Did you post this on some other forum? I thought I had a follow-up post.

Serious upside down plants can be found in "the narrows", I think, in Zion National Park. The roots literally grow up and the shoots and leaves and whatever literally grown down.

I don't know about growing carrots upside down, but you can take about 1 1/2 inches of that carrot and hollow out a little bit. Run a needle with some thread or fishing line through it like a little bucket handle. Use the hollow spot for water and hang it up and watch it grow. Keep it full of water. The tops will grow and grow. They are beautiful. Need attention daily and maybe more often. Found this in a book for kids to observe plants. It's fun. Carrot tops will also grow in a saucer. Makes a pretty table decoration. Very lacy.
Nancy

Nothing like "edible seed packets"! I had some ginger that was getting old, so I planted it in the garden and now I have some nice ginger plants started. I've never grown this before; will it survive winter in Zone7a? Barbarainnc, have you gotten one of those miniature pineapples imported from S. Africa? I get them at the Target supermarket. Now I'm growing itty bitty pineapple tops! Also got a really tasty little melon...about 8" long...called a Paradise melon, at WalMart. Now I have lots of seeds for next year, but I haven't been able to find any info on the melon...

Upside down tomatoes!
Carrot "buckets"!
Wow, I thought getting that toothpick suspended 1/2 yam in the jar of water to grow roots and tops would impress my kid, but daddy better step it up a notch!

I forgot to mention the pineapple re-generation. Sounds very Frankenstein!

My daughter is gonna' love this stuff.

GERI HARRINGTON'S "GROW YOUR OWN CHINESE VEGETABLES" HAS DIRECTIONS FOR GROWING GINGER ROOTS. (SHE WAS BASED IN CT). ALSO THE ASIAN VEGETABLE FORUM HERE ON GARDENWEB MIGHT HAVE IDEAS...GOOD GARDENING TO YOU, K.

I tried this using a a crystal water bottle (the three or five gallon kind) using the narrow end to plant in and cutting the other end off to fill with soil and for watering. You could make a sling or use a plant hanger. I configured a tomato cage used upside down to hold the bottle. works pretty good!

FlwrLdy52
How did your ginger turn out? I have one that is starting to sprout and I would like to know if it will live.

I have just been given a 2' -pineapple plant with a pineapple about 5" on it. It is in a small pot (5-6")and instructions say to water once a week, set outside. I live in Colorado, we will get into the upper 90's in two weeks with low humidity. Somehow a 5" pot with once a week water in these conditions seems unlikely. Not sure if I should re-pot it in its current state right now with the pineapple so large. Will it be better to keep inside in a sunny location in the same pot?

ok this is cool! please tell me more? how big of a pail and do you have pictures to share? i have a lot of tomatoes around since i started from seed and went a bit over board thinking some would not make it. surprise to me they all made it. all romas and cherries. Also dose anything try and sprout out the top? it seems nature would always try to go up?
thanks for a new project:)

Tomatoes upside down? Here you go. Real picture in this thread, as well as a link to detailed instructions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Turn 'em over!

Hi Nilz,

Could you please re-post the link to "Turn 'em over!"? The message couldn't be found when I clicked on your link.

Thanks in advance!!

i would like more info on this upside down tomatoe also....link was dead...
anyone ?

The most recent issue of Organic Gardening magazine has a
picture and brief article of upside down tomatoes hanging
from 5 gallon buckets.They claimed less need for pruning and
better air circulation.
Swanz

HI - Has anyone tried growing tomatoes in hanging baskets? If so, how did it work, and what tomato varieties would be best?
Diane

There is an experiment going on. One growing up, and another growing down. So far, the one growing up is ahead. We'll see later in the season, when the tomato blight comes to town.
{{gwi:1012533}}

I am growing tomatos upside down from heirloom seeds that I got five years ago. HELP - I need to find out how to harvest some of these seeds so I can keep them for next year? If I knew how to post a picture I would show you some nice tomatoes - we left the buckets open on top and planted marygolds.

See this other posting.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cangard/msg0501072013805.html?4155

August7th.

The weather is cool. The growth is slow. The upside right tomatoes has lost a number of the lower leaves.

{{gwi:1012536}}

Hi. Thanks for the pictures from Jroot. I will try to go for it too.
Poirot

Keep us posted, if you do so.

Here we are on Aug 24th. The upside right is DEFINITELY overtaking the upsidedown tomatoes.
{{gwi:1013209}}

One year I tried to put the cherry tomatoes in a "flower pouch" the kind you plant and hang on a post or something. It was fun and my 3 year old liked having his very own tomatoes to graze on, but it took way too much time and watering, etc. The top of the bucket works fine for me.

September 2

The top is still winning.
{{gwi:1013212}}

The upside down tomatoes were pathetic. The leaves were small and browning, and the fruit was pulpy with no flavour. This morning, I cut them off, and brought the pail down to the patio to finish the upside right tomatoes that were growing there.

No personal experience but my stepdad has done this with one plant for several years (as well as scads of rightside up ones). He's in No Ca/zone 9, and the tomatoes come out fine.

One big drawback in hot weather is that they dry out VERY quickly. He's constantly watering the darn thing.

I am growing tomato's upside down this year in hanging baskets for the first time. They are growing very nicely so far. I put some nasturium seeds in the top for color. I will fetilize it weekly, and water it daily, perhaps twice a day when it get really hot. The variety is called green sausage and cream sausage. The vareity was recommended because they are very droopy foliage anyway (look terrible right side up), and fruits are small. I like the way they look in my yard, add a nice focal point to the ugly fence. I'll keep you updated to how successful they are.

Here is a picture of my upside down tomato in hanging basket

Here is a link that might be useful: Upside Down Green Sausage

This is my first attempt at growing tomatoes upside down, this is how they looked when they first went in last week http://theflowfarm.tripod.com/blog/IM000664.JPG
they are doing great and I have them hooked up to my drip irrigation system. I planted basil in the tops today. I have the same variety "Peacevine Cherry" in raised beds also so it will be interesting to see which has the better yield.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Home Page

My tomatoes in the buckets are fruiting already, the ones in the beds are much bigger and have flowers but no fruit yet. There are some differences in the way they have been taken care of.
Small amount of kelp when transplanting into their buckets
and one spraying of compost tea but thats it.
The ones in the beds have had several compost tea sprayings and kelp side dressing.
I do make sure I "tap" all the plants each day to make sure the pollen falls.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose and Thorn Farm

Hello All!

I decided to try growing tomatoes upside-down this year, and so glad I did! It's working out great. I have marigolds planted in the top of the basket and the marigolds and tomato plant are doing great. I actually fertilize the plants every day, with a very dilute organic hydroponic nutrient solution. I haven't been bothered with bugs at all, which I'm sure I wouldn't be able to say if I'd grown the tomato in the ground, or even in a pot. It's working so well, I'm going to branch out and try to grow other vegetables upside down. I think I'll try zucchini. That should be fun!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1013206}}

I'm trying it this year as well. A little concerned though that the plant won't be able to support the weight of the fruit, but so far the plants are growing nicely. I'd be interested in hearing success stories from those who have done this successfully.

Yep,
Its a success here so far, lots of cherry tomatoes harvested each day. Will grow peppers upside down next year too.

Here is a link that might be useful: My veggie blog

Wowzers, see the kits they're selling? $15.00 a pot! Will try to make some myself and hang from the shed roof. It doesn't have a gutter so I'm hoping the run off will help water the pots and save me some time.

Found this photo of the upside tomato plant @ http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/tomato2.html--Enjoy
Marilyn

I got fed up with fighting weeds and kaliche clay in CenTex. Tried upside down tomato planters from Hammacher-Schlemmer three years ago. Here's what I learned:
They require diligent watering to get good growth and fruit
Use commercial potting soil with fertilizer and water crystals(or amend with Agrosoke).
Don't place planters on concrete if you have HOT summers like we do in Texas.
The planters HS sells are nice but too short for tall varieties. I am extending their height this year by about 2' using galvanized electrical conduit and 3" PVC pipe.
will post pictures when I'm done this weekend.

Here is a link that might be useful: Upside Down Tomato Planters

Here's a site that might be helpful.

Gemfire

Here is a link that might be useful: Upside down tomatoes

wow this link has been going for a while. I just found out about growing tomatoes this way from mom. So we are going to try to plant 3 in 5 gallon buckets. Thanks for all the great info.

I grow them upside down as well and really like this method. I am planning on 30 buckets this year. I use 1" schedule 40 steel pipe with tubing run through the middle with drippers above the buckets... this is on a timer and I don't have to worry about forgetting to water them or if I go on a 3 day fishing trip they still get watered :) I have thought about selling these but not sure how well they would sell.

I just found out one of my garden centers used to sell upside down tomato plants. They said the stopped because it was a lot of work. But said they had a lot of the apartment costumers. You could always try never hurts to try. Maybe if it works for me i might sell some in a few years.

to grow tomatoes upside down its better to use 5 gallon buckets. You cut a small hole in the bottom and place a sheet of newspaper or a coffee filter over it. Fill the bucket with a good potting soil, shaking occasionally so the soil will settle. lay another sheet of newspaper or coffee filter on top of the soil. cut another small hole in the bucket lid. Put the lid on and turn the bucket over. cut a small hole in newspaper or coffee filter so you can plant the tomatoe. I plant them when they are pretty small as its easier to get them in. Water daily until it get a nice size then flip the bucket over and hang it up. Preferable to a heavy clothline pole or something strong enough to hold it. You can remove the lid and plant something in the top or you can leave the lid on. Water well until the water starts running out the bottom. No staking is needed and tomatoes never lay on the ground. I am doing this method this year. I'm doing two different buckets, hanging them on the old kind of clothline pole that's like a large T. I put chicken wire loosely up the main pole and am growing cucumbers up the pole. So far everything is doing good.

Happy Gardening,
Gemfire

I'm growing cherry tomatoes upside down. The plants seem to be growing well, but new growth grows up (towards the sun) until the stem gets too tall and then the stem twists 180 degrees so that it is hanging towards the ground (presumably because it is too heavy). The plant seems to compensate okay, but it does cause some ripping in the stem. Any advise on whether the plant is strong enough to support itself, or should I use something to support it? Thanks for the help!

I regularly plant my pineapple tops in the garden and have no trouble getting them to grow. The first one that I ever planted now has a pineapple in the center of it. I know that home grown pineapples are much smaller than the bought variety but could someone please tell me how I will know when to harvest it. It has been there for at least 2-3 months and still looks pretty green but doesn't seem to have got much bigger lately.

Pineapples usually flower in December in Hawaii where I am. The fruit is harvested 6 to 8 months later, in summer. You have to wait until the fruit turns golden before you harvest it. It won't ripen if harvested too early. I'd wait a while longer.

I have been planting these upside down for a few years with great success. I grow cherry tomatoes and cherry peppers, with herbs on the tops. I didnt buy any of the expensive planters, just got my local garden center to give me a few old hanging plant baskets and used a razor knife to cut a hole in the bottom. I live in New england, and I would like to try more plants - maybe cukes? Anyone have any other luck with other veggies?? It makes my old fence look great and I have a "brown" thumb, but I can manage to water these, and they do great.

how to plant hanging upsidedown tomatoes
http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-plant-hanging-upsidedown-tomatoes/

Here is a link that might be useful: plant hanging upsidedown tomatoes

I gave this a try last year and found that they required a lot of watering! I'm not sure if it is worth the trade? More watering for less bugs etc....

The one that I had in a greenhouse did great but the ones I had outside did not do very well at all. Maybe this year I will try cherry tomatoes or peppers...

{{gwi:1013214}}{{gwi:1013216}}

HEY BULLSEYE

I figure that you are somwhere in the southern hemispher
(growin tomato in December ?).
Anyway,I watched your clip. you have nice container garden.

I planted one upside down tomato last summer. I am in USA?GA. It was an entertaining project to me.The tomato (Cherry)
did ok. But I did not have an identical one in ground to comare. I had planted it in a 5-gal. bucket. On the top part I had planted a cascading petunia. Tomato and petunia lasted til fall frost. I may try it again this year with another type of tomato this time around, maybe roma. If I do, I will pinch off the main at about 2-3 feet. the one last year was sweeping the ground.
I think that it is amusing and can never outperform plants
on the ground(pot or garden)no matter what.

From your HD shopping bag I got an idea; I am going to plant something in and outside of a burlap bag (in small pockets outside). I think nostortiums could do well.
After all the had work got to have some fun projects too.

The shopping bag idea is sooo good I am doing that this week, my dad always (as far as I can remember) hung his toms and also his strawberries, I left all my hanging baskets in the UK as although I washed all my gardening stuff so it could come to the USA, I in a last minute change of heart left it behind, it was because I was reading a book about all the stupid things people had done to America and Australia by introducing none native things, and I didn't want to be in that number! it was a hard decision as all my stuff had been my Pops and Dads stuff, and I am slowly trying to rebuild, so this idea is fab, what where the lids for by the way??
Watering is a pain but we always put stuff underneath and on top so you are watering the top plant as it dripped through it would hit the plants underneath as well giving us the sence that we where doing 3 jobs at once, of course the UK isn't as hot as where I am in the USA all the time! so I only used to do this in the evening, boys to bed, feed cats, water baskets, glass o' wine! bliss

4x4 posts (1) 4 feet long Plants are double the size when ths photo was taken. cheers Pete

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