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Cherry tomatoes are a great variety for growing upside down in hanging containers.
Nothing is as tasty and fresh as home grown fresh tomatoes and you’ll enjoy ripe fruit from late spring through fall if you plant your hanging tomato plants in early spring.
Some people even claim that growing tomatoes “upside down” yields more fruit than planting tomato plants in a garden.
Read on to learn how to grow your own hanging tomato plants; it’s a quick and simple do-it-yourself project from which you’ll enjoy the fruits of your hour’s labor all summer long!
What You Need:
- Five gallon bucket purchased at your home and garden center
- Soil with the correct vitamins additives recommended for growing tomatoes (you will need one 40 pound bag of soil for each plant)
- Tomato seedling (preferably a smaller variety of fruit like Roma)
- Several feet of 1/8 inch cord
- Utility knife
A five gallon bucket with a hole in the bottom and some cord to hang is all you need to grow upside down tomato plants!
Instructions for Hanging Upside Down Tomato Plants:
- You can purchase your empty five gallon bucket at any home and garden center. A green bucket will be less ugly than the orange or white ones or you can paint your bucket whatever color you like. Be sure the inside of the bucket is clean, using warm water and mild dishwashing soap and then rinsing it well.
- Next, cut a hole about two to three inches in diameter in the center of the bottom with your utility knife.
- Lay several layers of newspaper in the bottom of the bucket and cut a small slit in the newspaper through the hole in the bucket; this will help hold the seedling in place when you initially hang the bucket.
- Drill four small holes evenly around the top edge of the bucket to attach your cord. You will want to measure the distance from the hook or other point you will hang the bucket from. Cut four lengths of cord and tie one end of each piece to each of the four holes.
- Turn the bucket on its side and carefully remove your tomato seedling from the container it came in and thread it through the slit in the newspaper so that the stem protrudes through the hole in the bucket and the roots are inside the bucket.
- Fill the bucket with the potting soil, which you can purchase along with your bucket at any home and garden center or local nursery; be sure it contains the right vitamin additives suggested for tomatoes. Be gentle to your seedling and try to allow it to protrude about three inches out of the hole in the bottom of your bucket.
- Cut several holes in the lid and place the lid on the bucket, taking care you do not harm your seedling in the process!
- Now you are ready to hang your bucket in a sunny place with plenty of room below for your tomato plant to grow down. Tomatoes need a lot of sun so do not hang it in a predominately shady spot; it should get direct sunlight at least fifty percent of the day.
- Keep your upside down tomato plant well watered and in about 50 to 75 days you should begin to see flowers and not long after you will have tomatoes. Let your tomatoes ripen on the vine and pick them as they become red and firm and ready to eat!
After hanging for 75 days, your hanging tomato plant should be full and flowering and soon be ready to produce delicious, fresh tomato fruit.
Hanging Tomato Plant Tips:
- Plant tomatoes such as cherry or Roma varieties that have smaller fruit, which do best with the upside down hanging tomato growing method.
- If you don’t like the look of a five gallon bucket, you can also purchase planters specifically made for hanging tomatoes.
- Be sure to pick a solid place and use a good strong hook or other means from which to hang your tomato plants; each planter will weigh between 35 and 40 pounds.
- Plant your hanging tomato plants in spring (between late April and early June depending on how far north you are located) so that you can enjoy fresh tomatoes all through the growing season.
Comments
77 comments
bem
May 8, 2008
[...] tomato plant. Takes like 30 minutes to make one. I can’t wait for some fresh tomatoes this summer!http://www.howdididoit.com/home-garden/how-to-grow-hanging-tomato-plants/Tomato Gardening TipsTomatoes are easy to grow, both in your garden and in containers. ….. This [...]
May 12, 2008
Well, I completed my hanging plant, and had been watching it grow with no problems with blooms everywhere. I decided to move it up higher to get more sun, and thats where an unexpected and very dissappointed problem happened. I secured the tomato plant container to a pulley, to raise it for full sun, as the evening shade settled over our home. My design was working great, I could raise and lower it to check soil and buds, and ‘the wife’, who went along with it was shocked how well it worked. I used parachute cord, to secure the bucket and wasnt prepared for the handle to bend, which released it from the holes on the side and sent my plant crashing to the ground… I am now going to use ‘s’ hooks to the upper outside lip of the bucket for a sure grip..I hope..Hopefully that will solve my problem of too much weight .
May 18, 2008
[...] tomato plant. Takes like 30 minutes to make one. I can’t wait for some fresh tomatoes this summer!http://www.howdididoit.com/home-garden/how-to-grow-hanging-tomato-plants/The Upside-Down Tomato Garden. at Hammacher SchlemmerThis ingenious planter takes the toil out of [...]
May 22, 2008
[...] flower pots for the annuals, and put the herbs in a strawberry pot. Damon took charge of making an upside down planter for the tomato [...]
June 2, 2008
Will tomato plants grow in a plain hanging basket? (bending over the sides)
June 4, 2008
Hi Kristin,
Not sure if that works as well as the method we outline here, but I have seen photos of tomatoes grown in hanging baskets; no reason I can see why it shouldn’t work, but maybe other people have tried it and will post here!
June 12, 2008
I am new at growing tomatoes. I have been researching many different websites. I came across this one showing what I believe is container hanging planters ==growing across a cattle fence.
The fruit from watermelons, cucmbers and tomatoes hang like grapes would.
Just thought you might like to see it since it was asked about hanging in a normal hanging pot.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.autopot.com.au/content/images/Gardensmart%2520display%2520Web1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.autopot.com.au/default.aspx%3FPageID%3D7145423c-0ab9-481e-84e4-b3ea660bf13a&h=336&w=448&sz=114&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=NSo6ih31ej9paM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgrowing%2Bcherry%2Btomatoes%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
July 1, 2008
Hi: I have hanging tomato plants too but I’m having a problem. I bought the al fabric type baskets with the strips that absorb the water into the soil. The edges of some of my tomato leaves are brown and crisp and they aren’t really growing that much with minimal flowering. Should I take the water receptacle off the top of the soil and water directly? If you have any advice I’d really appreciate it.
Moriah
July 1, 2008
Hi Moriah,
Check to be sure your soil is staying moist. Also, if the plants are not flowering you may want to give your tomato plants a bit of fertilizer. Don’t over-fertilize though or your plants may grow large without producing much fruit; that happened to a friend of mine last year and he had very little to show for the 6 foot tall, extremely bushy tomato plants he ended up with!
July 4, 2008
[...] though you do not have soil on the ground and would like to grow them in containers. Here is the link to an article that provides many more details on what you should do to get such a garden: * Plant tomatoes such [...]
July 7, 2008
Enter Your Comment
Hi I have 2 hanging tomatoe plants. It looks like I have a lot of white waxy nodules growing from the vine-I thought they were roots but others say it looks like a fungus or a blight. The leaves are a little wilted but there are tomatoes growing. Any thoughts sine I can’t find a picture or disease anywhere that fits this description. Thanks!
July 10, 2008
If you are planting cherry tomatoes then yes. You could also plant the cherry tom upside down in a hanging basket. Just put the seedling through the bottom holes one seedling per hole but only 2 plants though. Fill half way with dirt till the plant comes over the edge then fill top with soil and put in herbs or any other plant you would normally plant in a hanging basket
August 16, 2008
[...] 3. http://www.howdididoit.com/home-garden/how-to-grow-hanging-tomato-plants/ [...]
December 28, 2008
Hi. I came across your site while looking for info regarding hanging tomatoes. I just received a hanging kit for Christmas from a relative and I figure it probably cost them about $30.00. Well, after I put it up I got to thinkin’ that I could make one a lot cheaper. I went and purchased two reusable grocery sacks (the material is identical to the store bought kit) for a $1.00 apiece. Then I bought a 55 quart bag of Lamberts potting soil for $10.00. Throw in two Home Depot five gallon bucket lids at $1.00 each and two Celebrity tomato plant starters at $1.25 each. Toss in a couple of scoops of Osmocote that I had layin’ around and that’s it. Total cost for the two, $16.50. Below is a link to a video of my garden and the hanging tomatoes. I live in sunny south Florida so I start my garden around November when the threat of hurricanes has passed. I was gonna make a video of me making the homemade kits but I probably would have gotten the camera all dirty, haha. Hope you enjoy.
Bullseye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qja6TZTl1SY
January 4, 2009
Enter Your Comment
January 4, 2009
There is no reason to put the lid on the bucket.
February 19, 2009
Thank you so much for your post and your wonderful video. I wanted to plant tomatoes like this but felt the 5 gallon buckets were simply too cumbersome and too expensive. Thanks for sharing another way! It doesn’t look that bad either!
March 3, 2009
I’m having the same problem! Last summer’s crop was real small. I brought a volunteer plant in from the garden at the end of the growing season. It has the same whitish nodules on the vines, slightly wilted leaves. Did you find out what it is?
March 3, 2009
I’m interested in copying your idea for hanging tomato plants! How did you do it? I understand the fabric bags, soil and plants. What did you do with the lids from the 5 gal. buckets? How big a slit did you cut in the bag? Thanks for your help!
March 23, 2009
Love your ingenuity. Did you place the bucket tops at the bottom of the bags?
April 2, 2009
I really enjoyed the photos and the detil. Thank you.
beauley,
April 18, 2009
If you plant some small variety marigolds in the top of the sack, you’ll cut down on bugs and enjoy the flowers, too!
April 26, 2009
My balcony see less than two hours of direct sunlight each day – any suggestions to promote tomato growth under these conditions, or should I find something else to plant in my Topsy Turvey? What vegetable grows well in a shaded environment?
Thank you
May 3, 2009
Now some body can write a step by step guide and I am sure people will pay for it. Any taker?
May 7, 2009
As an experiment, I took a Folgers plastic coffee container, drilled 2 holes in adjacent sides, near the bottom,using a keyhole bit in my drill, then painted it black with charcoal grill high heat paint. I then took 2 plants, eased them from the inside through the drilled holes, then filled them with garden soil. I then placed the top of the coffee container back on, set the container on the railing of my deck and let the branches hang over. In a few days, the leaves began turning upwards towards the sun. This was done May 2,2009. If you want to know the results, email me in about a month. Cheers.
May 11, 2009
I just made one out of a 2.5 gallon bucket (same diameter as a 5 gal. but half as tall and half the full weight). I also used mil-spec para cord as did Robert and am hoping that with half the weight that both the cord and the bail will hold. Instead of one plant in the center, I cut four equadistant holes around the edge and planted four Sweet Million plants (the very tiny cherry tomatoes). To also help cut the weight, anchor the plants and conserve water, I used spanghum moss around the holes and root balls plus lots of pearlite in the soil mixture. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
May 12, 2009
I have to admit this website was fascinating….seems like an answer to world hunger!
May 20, 2009
Fascinating! Don’t forget Tomatoes feed throught their leaves as well as the roots. Spritz them with water often. I’m building mine soon.
May 22, 2009
I had the same problem. If the leaves are browning at the edges, it is wet then dry then wet and so on. water twice daily, feed once weekly and prune regularly. There are many vidieos on pruning tomatos. Dont be afraid to remove many of the leaves once you have blooms.
May 29, 2009
yes they will even our local garden shops sell them that way 14.99 lol
May 30, 2009
Does anyone know if you can plant cucumbers this same way. Currently I have to upside down tomato plants hanging on the clothes line pole. Should I keep the lid on the bucket or not?
May 31, 2009
I decided to try this method this year – without spending the money for the topsy-tervy type. I used a plastic planter from last years hanging porch plants – and I think things are going well – The only question I have – My plants want to grow up – I had to anchor them to make them grow down. Anyone else have this issue? I did not use the cherry tomatoes – this year is an experiment. I’ll let you know how they turn out.
June 1, 2009
Enter Your Commentyes cucs will grow upside down I have 25 tomatoes and 2 cucs growing in a glass porch in alaska
June 1, 2009
I planted these cucs as seeds with the bucket upside down with lid in place, then packed them in and out of house each day until it wormed up then hang them upside down and take off the lids,and put weed blocker on the tops. I also do tomatoes from seeds in 1 gallon milk jugs , then transplant to buckets, this is my second year. my tomatoes have a set back from hole being to small in bucket, I am working on marketing a system with 6 and a half inch hole in bottem of bucket, no root loss no set back.
June 6, 2009
I just recently repotted over 20 tomatoes (I think about six or seven varieties in all) in plain white annual hanging pots. I picked them up cheap from a local Amish farm who was selling really hearty ones for less than a dollar a plant! (most of them already with blossoms)
I didn’t bother planting them upside down, just put them in the top as their own weight will bring them down once they start to have fruit. My Amish neighbor said she’s done it before that way and they worked out just fine.
I also have a variety of peppers, cucs and wax beans done the same way.
I used the wooden uprights from a clothes line I never used, added 2×2′s and hung the planters from that.
We have a HUGE slug problem around here, so hanging is the BEST solution too keep slugs out of veggies!
June 11, 2009
Hi, I just wanted to know, if you have a room with all windows
(18 windows) 36″x 6 foot sliding glass door pannels. Can you grow these
up side down tomatoes year round? The room is heated. We are in zone 5.
Thanks
June 12, 2009
well this is going to be my first time …………i dont even think i can affored it………..wish me luck………….much love!!!
June 19, 2009
We planted several tomatoes in the upside down method. We did the 2″ hole at the bottom, 4-5″ potting soil, remaining with clayish garden soil topping the bucket with mulch. I also place 1 Tblsp of Epson salt on the top (someone said that it helps to strengthen the stem). The plants were inserted in the bottom and have grown quite nicely for 3 or more weeks. Recently noticed that the stem of the tomato plants where it enters the soil is black and seems to be rotting. The plants are starting to wilt and die. What did we do wrong?
June 24, 2009
my upside down huge tomato plant will not blossom!!i heard -no blossoms -no tomatoes!!! so of course im freaking out!how did you get yours to blossom????my cucumber plant has cute yellow blossoms everywhere!i am so new to this and so very clueless–help!!!!!
June 25, 2009
Enter Your Comment
I was wondering why our upside down tomatoes were not growing and some of the tomatoes had rotten spots on top of the tomatoes. Did I water them too much or not enough? The green leaves are very wilted and they don’t look very good. I was watering them every day and then someone said to water them only once a week. Which is correct? I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.
July 3, 2009
My plant is huge also and has 1 tomato I had several blooms that turned brown. Can anyone give advise or explain what is happening?
July 10, 2009
i have the same problem. My tomato plant is growing great, a few wilted, yellow leaves, lots of blooms to produce what i hope will be great tomatoes. I have plucked two from the vine so far. They were fine, no diseased looking spots. I have no idea as of yet what this strange problem is. The main vein of the plant has the spiky looking roots, it’s practically coated all the way down. The branched out areas are not yet affected. Sure wish someone would come up with an answer.
July 10, 2009
they love beer just put some in a foil pan and they will crawl in and drown.
July 13, 2009
I have planted some tomato plants the first part of july and I was wondering if you thought that they would still produce at least some tomatoes….??????……. Please tell me yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 26, 2009
Upside tomatoe plants have to be watered at least everyday not once a week. My plant is so big and heavy. I just read hear that I could cut off a lot of the leaves after the blooms form is that correct? What a great site. This is my first experience with the topsy turvy that I received as a mothers day gift. Thanks.
August 29, 2009
Enter Your Comment I grew tomatoes in an ordinary hanging basket.
three plants to a fourteen inch pot and had a fantastic crop of small but
very tasty tomatoes
September 25, 2009
Wow! Thanks for the links that showed the veggies growing upside down. It gave me some great idea’s. I can’t wait to see if it will work for me. I mean it will work for me,it has too!
thanks again…loved the pictures
March 23, 2010
Enter Your Comment
If you want to get rid if ALL of your slugs you can do it in a few days. Simply put three or four shallow containers out on your yard, or wherever, and fill with beer. Next morning you will need a strong stomach as each container will be filled to the top with slugs. They love the stuff, and I suppose die happy.
April 12, 2010
i made 10 buckets for hanging garden last year and it worked great
this year im doing 20 buckets
home depot has 5 gallon buckets for 2.34 each
i planted tomatoes. peppers. and cucumbers
this year i want to try radishes and different cucumbers.
April 25, 2010
YES, my tomato plants look “bare” with almost all the leaves off, air can circulate around the flowering tomato buds
April 25, 2010
Never, ever, ever, EVER spritz your tomato plants, Chris. Tomatoes HATE to be wet, they are extremely susceptible to blight and other diseases and moisture guarantees your plants will get sick. Tomatoes always need to stay dry and be watered at ground level ONLY. They need protection in wet climates by using a hoop house or other plastic cover. They also need lots of space for good air circulation which also ensures the plants will stay dry. I like to sink a tin can (with both ends removed) beside each tomato plant when growing in the ground, then water in the can so that water and/or fertilizer can go directly to the deeper roots. I am trying this hanging plant method for the first time this year and am so curious to see how it turns out! I love your photos but wish that I could see how the plants hold up when in full fruit. Do the branches break at all under the pressure? I guess if they can handle the weight when growing in the ground, why would hanging in a bucket be any different. At any rate, I’m excited to give this a go! Thanks for the info!
May 1, 2010
FYI to anyone that wants an asthetically appealing hanging tomato plant! Use those hanging baskets that are made out of coconut fiber, and cut a hole in the bottom. Stick the plant through (the hardest part!) and then fill the basket with dirt and you can even plant a short rooted flower on top so you have two great looking plants- growing out the top and the bottom!
Here are a couple pictures of how mine turned out. I did this last year as a mother’s day gift for my mom, and saw how amazing it turned out in the end and how many tomatoes it produced- I had to do it for myself this year! And two of course!
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/1948dodgegirl/P3270402.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/1948dodgegirl/P3270403.jpg
May 19, 2010
Enter Your CommentAnyone have any idea what to do when the plants hung yupside down start growing for the sky?
May 25, 2010
[...] Here are simple instructions for making your own Hanging Tomato Planters. [...]
June 13, 2010
Enter Your Comment My plants flourished and have produced dozens of fruit. Now, however, while there is still fruit, the leaves have become brown and crisp, dead. I pulled them off early, but now most of the leaves have turned. The fruit is still ripening but no new blossoms are coming on.
What can I do?
June 21, 2010
Don’t know waht went wrong. set a store bought unit as directed using good bought soil, tomato plant enhancer and what looked to be a strong seeding. It immediately witlted and has now all turned brown. looks terrible. Is this a shock phase. I keep watering with a gallon of water twice daily but doesnt seem to help. about 4 days now.
July 14, 2010
Enter Your Comment I THINK I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, MY LEAVES ARE TURNING YELLOW AND DRYING UP. THE SAID IT WAS A NEED FOR NITROGON AND AGAIN BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER FERTILIZE. SO DO YOU THINK MAYBE PART OF THE PROBLEM MAYBE LACK OF WATER?
August 3, 2010
I’m growing mine in 3 gallon containers mine are also growing upward maybe I can put some weights on them. Next time I do this I will put them closer to the edge.
August 5, 2010
omg this is the best idea eva , u r the best bru keep rockin on bro !!!, lavv ya xxxxxxxxx
August 6, 2010
I am in Denver. My large hanging tomato plant has 12 bunches of yellow blooming flowers or small tomatoes. It is in a commercial plastic container… probably a 3 gallon container. I planted it in mid-June. I water it (about a quart) daily but it seems to look wilted nearly every day. One of the tomatoes had 3 black spots on the bottom. I thought it might be a worm. It wasn’t. I have read that the black spots might be caused by too much water. So what should I do? I would appreciate advice. Thanks.
August 8, 2010
I am not a gardner but, in retirement I decided to try growing upside down tomatoes today. Got a fully grown plant with a couple of tomatoes and a few buds on it, hung in the sunniest place I have which is about 50%. I am in Zone 6 , typical northern winter. Put about a tablespoon of miracle gro and half filled one of the planters , the other planter (with growing tomatos) was purchased already. filled up.
I intend to keep them going beyond the usual cooling dates of mid September. IF the weather gets below 40 degrees, I will put a grow lamp above the plants to go on whenver the temp falls that low. I put a gallon of water in each planter but very unsure of how to ascertain when it needs more water., I could make an automnatic water feeder device but not knowlegeable enough to know how much such plants should get
So I invested a bit of cash and hoping my lamp will allow the plant to survive longe than usual — all to get that fresh tomato taste.
Thahnks for any advice you can offer this relative neophyte!!
Paul of Binghamton, NY
August 16, 2010
Enter Your Comment well after a very dry and disheartening year last year I thought I would try again this year with the hanging tomato plants.. having same problem as last.. the tops near the stems are cracking… what am I doing wrong.. watering everyday and feeding once week.. thanks for any assistance
October 2, 2010
can we buy it? and where can i buy and call ?
December 21, 2010
hello everyone….. am sorry to say that this method was made up to sell peps those upside down hanging basket … things. save your self the heartache and plant the right way in the ground… raised beds…. containers … pots anything but upside down it just doesnt work. its hard on the stems.. water is forced down the stem cus of gravity ….. there you go! kent the green thumber
April 12, 2011
Yes,I used Regular Basket Flower pots The kind with the stuff in them that looks like a Birds Nest.LOL I cut a hole in the bottom about the size of a quarter & insirted my Tomatoe plant in 1pot &2Bell Pepper plants in the other pot added my mixture of good potting soil & some good compost dirt I had bought.. Everything I needed including the plants I got at my local shopping Center, So I only had2 make 1 stop 4 it all..Happy plant hanging..Nancy L Sparks
May 10, 2011
Growing your own vegetables is a fantastic way to save on your grocery bill. This year I am going to try this hanging tomato plant. Thanks for the tip about using an old newspaper. Great idea … thanks for sharing!
May 12, 2011
[...] How to Grow Hanging Tomato Plants | How Did I Do It? Some people even claim that growing tomatoes “upside down” yields more fruit than planting tomato plants in a garden … [...]
May 13, 2011
[...] How to Grow Hanging Tomato Plants | How Did I Do It? Enter Your Comment I grew tomatoes in an ordinary hanging basket. three plants to a fourteen inch pot and had a … [...]
May 13, 2011
[...] How to Grow Hanging Tomato Plants | How Did I Do It? Here is the link to an article that provides many more details on what you should do to get such a garden: * Plant … [...]
May 13, 2011
[...] How to Grow Hanging Tomato Plants | How Did I Do It? You could also plant the cherry tom upside down in a hanging basket. Just put the seedling through the bottom holes … [...]
June 4, 2011
[...] Five gallon bucket purchased at your home and garden center [...]
June 22, 2011
I need some help please! Last year I tried growing tomato plants upside down in 5 gallon buckets; they did great until mid summer. The plants were flowering and producing good looking tomatoes and then the stem started to almost shrivel and turn brownn right at the base of the plant. I thought it might have been too much weight on the plant. This year I used a much lighter “soil mix” and used Roma plants but it appears that it is happening again. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what causes this? Thanks.
June 27, 2011
I have nodules on the stem of my hanging Roma tomato plant. A lot of them about six inches down from the root. Obviously I can’t mound dirt around it. What can I do? I already have about six tomatoes growing. Is the plant in danger or should I just water it less often?
June 29, 2011
Thank you for your site. I purchased a “Hang N’ Go” tomato pot a few days ago but the directions were more than sparse. I now know how to plant it thanks to you.
July 10, 2011
I have a tomatoe plant in a topsy turvey planter. from the day i first hung it in May till July 10the the plant started curving up as it grew. Today it suddenly was hanging down . I inspected the stem and there are open cracks in the stem from the sudden direction change the plant took. Will my plant survive ?
July 31, 2011
[...] How to Grow Hanging Tomato Plants | How Did I Do It? Not sure if that works as well as the method we outline here, but I have seen photos of tomatoes grown in hanging … [...]
November 14, 2011
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