Tomatoes grow from the ground up, but have you ever thought of growing them upside down in your own garden? Studies say that growing tomato plants via this “hanging” method not only increases your production yield, but it also maximizes space in your greenhouse. Imagine your garden with rows of your favorite root crop covered by a canopy of tomato plants – a delightful sight indeed!
All you need is a sturdy container to hold your tomato plant, and a durable hanging system in your greenhouse to keep your upside down pot in place. Pick a reasonably-sized bucket with three to four liters capacity, and drill a hole at the bottom for your plant to grow through. Keep the diameter of this hole small enough to keep the soil in the bucket, but wide enough to accommodate the growth of your tomato seedling.
To prevent slippage of soil, line the bottom of your bucket with coffee filters or, for a more practical option, newspapers. This should be strong enough to keep in the soil, yet porous enough to let excess water drip through. Try not to use plastic, as this would create a pool inside of your container and may drown your tomato plant.
Now place your tomato seedling in the bottom of the bucket, past the water filter; slowly replace the soil to contain the tomato plant. Make sure that this initial layer is compacted enough to hold your plant in place. Be sure to fill in the soil until the roots are completely covered.
Top your bucket with a healthy mix of soil, fertilizer and mulch to sustain your plant. If you choose, you may also add various chemicals to fight against pests and blight.
Adding a lid to your bucket lets you control the moisture content of your soil mix. This should be fairly easy to open when watering your tomato plants, and should be easy to re-seal to prevent unnecessary items from pushing down your soil out at the bottom of the bucket. You don’t want to water out your soil mix and have your tomato plant dripping through the bottom of your container!
Maintenance of an upside-down tomato plant isn’t too different from growing regular plants in your greenhouse. Ensure that your plant is growing upright (or should it be downright?). As plants would normally grow towards the direction of sunlight, this might cause your tomato to lean toward a certain angle. One way to prevent this is by placing your pot in a place of even exposure from the sun, and away from very transparent windows.
As it grows, check to be sure the tomato plant has its roots firmly anchored in the soil. Erosion inside the pot is quite common when gravity forces your soil to go down and escape through the same opening that's accommodating your plant.
Planting and growing an upside down tomato plant in your greenhouse is an easy task. It’s the novelty and creativity behind it that makes it an interesting addition to your garden.
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