Hanging tomato baskets...do they really work?

Question

Has anyone out there had success with the hanging/upside down tomato plants? I hesitated to buy any for the last two years bcz I have not seen any decent feedback on them. They supposedly do not get infested by bugs as much as plants in the ground (meanwhile, my plants have fed what seems like entire colonies of critters). I'd like to know if that is true as well as what kind of output I can expect from them. Thanks!

Answer 1

I just started this year. I hung four plants. Two Red Beefsteak and Two Better Boys. I live in east central Georgia. I used 5 gallon buckets, hung about 6 feet off of the ground from the top of the buckets to the ground. I planted them in Miracle Grow moisture control soil.They are in full Sun.

I have so many tomatoes, I am giving them away. But, the tomatoes are not all a uniform size, crack open sometimes and ripen too soon. I am a novice at this, so I don't know how to fix it so they look like the ones I buy in the market.

I watered them each day, 1/2 gallon in the morning and 1/2 gallon in the evening. If I missed one watering, they wilted. Of course, it's been very hot this past summer. Next year I am going to plant them where they get the morning Sun only and see if that makes a better tomato.

All in all, I am pleased with the results. The only bug problem I've had is stink bugs. I used Sevin on the plants and that solved the problem. The plants are massive, reaching all the way to the ground and must weigh over 100 pounds each. Right now each plant has over 40 tomatoes of assorted sizes and the plants are starting to die.

I would recommend you try it, just for fun. Next season, I am going to try growing one or two up side down but when the plants touch the ground, I will put some soil around that part and see if it will root. That way, I'll have roots from the top and bottom.

My name is not Billy Bright for nothing! Ha Ha .