Make your own "Topsy Turvy" hanging tomato planter

**Alley** · May-18-09, 10:58 AM

The commercial for the "Topsy Turvy" tomato planter intrigued me, but I'm leery of buying stuff from infomercials. I Googled instructions on how to make one myself, and found a few good websites I thought I'd share. If it doesn't work well, at least I didn't spend $20 to find out.
http://gravitygarden.com/bucketgarden/?p=351
http://red-icculus.com/?p=34
http://www.upsidedowntomatoplant.com/

**jams** · May-18-09, 07:33 PM

Thanks, I've a couple of extra tomato plants and can get pickle barrels from work. Should be a fun experiment.

**jams** · May-20-09, 10:23 PM

Funny conversation I had tonight, I learned this is a commonly used technique to grow another popular plant.

If any one needs "pickle barrels", let me know, between Gannon and me, we have at least 4-6 a week we dispose.

**Detroitej72** · May-20-09, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by jams

Funny conversation I had tonight, I learned this is a commonly used technique to grow another popular plant.

If any one needs "pickle barrels", let me know, between Gannon and me, we have at least 4-6 a week we dispose.

Hey Jams, I'd be interested in getting a pickle barrel. Let me know when and where!

**East Detroit** · May-20-09, 10:47 PM

FSC: Pickle Barrel Version

**reddog289** · May-21-09, 12:15 AM

More great info from this site. I can get pickle barrels to but they are not as easy to come by as wax stripper buckets and I don't want to use them with my plants. I will have to try this.

**jams** · May-22-09, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

Hey Jams, I'd be interested in getting a pickle barrel. Let me know when and where!

If you don't mind popping into Foran's between 2 and 7pm during the week or before 7 on the weekends, I'll let you know when I have a couple available.

**reddog289** · May-22-09, 11:58 PM

While talking to my Aunt today she mentioned that she bought the Topsy for $10 bucks at the outlet mall. I just saw one for $5 bucks at ACO. Told her that then told her about the ones I saw here. So many choices for some thing I never knew I needed.

**jiminnm** · May-23-09, 01:37 PM

I expect that many of those 30-40 lb kitty litter containers would also work.

**Pam** · May-23-09, 05:41 PM

Excuse my ignorance, but what are the advantages of growing it upside down as opposed to right side up?

I was wondering the same thing. Maybe saving space and not having to stake them?

**reddog289** · June-01-09, 11:23 PM

After getting one at ACO, I still have yet to "plant it". looking for the best location.

**Alley** · June-02-09, 07:36 AM

according to the Topsy Turvy site,
"Topsy TurvyÂ® Tomato Planter eliminates:

•Ground fungus
•Harmful bacteria
•Cutworm damage
•Use of pesticides
•Digging and weeding
•Backbreaking work"

Also, it keeps the fruits/veggies off the ground and the water is dispersed more evenly and effectively as it "rains" onto the plant

**Ray1936** · June-02-09, 11:41 AM

Growing tomatos in the desert is near impossible. I've never had any luck despite trying. But my "topsy turvy" seems to be doing good. You can't see them, but there's already two yellow buds in that green. I am adding a smidgin' of Miracle Gro to the water every other week.

**East Detroit** · June-02-09, 01:36 PM

When kids step on your property, do you say, "Get off my rocks!" ?

**Ray1936** · June-02-09, 03:50 PM

It's a 55+ community, EDetroit. No kids.

Desert landscaping is required of all new homes. Old ones are grandfathered for their grass lawns, but discouraged.

**Blueidone** · June-02-09, 04:15 PM

My father and I each have a Topsy Turvy....neither one having much luck with it. He is trying to grow tomatoes...I have a cucumber plant. My father has had to replace his plant twice already...and my cuke doesn't seem to be surviving either. Any special hints?

I seem to do ok growing houseplants, but I've never been real successful with veggies. Anybody want an aloe plant? I had to transplant several offshoots from my original plant. I'll give them away to a "good home" LOL

**Ray1936** · June-02-09, 04:27 PM

Well, be sure to be generous with the water, Blueidone, and a little bit of Miracle Gro seems to be very helpful. It also needs sun, which we have an abundance of out here.....

**lugotown** · June-03-09, 07:38 AM

Blueidone- i'll take an aloe plant.
i just started my bucket garden with a few plants, hope it works as good as they say. my problem is finding something to hang them on. seems i need to construct something similar to the clothesline T with wood. i bought some of the garden hook things you put in the grass but they're not tall or sturdy enough. any recommendations?
haven't tried topsy turvy but since i have one, i'll give it a try, too.

**Blueidone** · June-03-09, 08:00 AM

Lugotown: Any chance you can make it to the Georgia St Garden Reading Night on Saturday? I could bring the aloe plant there for you. If not, email me at corneroffice2 at aol dot com and we can work something out.

Ray: Been watering it every day and put Miracle Gro in when we put it together. It hangs on our patio which gets full sun all day. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the last little shoots are going to survive.

**East Detroit** · June-03-09, 10:25 AM

The design with the pickle barrel and the 2 liter seems pretty good for water retention... at least when the roots get past the 2 liter and the water isnt dripping out of the [[hopefully) snug hole on the bottom.

**Ray1936** · June-03-09, 11:10 AM

Got our fingers crossed for both of us, Blueidone!

It sure would be nice to get a juicy tomato or two out of it. The tomatos in the stores here come from California [[and some from Mexico). They are small and hard, although better than nothing. Ain't nothing like a big, juicy Michigan tomato!

**Lowell** · June-03-09, 11:17 AM

From the chatter I hear, patio gardening is all the rage lately. It is a little recession grow-your-own driven but more than that. The ideas for elevating planters or putting them on wheels to maximize floor space and sun interest me. CBC The National [ch. 9] did a nice feature piece on this in Canada where the movement is roaring right now.

**reddog289** · June-03-09, 11:34 PM

I fiured out where my topsy is going, just got to get it done now.Good thing this is about it for planting veggies in the garden. Need a bettter plan next year to stick to.
Ray1936, Good luck on them maters.