Using Topsy Turvey Tomato Grower

[Verity Darkwaters]

Has anyone tried one of these items to grow tomatoes upside down? I thought about getting one for my balcony, I'm desperate for some green at my apartment, but didn't want to waste the money if it wasn't worth it. I was curious if anyone has been successful with it or something similar to it.

 

[Durgan]

The downside tomato planter is pure garbage. American hype.

 

[Chuck]

Has anyone tried one of these items to grow tomatoes upside down? I thought about getting one for my balcony, I'm desperate for some green at my apartment, but didn't want to waste the money if it wasn't worth it. I was curious if anyone has been successful with it or something similar to it.

Don't waste your money. You can grow tomatoes in a regular hanging basket if you use a variety that does not get large, like some of the patio types. Or you can use your imagination and "beautify" a 5 gallon bucket and grow just about any variety if you put it on a pulley to let you raise and lower it easily. Watering is a major issue with any method of container gardening.

 

[marlingardener]

A neighbor got one, planted a tomato in it, and got zilch. Foliage yes, fruit no.
It is one of those "gardening" ideas promulgated by those who do not garden! Aren't you glad you asked before investing?

 

[headfullofbees]

I tried a home-made version when they were popular, and they DO work.
The only problem is that they are quite difficult to get right.
Big tomato plants need constant watering, and they use far more fertiliser, as you sluice it out with all the watering! (which I suspect is what happened with marlingardener's neighbour's attempt)
If you are prepared to do the work, and you have been warned, then for some without a garden, it's their only hope of ever getting a really tasty, standard-sized tomato, so I would not blame you for having a go.

 

[IcyBC]

My neighbor had one in the summer, and she managed to harvest lots of tomato with hers! She just hung it on the post outside, barely took care of it, and yet she got tomatoes.

 

[Verity Darkwaters]

Thank you guys for your input. I am always wary of things I see on the TV commercials. Maybe I'll make one, because it could have something to do with how it is made. I love gardening and am ready to do everything to get them to go. Quite frankly, I love tomatoes, but only from gardens. The ones at the stores taste funny to me.

 

[amelia88]

I'd heard a lot of buzz about them too back when I was living in the States, but it's good to know that they're just TV gimmicky hype. I've never seen them being sold here in Japan - so I probably couldn't get my hands on one even if I tried!

 

[headfullofbees]

I'd heard a lot of buzz about them too back when I was living in the States, but it's good to know that they're just TV gimmicky hype. I've never seen them being sold here in Japan - so I probably couldn't get my hands on one even if I tried!

They are not just gimmicky.
I "invented" an upside-down espalier and got 22 trusses of gardener's delight from it.
What I said is that they're a lot of work, and that they wouldn't be my first option.

 

[amelia88]

They are not just gimmicky.
I "invented" an upside-down espalier and got 22 trusses of gardener's delight from it.
What I said is that they're a lot of work, and that they wouldn't be my first option.

Thanks for the clarification! I must have misinterpreted - I usually get on the forum here first thing in the morning or last thing at night when my little one is still sleeping, so I'm not always as awake as I could be!

 

[ChanellG]

I tried the version for strawberries and did not like it. Lost a bunch of plants from the water not being distributed well. Everytime I see tomato plants hanging from either the commercial version of homemade bucket hanger I wonder about them since plants grow outward and upward toward the sun, not down.

 

[Verity Darkwaters]

I really just want fresh vegetables and I'm willing to put in the work. @ChanellG I had never seen anyone use one and that is why I asked. There are strawberry ones? I did not know that. I wonder what other plants people have tried planting upside down. I wonder if there is a way to get the water to dispense better..

 

[Chuck]

I really just want fresh vegetables and I'm willing to put in the work. @ChanellG I had never seen anyone use one and that is why I asked. There are strawberry ones? I did not know that. I wonder what other plants people have tried planting upside down. I wonder if there is a way to get the water to dispense better..

Just do it the old fashioned way with basic containers.
What is so intriguing about trying to grow something that Mother Nature has already tried. If you want tomatoes forget about growing them upside down. If you want something to make your neighbors marvel go ahead and waste your money.

 

[atlmom5]

I really enjoyed reading all the comments. I was given two Topsy Turvy containers about 4 years ago, I gave one away to another gardener, but I still have my other one and I still haven't used it. Personally, I keep forgetting that I have it until the gardening season is over.

 

[Tracey Hash]

I have used this for my tomatoes as well as strawberries. I was skeptical about this, but after losing our crops in the garden to flooding the last two years, my hubby and I decided to go a different route for a lot of our veggies. We ended up getting 4 of these for our tomatoes and 2 strawberries. It worked amazingly. I was surprised how well the tomato grew in it. Now, we did not end up with huge tomatoes like previous years with the plants in the ground. But they were decent size and very low maintenance. I didn't have to worry about going out and picking weeds out from around anything. Plus, no rotten tomatoes on the ground!