The Upsides and Downsides of Upside Down Tomatoes

Revolution Upside Down Tomato Planter From Gardeners Supply
Photo © Kerry Michaels

I have now put up two upside-down tomato container gardens and I would say my reviews so far are mixed. One I made from a Home Depot bucket, and the other is called the "Revolution," which I got from Gardeners Supply. They were both a little tricky to plant - think of stuffing a robust little tomato plant through a small hole - but the hardest thing was hanging them.

These babies are heavy. When soil is fully moist, the upside down tomato planters can weigh 50 pounds. I had two shepherds hooks, and I figured if I put them next to each other, it would increase the stability. Not so much. As soon as I hung my first upside down tomato, the post started list. My strategy was to hang the other upside down tomato bucket on the other hook. Bad idea. My husband was mowing the lawn, so I stood there yelling for help (and swearing) because I had to hold the pole, or both tomatoes were doomed. My dog thought I had lost my mind, which I kind of had.

Luckily a kind neighbor, hearing my cries of tomato distress, came over and helped me take down my upside down tomatoes. Then the question was, where to put them without either squashing the tomatoes, or dumping out soil. Fortunately I had two large, empty containers nearby, so I could rest the upside down tomato containers on the edges. So beware - if you have to take down an upside down tomato planter - before you do, figure out where you're going to put it.

If you are contemplating planting upside down tomatoes, here are some tips and more of the upsides and downside of upside down tomatoes.

If you want to make your own upside down tomato bucket, here are step by step instructions.