I have been growing cherry tomatoes out the bottom of a hanging 5 gallon container for about 10 years. It always works well for me. The branches succumb to gravity.

But this year, my Sweet Million cherry has determined to curl around and grow upright. I'm waiting to see if the vines sag (as usual) or break.

I've never tried it with a main season heirloom tomato because they just do so well in staked 22" remesh cages.

My upside down cherry tomato hangs off the side of the deck (8' above ground. I planted a wave petunia on the exposed top, which gives some visual interest and delights visitors. Watering it with a sprinkler can is easy.

The petunias on top with tomatoes cascading below sounds beautiful. I would love to see a picture. I love those Wave petunias, but I just can't grow those here because of tobacco budworm. It would mean repeated applications of BT, and just no time to get that done.

This year I tried a straight line of wire fencing, they way they do it at the little farm nearby.

I thought I would have to tie the plants to the fence, but they grew right into it without my help. I'm pleased with that, easiest year ever. The problem I have with the cages or cylinders of wire fencing is that it's hard to get in there and get the fruits out--the fruits get bigger than the openings of the fencing.

I am trying an upside down tomato plant, along with the six that are in the ground. They all seem to be doing fine, except that the tomatoes on the upside down plant are black on the bottom. They are about an inch in diameter at this point. Any thoughts? Too much water? They all get the same amount of sun.

Blossom End Rot. There are debates as to the cause. Personally, I think it is uneven watering. A container plant is more suceptible to moisture level variation than an in-ground plant. I just pour a pint of fish aquarium water into mine every day (good for the fish to add new water as well) and the tomato plant gets used to it.

I grew 2 upside pots last year and secured the pots to the pole. The plants grew nice and large but during a windy day, about 20-25 MPH both broke off, end of that!

Good point, visch1! A sturdy support is a must when the plants get large and heavy (hopefully heavy with fruit).

Starting to get a couple of yellowed leaves at the "base" of the plant (where it come out of the bottom of the container. Any thoughts??

Starting to get a couple of yellowed leaves at the "base" of the plant (where it come out of the bottom of the container.

Since it's only the bottom leaves, it's probably natural aging; the leaves aren't supposed to last forever. This happens with other annuals too, but it's more obvious with tomatoes.

This is the first time I've tried the upside down hanging tomato's. I first bought a topsy turvy, and then thought, what the heck, I can make this better and cheaper. I bought a few buckets, drilled some holes and planted in the bottom and the top. Everything is doing great. I've got a few of them. Tomato on top, and bottom, Strawberry on top, tomato on bottom, cucumber on top and bottom, etc.

I also made my own from 5 gallon Home Depot buckets with a convient handle. One I planted tomatoes on top,bottom,and one out each side half way up the bucket total 4 in one pot. top one broke in windy rainstorm was about 20 inches tall other three are making tasty toms right now

Hoovb,

Did you use 1 line of wire fencing or two within several inches of eachother with the tomato plants in between. This year I used left over wire fence wrapped in a circle (cage) but as they grew in height they started to cause the cage to lean over to the point where it may fall with a big storm. Your straight line method may be worth trying for me next year.

Great idea to put more than one plant! I wish I had thought of it, though my bucket was pretty full of roots by the time I moved it.

richard30, I had the same problem with circles of wire fencing. They fell over and also it was difficult to harvest the fruits out of them. That's why I did the staight line method this year and wow it has been so much better. The plants actually grew through and up and upon the fence themselves and I didn't even have to tie them on. I put the fencing on the sunny (south) side of the plants and they grew right in.

I have one line of fencing for each row of tomatoes--there are two lines of fencing close together because there are two rows of plants

I did bush tomatoes last year in my hanging 5-gallon buckets, but was thinking of trying larger ones this year. But I'm afraid the roots might get too big. Also, I hang them from a dead tree limb that is still attached to the tree.... eventually it might break off if the plants get too heavy....?