I am from Virginia and I am getting ready to sit out an upside down planter also (store bought)

Good luck, I look forward to seeing the litle guys progress

I too bought 2 of the commercial kind and they are doing very well. I also have 2 strawberry ones. I can't wait to see if it all turns out alright.

Very clever improvising! I too have wondered if the up side down system really works. Please do post the progress of your experiment. I am curious to see how it turns out.

Thanks! I will update as to its progress and hope to hear from others how theirs is doing as well.

After doing this experiment, so far I think the biggest hurdle is not the container, but having a sturdy place to hang it up.

I have grown alot of tomatoes in my gardening career and I don't understand why growing them upside down is desirable. I understand, if you don't have space, or if you have a soil-borne disease, or if your health doesn't allow for it or finally the novelty of it.

I may just do it to say I have tried it. I grow tomatoes in the ground, in pots, in hanging baskets, now upside down?

My concern, too much water, stem rot? Tomatoes don't like to have wet feet (at least mine don't) and I would think the water would sit at the bottom of the bucket. Finally you are putting alot of weight on the roots and stem. I would think that it would/ could break off.

Fill me in on the why? I don't believe everything I see on TV.

Hoovb- Love the DIY nature of this project. Good Luck, maybe we cold compare pictures.

jrslick, I agree with you: I'm wondering about how the stem is going to survive the weight of fruit, and if it will get rot or not. But the only way to know for sure is to try it.

As to why, just for silly fun, and DIY so I'm not spending $19.95+shipping and handling to try it. The total cost so far was the price of the tomato plant, since everything else was stuff I had sitting in the garage.