled on this site-your ideas are the best! I can’t wait to get started. I am going to try an experiment-I am going to use the bag method (reinforced in canvas, and I am going to plant herbs on top of my upside down peppers and tomatoes-double growing-theory is good anyway…
posted by: Brenda Berry | February 7, 2007 09:54 AM
THANKS SO MUCH! We just received an e-mail from the Gardener’s Supply website. I thought the Topsy Turvy was a cool idea until I saw the price! The prices range from $16.99-$18.99. I started surfing the web and found your site. I’ll definitely try a few of your ideas this spring/summer. I’ll let you know what happens. Thanks again.
posted by: Cathy | February 23, 2007 08:31 AM
Ok…it has been a year…what is your after action review:) Did it work? Did you have problems? Did you have to modify or would you change things a bit?
Brian
posted by: Brian | February 24, 2007 12:52 PM
I am just getting started with an upside-down setup and am curious about the particulars of a do-it-yourself system. The common consensus seems to be that a 5-gallon bucket is the best container for growing tomatoes, but how small a container could one use and still achieve a decent yield? I noticed that a 2-liter bottle was suggested but it seemed like it would be too small to generate adequate results.
If so, any ideas on other crops that could be used with smaller containers?
posted by: mike k. | March 21, 2007 03:01 PM
Do you have a comprehensive list of vegetables that can be successfully grown using a homemade TopsyTurvy ? I’m planning my upside garden now.
posted by: bill | March 23, 2007 04:00 AM
How bout using a wreath hanger over the side of your fence? That would hold up your pants maybe….
posted by: Sherri Madsen | March 27, 2007 06:36 PM
Great ideas! My husband and I live in Wyoming where we have a lot of deer. By using the hanging methods, we will be able to grow our tomatoes and strawberries (and herbs ontop!) and then the animals can’t touch them! Thanks guys!
posted by: Morag | March 29, 2007 07:28 AM
i’m using 5 gal buckets with 1 1/2” hold in bottom then foam plate over that with 1/2” hole centered on the big hole maybe some paper towel at the base of plant to prevent soil leakage. I mount these on 1/4” plastic coated wire that has streached between two poles (4x4x12)planted two foot deep. also swaying is a problem. so ever 2’ or so us twine the complete lengh. When done kinda looks like clothes line. cover the tops with lid or us weed blocker with gravel then fertize and water as needed. \ cj
posted by: charles johnson | April 3, 2007 06:06 AM
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