Topsy Turvy Tomatoes
May 28, 2008
Just a quick link. Cindy Haas at Urban Garden Casual (same group who does one of my favorite blogs Tomato Casual) is doing an experiment that is right up my alley. Can it be true that upside down tomatoes can produce better and remain more disease free than normal tomatoes? She’s seeking to discover for herself by planting an upside down bucket tomato and a tomato set in the dirt. Since I’ve got more tomatoes coming in the next week or so, I think I’ll do the same.
She posts a great how to here.
Entry Filed under: vegetable garden. Tags: tomatoes, upside down tomatoes.
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1.
Nancy Bond | May 28, 2008 at 11:54 am
I’m going to try this as well as it would be perfect for a balcony! It makes sense, though it seems to defy logic at first.
2.
sjones71 | May 28, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Balcony would be perfect… and it makes me realize that I really have no idea where I’m going to put mine…
3.
Kate theManicGardener | June 2, 2008 at 2:11 am
It makes sense, since tomatoes will spill over fences, cages, etc, and seem as happy growing down as up. Though they can’t grab or climb anything, they’re really vines, which is why their stems are so wimpy. Anyway, it sure sounds interesting.
–kate
4.
sjones71 | June 2, 2008 at 4:50 am
I’ve got mine built and hanging now. A couple of things I would change for the next time – build it higher and sturdier. I just used 2 stakes on each side to make the braces and 1 stake horizontally between them that holds the bucket. It’s probably not high enough and if the bucker gets heavier, it will snap the brace. But we’ll see.
5.
janey | June 5, 2009 at 11:11 pm
my plant was doing great its the usidedown topsy turvy but when i water it the water seems to hurt the leaves and makes then yellow and like rusted? what do you suggest
/ thanks
6.
sjones71 | June 5, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Hi Janey – well, i gave up on my topsy turvy test. I couldn’t get the same kind of growth that I do in the garden. The trouble with tomatoes is that they are very vulnerable to fungus diseases. Blight. And that gets brought on by moisture. When the plant is upside down, the water has nowhere to go but onto the plant. My suggestion is to water lightly. Don’t be afraid to let it dry up a bit. Water in the morning so that the sun during the day will dry the leaves out. Good luck!