Maximize Garden Space By Growing A Bounty Of Tomatoes Upside Down

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) need six or more hours of direct sun to flower and set fruit, and each plant needs two feet of space to thrive. But if your yard is too small or lacking enough sunlight you can still grow tomatoes. All you need is a sunny outdoor spot, be it a fence post, balcony, or a corner of the garden. Growing plants upside down may sound a little odd, but it has benefits: It's a straightforward way to produce a healthy yield of tasty tomatoes in a limited amount of space. Picture a bucket hanging from a hook and instead of a profusion of greenery spilling out of the top, a tomato plant grows out of the bottom, its stems curving to reach toward the sun. 

When you're thinking about where to grow your upside down tomatoes, keep in mind that full sun for 6-8 hours is critical. Make sure nearby trees or buildings don't cast shade as the sun moves across the sky, or that the bucket itself doesn't block the light. Remember that depending on where you plan to hang the basket, you'll need an appropriate hook or bracket that can bear the weight of the soil, the mature plant, and the tomato crop, which may be as much as 50 pounds.

You'll need one five gallon bucket with a metal handle (for hanging) and a lid for each tomato plant. They're available at your nursery or big box store or, if you're planning a big painting project, the five-gallon buckets used for paint can be reused as planters as long as they're cleaned. Choose a soilless potting mix from your gardening supply store or use a money-saving DIY potting soil recipe.

Drill a 2-inch hole in the center of the bottom of the bucket and partially fill the bucket with potting mix. Water thoroughly, put the lid on the bucket, and set the bucket on its side. Wrap a tomato seedling's root ball in newspaper, and gently insert the seedling into the hole, leaving the top of the plant sticking out. You can either leave the lid on to keep the soil from drying out too quickly or you can drill a hole in the lid for watering, or take the lid off completely and grow companion plants like basil in the top of the bucket.

To prevent blossom end rot, a condition where the flesh rots due to incorrect watering when the plant is young, water daily until the tomato is established. After that, keep the soil moist but not soggy. Generally, if the top inch of soil feels dry, you should irrigate the plant until water runs out of the bottom of the bucket. Use the best fertilizer for your tomatoes once a week for a healthy crop, and add soil to the bucket if needed over time.

There is no cure-all for tomato pests and diseases like bacterial wilt, blight, and leaf spot. Containers with the appropriate soil are less susceptible than plants grown in the ground, but if you see signs of trouble, address them before you lose your crop. Don't try to use a cheap alternative bucket. It may crack, and the plastic won't be thick enough to maintain the soil's moisture content. Choosing the best type of tomato for your containers, like dwarf varieties, is important.