I haven't done it and personally doubt it is worth the bother if you are actually wanting to grow many tomatoes. It is just one of those unusual, odd things that catches one's attention....sort of like the tree tomato or the aero-garden. People see the topsy-turvy tomato thing and want to try it for the sheer novelty of it. With a 5-gallon bucket, you'd need a really strong, well-anchored hook to support the weight of the bucket, soil, water, plant, etc.

If it really were a worthwhile endeavor, everyone would grow them this way, and everyone does not. (smile) If you want to grow it as a conversation piece, or as a novelty or oddity, why not try it? Just don't have high hopes for a big crop.

For what it's worth, if I were going to try it, I'd probably use a semi-determinate or determinate tomato (less total weight) and a small-fruited one at that (for better overall weight distribution). It will be really important to keep the thing well-watered, or any fruit it produces will be more prone to blossom-end rot than a tomato planted in the ground. (However, that is true of any tomato grown in any container--right side up OR upside down--as they tend to dry out more quickly.)

Also, keep in mind that most places you'd hang a container might get too much shade and it will need lots of sun to produce ripe fruit.

Good luck,

Dawn

Thanks Dawn for all things to rethink, I may give it up, and spend that time on some thing else ;-))

Caroline,

If you ever visit the Tomato Growing Forum, you will see this type of growing pop up periodically. The really serious tomato people don't encourage anyone to try it, but some people claim to have great success. For what its worth, some of them have posted pictures, and the results were...uhm....less than impressive.

There's nothing wrong with trying something unusual if you want to, but I just don't want you to be terribly disappointed if you were actually expecting a big crop.

Don't let me talk you out of it if you really, really want to give it a try! Sometimes it is just fun to do something "for fun" even if you know you can't expect a great yield from the plant.

Dawn