Whether in a tub or in a plant pot: tomatoes take up a lot of space. With a trick, however, the cultivation succeeds and the rich harvest is practically pre-programmed. Build the tomatoes upside down to keep pests out and save space.
Planting tomatoes upside down: advantages of growing
There are several arguments as to why more and more home gardeners are choosing to plant tomatoes upside down in planters. Such are for example:
- Space-saving: The vegetable garden does not take up space from the balcony or terrace.
- Flexible: The hanging plants can be moved back and forth as needed, so that they get more sunlight or are better protected from rain and wind.
- Effortless: In traditional cultivation, the tomatoes need climbing aids. Otherwise, the shoots will simply hang over the edge of the pot and just lie limp on the ground. This makes them more susceptible to pests and diseases. And prevents good air circulation, which often leads to the formation of rot. These problems can be avoided by planting the tomatoes upside down. And no climbing aid is necessary.
- Of course: the tomatoes do not need climbing aids, nor do they have to be thinned out.
- No weeds: weeds cannot grow upside down, so there is no need to weed the vegetable patch either.
What are the disadvantages?
If you grow your tomatoes upside down, then you also have to reckon with some downsides. We list several reasons why vertical planting is not worthwhile in some cases:
- Water more often and more: The tomatoes need larger and more frequent watering. While a layer of mulch or straw can help somewhat, you should still check the soil regularly and never let it dry out.
- Some hobby gardeners believe that tomatoes that hang upside down are more likely to rot. This is because with each watering, the runoff water drips directly onto the leaves and shoots of the plant. Organic pesticides can solve the problem, but not every gardener wants to treat their crops with them.
- Only certain strains can be grown upside down. Especially compact varieties that bear coconut tomatoes are suitable for this. In principle, the larger the fruit a plant bears, the more likely it is that the shoots will break.
- Weight: Tomatoes are heavy plants and can be very difficult to move around. The pots also have to be attached to the ceiling or wall very well so that they don’t fall.
- Growth: If the tomatoes grow upside down, then the shoots have no climbing aid. They can therefore easily break in strong winds. It can also happen that the tomatoes sprout upwards again because they intuitively seek sunlight.
Planting tomatoes upside down: which varieties are suitable for growing?
The varieties that are particularly suitable for vertical cultivation are: “Sungold”, “Sweet Million”, “Indigo Cherry”. Virtually any strain that is compact (no more than 1 meter tall) and suitable for containers can be grown upside down. These are, for example, various cocktail tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and bush tomatoes.
Growing the vegetables upside down – instructions
You can use a plastic pot or a plastic bottle with a volume of at least 1.5 liters as a container. It is important to choose a compact variety with a low weight. Plastic buckets with handles are also very suitable. In these instructions we use such a container with a volume of 18 L.
- Plastic bucket, 18 liters, with handle or plastic bottle
- young plants (tomatoes)
- Lightweight potting soil (usually a mix of soil and compost)
- Macrame hanging basket or cotton rope for hanging flower pots
- Marigold (seeds or young plants)
- Mulch
Directions:
1. Drill a 5cm hole in the bottom center of the plastic bucket. Lay several sheets of newspaper on the floor. If you want to use a plastic bottle – turn the bottle upside down and cut out the bottom.
2. Fill the container halfway with soil. Pour generously.
3. The next day, carefully dig up the seedlings and wrap the roots in newspaper. Make a hole in the newspaper in the plastic bucket and stick the plants upside down in the soil. If you use a plastic bottle – insert the roots of the young plant into the neck of the bottle.
4. Plant the marigolds in the top of the plastic bucket. Put a layer of mulch to keep the soil from drying out too quickly.
5. Fill the plastic bucket with soil and hang it up.
Care Instructions
- Water the tomatoes generously once a day, preferably in the evening. Pour until the water drains from the drainage holes. In hot weather, water the plants twice a day.
- Fertilize the tomatoes every week and harvest the fruits as soon as they are ripe.
Planting tomatoes upside down is actually not that difficult. However, in order for them to give plenty of yields, you should pay attention to a few things. Choose only short-growing varieties with small fruits. The sunny location is an absolute must. Tomatoes without climbing aids still need rain and wind protection. Water the tomatoes more often and more extensively than usual.