How-To-Grow-Tomatoes
What Raising Tomatoes Method Are You Using?
Just how-to-grow-tomatoes questions the upside down method used for
growing tomato plants, and opinions from growers are varied.
The upside-down tomato planter seems to solve the problem of very limited space, especially for people who live in the city in apartment buildings. This certainly is a good thing, and gives people with very small spaces or only balconies to work with, the opportunity to plant things like people with backyards can do.
The topsy-turvy tomato plant way of doing things has received mixed reviews.
Some growers feel that the yield is too low. This method does not produce well. The critics feel also that plants can sense all kinds of things.
They sense the environment they are in, like light, wind, any stressors, and gravity. Gravity apparently is noticed by the plant because of starch granules that collect in cells.
In other words, part of the criticism, is that this idea of growing upside down, just isn't right, and would be a stressor on the plant to be growing in this strange position.
And yet, other growers can do nothing but rave and are quite satisfied with the results they are getting.
There are different varieties of the upside-down planter available.
There are softside containers. Some containers come with water reservoirs in them. Some products are made with a hard outside material.
There are specific brands in Canada and in the United States.
Planting-Tomatoes Method
The tomato plant is inserted through the bottom through a hole and secured with a piece of styrofoam. The container itself is filled with soil, given a watering, and a lid is placed on the top. The planter is then hung up at any height, or wherever you would like it to go.
Many people use this same method with 5 gallon buckets.
They put a hole in the bottom, insert seeds or seedlings through the bottom, and fill the pail with soil.
What they often do a little bit differently, is not have the plant closed in on the top. Instead, they leave it open or uncovered, and plant some herbs that will grow straight up.
If you look closely at the top of the pail above, you can see some leaves peeking out.
Kind of like taking advantages in two ways of the same dirt in a small space.
The Perks of Growing Tomato Plants Upside-down
This method comes with a few conveniences as well. Gardeners don't have to worry about tying or staking tomatoes, or buying tomato cages and having to fool around with them constantly.
When deciding how-to-grow-tomatoes, the fact that no bending or hard physical labor is needed in the garden can be quite appealing.
Planting tomatoes this way also keeps the plants safe from squirrels on the ground, fungus, bacteria and other things in the soil that can result in all types of tomato disease.
Of course many of these advantages can be enjoyed just as easily by planting tomatoes in pots kept off the ground as well.
The upside down garden is extremely popular. I haven't tried tomatoes but plan to soon. I have done it with flowers and it worked well.
An upside down tomato planter just seems fun to try and see for yourself, and it may turn out to be the best way for you how-to-grow-tomatoes long term.
*Just a note - I have since purchased and am using the topsy-turvy planter pictured at the top. We have gotten a ton of cherry tomatoes from it which are thrown in salads, or collected and thrown in the freezer for sauce whenever I need it.
I would advise to hang it first, with your tomato plant in it, and THEN add the dirt as instructed from the top. It can be fairly heavy to lift if you don't, and mine is hanging from a sturdy tree branch.
With the flat lid on the top, I put a little birdseed there for the birds too. They love it!
In my opinion, this method of how-to-grow-tomatoes the topsy-turvy way is working quite well.
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