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taxtax

TopsyTurvy

taxtax
12 years ago

I saw this going at half-price at HomeDepot the other day so picked one up. I usually know better when I see the AS SEEN ON TV logos on items, but I have more than enough plants this year to experiment for a bit.

I'm not going to expect much, and maybe I'll be happy if my first plant just manages not to die on me.

Thoughts from those who grow their tomatoes upside down?

Comments (20)

  • gardenmommy_2010
    12 years ago

    I've never tried it but my husband's uncle did it last year with an early girl. He wasn't crazy about the results last year (really small tomatoes) so he's trying tomatoes in wine barrels this year. So far the topsy tury last year performed better. Although this year he's growing my extra heirloom seedlings. So, we're comparing heirlooms to an early girl.

  • suncitylinda
    12 years ago

    Tomatoes don't espcially like hanging upside down. I dont suppose I would either. The soil tends to dry out and the leaves get wet often as watering can result in run off on the plant below. Stick with small variety. LInda

  • yumtomatoes
    12 years ago

    I haven't used one, but my neighbor's did and the thing dries out so quickly in the heat that it had to be watered at least twice a day down here.

  • taxtax
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I did read that the seller says you should water every day, so I'm not surprised. I also did hear rumours that extra fertilization should be used, since water draining through the bottom holes could wash away the nutrients, etc.

    Anyway, I'll keep this thread updated on how this experiment goes. I must say I find it strange growing these upside down, since the leaves are engineered to face against the sun for optimal growth, so it does seem that in order to keep on par, one would have to put mirrors below the plant to reflect light up against the proper side of the leaves?

  • deb1955
    12 years ago

    I had the same thought this year, thought I'd experiment with them......big mistake.

    Don't waste your time or money on them, I'd return them to the store no matter how cheap they were. Plant in containers instead if you want an experiment. My container plants did well and were relatively disease free unlike my in ground plants and topsy turveys.

  • terrybull
    12 years ago

    why would anybody put a plant upside down and try to grow it and expect good results? watering, fert, and disease. if you have left over money and time donate it. left over seedlings give them to someone that can use them.if someone can show me how great they work, show me. the one they use on tv is the same plant moved to different locations.

  • taxtax
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hmm, I did read they were supposed to prevent disease because they are off from the ground and pests. Though I saw one person mentioned his plant got fungus because the water would drip onto the leaves.

    In any case, it seems MOST the reviews over at home depot have been great, with only a couple saying it was horrible.

  • dickiefickle
    12 years ago

    Trouble is people buy these and expect" fill it and forget it" so they dont water or feed correctly then blame the planter
    Incorrect feed or water is most common causes of plants failing
    The leaves will grow toward the sun no mater how the plant is placed
    My DIL and also my neighbor grow preety well in theirs.
    It you want to grow like this ,get a 5 gallon bucket and cut a 1-11/2 inch hole in the SIDE about an inch up from the bottom ,that way water won't run onto leaves when watered.
    It does work about as well as the gardener.If the plant gets large you need to tie up the branches .

  • taxtax
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Well, my plant SEEMS to be doing better today than the shape it was in yesterday. I think the soil was still a bit damp, but I gave it a real good soaking before. Unfortunately the hook bracket I screwed into my 4x4 post is bending quite a bit low, but I did screw in a weak support so that is more to blame on me than the planter I guess.

    The problem I have with the screw hook that comes with the planter is it may support the weight, but the hook seems too short to let the planter naturally hang.

  • terrybull
    12 years ago

    this is what i did to my upside down growing things, bush cucumbers growing out the top. dont look at my hydrangea, shes not very happy.

  • taxtax
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Well that just gave me an idea. I guess I could also plant a tomato on the TOP as well as bottom and see how it goes. I'll try it tomorrow.

  • dickiefickle
    12 years ago

    Not really enough soil to put 2 plants in unless they are dwarf.
    You will need to water twice as often

  • terrybull
    12 years ago

    i agree with dickie, but i dont know how much soil the topsey holds. anyways im going to have lots of cucs.

  • Sherry_Bell
    12 years ago

    This is my first attempt and im going the container route. Im in florida but so far so good on my turvy. I do water it everyday and sometimes twice depending on our afternoon storms. If we dont get one its not unusual for me to water them abt 11pm because I had forgotten lol.

    From Zone 9 Vegetable Garden with Containers

    and my others look the same, just a tad smaller

    From Zone 9 Vegetable Garden with Containers

    dont know what that white stuff on the leaves means, I hope its not bad

  • suddensam
    12 years ago

    The years go rolling by, Against the wind,I found my self alone, we were young and running against the wind, against the wind.

    Plant em if you got em.
    Sam

  • taxtax
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hmm, it looks like you removed the green cover lid from your Turvy. I did the same today as I am now officially growing it from both ends.

    I have excess bone-meal kicking around so I also threw in a bunch of that today as well.

  • tokizy
    12 years ago

    I am laughing inside. I salute those with success on this gimmicky product. I have one but will not use it. I made 2 last year out of 5 gallon buckets (yield of 5 tomatoes total).
    I read enough posts and search enough boards to see that this product is not good for anything other than cherry tomatoes if you are successful.
    Good luck folks. Save your money.

  • taxtax
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Well yes, I don't THINK I will be buying any more just yet, unless I need some kind of decoration.

    In any case, I noticed that surprisingly the BOTTOM plant hasn't died yet. Also, it has 100% turned itself around so that the leaves are no longer opposite of the sun, so I think I don't have to worry now about it dying on me. The plants I stuck on the top are also doing fine (so far).

  • buenaventura43
    12 years ago

    I bought one and it last for two season the green plastic thing was shredded.
    Waste of money.

  • taxtax
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Well this is interesting. This morning I went to a liquidation depot, and I noticed in their garden stuff there was a very similar topsyturvy variant. It's probably the same thing, just sold as an item called Miracle Grower (or something like that).

    There were a lot of fancy pictures of tomatoes growing upside down, but for some reason none of the pictures showed what the damn planter looked like! And since it was still something like 7$ even at a liquidation depot, I decided to pass by it this time.

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