Why do people grow tomatoes upside down?

It would seem that you have a vegetable garden, so you plant tomatoes in the ground like everyone else. No, people stubbornly strive for the exotic, and we must admit that tomatoes hung with their roots up look not only exotic, but also aesthetically pleasing. By choosing varieties with fruits that are orange, like lanterns, or light bulb-shaped, red balls or ovals, you can decorate any place with them.

If the variety has an extended growing season, then the pleasure will last until frost. Then the suspended structure can be moved into the house and prolong the pleasure.

The advantages of this growing method

1. To have a harvest where it is not possible to plant a vegetable garden, because such planting does not require any land space;
2. Use the space above the garden. By building a support over the strawberries, you can hang the tomatoes and get a harvest;
3. Grow crops on loggias and balconies in the absence of window sills, using free space;
4. Receive crops all year round indoors;
5. Use of the upper, unused areas of greenhouses and greenhouses;
6. When planting upside down, there is no need for support systems;
7. There is no need for hilling and weed control;
8. Tomatoes with this technology do not grow as stepsons; the more magnificent the bush, the higher the yield and the more interesting the design;
9. Using similar technology, you can build a screen and cover your personal space from prying eyes;
10. To reap the harvest, all you have to do is reach out your hand;
11. Not every adult understands this miracle of nature, but children are simply delighted and perceive caring for the plant as fun.

What are the disadvantages of growing tomatoes upside down?

The main disadvantages of the “reverse garden” are:

• the hassle and costs associated with finding containers, supports, and directly planting tomatoes in this way. Important: all supports must be reliable, such that they can withstand the weight of the pots filled with soil (+ the weight of the future harvest). This is especially true for those summer residents who will grow not one, or two inverted bushes, but an entire plantation.
• Young shoots of the tomato will stretch towards the sun, which means that during the process of growth they will bend around the pot, stretching towards the sun.When fruits appear on the bushes, the stem, under their weight, will stretch towards the ground, but the plant will still continue to reach towards the sun, i.e. will waste energy that could be spent more usefully.
• There is a risk that the bushes, under the weight of ripe tomatoes, will simply fall out of the containers - they will be pulled out. To minimize this risk, it is better to secure the plants with soft ropes (thin pieces of fabric), tying them to the containers in which they grow. In addition, when choosing varieties for growing upside down, you should give preference to small-fruited varieties, in particular cherry tomatoes.

What containers are suitable for growing tomatoes upside down?

Today you can easily purchase ready-made containers for the “reverse garden”. Such containers are sold in specialized departments of supermarkets, markets, etc. If you do not have the financial ability to invest money in such experiments, you can easily make such “pots” yourself - from scrap materials.

Five and six liter drinking water bottles, regular buckets, as well as plastic containers (for example, those in which pickles are sold in winter: cucumbers, sauerkraut, etc.) are ideal for this purpose. The only point is that you will have to attach handles to plastic bottles.

If desired, homemade containers can be decorated: painted in a bright color, painted with a pattern, covered with decorative film, or simply “dressed up” by wrapping them in a piece of fabric of a suitable size.

What to attach containers to?

Among the options: to the wall, to the ceiling, to an independent structure made with the letter “P”.For summer cottages, the last option (with a crossbar) is most acceptable, since this method does not limit the access of light to the containers, and in this case it will be easier to care for the plants - you can approach the containers from both sides.

Important: all hooks must be secure. It will be a shame if you spend effort and money on your experiment, grow good tomato bushes, and one “fine” day you discover that the fastenings (or hooks-holders) have failed, and all the plants, along with their pots, are lying on the ground.

How to Plant Tomatoes in Hanging Containers

In a plastic bucket (in its bottom) you need to make a hole with a diameter of 5-7 cm. Seedlings should be inserted into the resulting window. The space between the stem and the plastic must be carefully sealed with paper (see video). Then you should cover the roots of the plant with fertilized soil (soil from the site + peat / humus).

It is not advisable to fill the container with soil to the limit; there should be a few cm of space left to the top. Next, you need to water the soil generously (excess water will begin to ooze through the hole, and you will understand that you have poured in enough water). If the soil settles, you just need to add a little more soil to the desired level.

To cover or not to cover containers with lids

Some summer residents close, others do not. Moisture will evaporate faster from uncovered containers, and the soil will need to be watered more often. Some gardeners cover containers with lids to protect the soil from erosion during heavy rains.

One of the options that is interesting from an aesthetic point of view and useful from a practical point of view is the “double garden”. A tomato grows from the bottom of the container, and herbs/lettuce/flowers grow from above.Of course, this method of growing plants will require more attention. In particular, it will be necessary to ensure a sufficient level of moisture, because several plants will draw water from the pot at once. But such compositions look very, very interesting. Besides, who might not like the option in which you can harvest both tomatoes and herbs from one pea?

Whether you should bother growing tomatoes upside down or not – the choice is yours. If in doubt, plant several bushes in this way as an experiment, and at the end of the season you will know for sure whether this option is suitable for you personally or not.

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