AJuff Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 Has anyone tried a topsy turvy to grow upside down tomatoes? I really fancy trying to make one from a food grade bucket. Anyone able to recommend a variety of tomato that would grow in one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Could you explain what a topsy turvy is first as im totally lost?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 I think it's one of ....... These There's a couple of tomato plants suggested at the bottom. cheaper here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieR Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 They look great..... I might even try one myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 we've planted our toms for this year but if anyone trys one, let us know if they're any good please and we might try it next year you could do this with just an ordinary hanging basket though couldn't you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 you could do this with just an ordinary hanging basket though couldn't you Thats this years plan Poet! I am growing basket toms and hope they turn out really well - fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 They look very cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 you could do this with just an ordinary hanging basket though couldn't you Do you mean an upside down hanging basket? I've just planted 3 hanging cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket the normal way up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 you could do this with just an ordinary hanging basket though couldn't you Do you mean an upside down hanging basket? I've just planted 3 hanging cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket the normal way up! yes, you could just do them upside down in an ordinary basket, or so I would think anyway, couldn't you? we've got ours in baskets along the fence, DH will train them so they'll tumble over the edge of the fence, the side away from the garden so the girls can't get to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted May 11, 2008 Author Share Posted May 11, 2008 What type of tomatoes though????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 But wouldn't the soil fall out of the hanging basket - along with the tomato plants if it was upside down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 I've seen this done (on another forum) on someone's allotment. and....in true allotment style, they made their own using large plastic cola bottles A decent sized rootball keeps the plant steady, the only problem I envisage would be keeping the roots cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 What type of tomatoes though????? we've got "tumbling toms" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 I bought a Topsy Turvy last year........ and then we had blight, so I didn't get round to using it.It has a foam disk with a slit in it which holds the tomato plant in. I wonder where I've put it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 well, thus inspired I'm off to make my own in a pop bottle I'm going to try a lightweight, soil free mix for a growing medium (vermiculite mixed with my chicken poop/aubiose compost) that should hold water well without getting too heavy. So thanks for starting this thread Ajuff! I'll let you know how I get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 I've decided to make my own too. A friend is saving two large food grade buckets for me . . . .The tumbling toms are ordered too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 We have had great success growing hanging basket tomatoes for the last few years. Tumbler are the best variety with good sized cherry tomatoes that ripen much earlier than greenhouse varieties and even earlier too if you hang them in the greenhouse instead of outside. Tumblers are very nearly impossible to get this year we finally found 2 plants in homebase a week ago, apparently there was a seed failure last year. The next best is Tumbling Tom, they produce loads of smaller cherry tomatoes, again early ripening. Will 'tumbling' varieties you get many more tomatoes for the space available and don't need a greenhouse. We usually plant them up with some trailing Lobelia arounf the edge and when they are in full production they look every bit as good as a flowering basket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 I aint got none of them So....I'm going for broke with enormous tomatoes instead I'm doing 'purple ukraine' fruit the size of a goose egg and the colour of blood and 'Ivory egg' which look like it says on the tin weeeellll.....in for a penny, in for a pound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted May 13, 2008 Author Share Posted May 13, 2008 I was planning on growing them attatched to the fence in my veggie garden. Do birds/flies etc eat them??? Will I need to net them off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 I don't think so none have ever attacked mine (except me chooks of course, they love 'em ) However, watch your watering. If you let your toms get dry then it rains heavily the fruit will split and then beasties will get in. Blackbirds love overripe toms that fall from the bush but I've never seen them 'steal' one from the vine (not that I'd mind if they did) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 You have better behaved blackbirds than we have then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 I grew plum tomatoes in a topsy turvy planter that I bought from QVC last year and we had our best crop ever! Mind you, that was before we had chickens I'm a bit concerned that this year the girls might think I've provided them with an eat as much as you like buffet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Are the Tumbler toms F1 hybrids? If not, you can always save the seed. Then you don't have to rely on the seed company. We do this with Tigerella and other ones that we like - I tend to avoid hybrids so that I can save the seed - with the exception of Sungold, everyone likes those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 We've got loads of tomato plants this year. They are Red Pear, Money Maker and Sweet Million. Do you think we could plant any of these in an upside down 2 litre bottle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
