Growing hanging tomatoes

[Christina]

Has anyone done this before?

I just planted one cherry tomato plant and one larger variety with the top of the plant coming out of the bottom of the basket. I've always wanted to try it because it would save a lot of space if I could grow them that way. I'm having a hard time imagining that they're going to be able to hold the weight of the tomatoes as they get larger without having the vines break off.

[Anne]

We're going to try it this summer. I guess I'm going to follow your saga... ;)

[Christina]

I'll take pictures tomorrow and post them.

[Anne]

cool thanks.

I bought a thingie on sale. I'm guessing that it's like a tyvek envelope with a plastic form?

[Christina]

These aren't the greatest pictures because I took them in a rush and there isn't enough contrast, but this is what they look like now. I'm expecting that they will curl up toward the sun for a while but I don't know when they'll start getting pulled down but their own weight.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g132/KGpictures/April13001.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g132/KGpictures/April13005.jpg

[Anne]

oooo! What I have is more like column. Not as pretty.

I'll get a photo when we set it up.

[Christina]

The kind that you have are what most people grow them in and it may be that mine are pretty but not all that practical. I have a sinking feeling that they'll become one more thing for the cats to climb and swing off off, and then play hockey with the tomatoes that they knock off.

[Anne]

gah.

I hate cats.

[Ray Moscow]

Nope, we haven't tried that. It might work, though, for the smaller-fruited ones.

[Brianna]

gah.

I hate cats.

Dear Anne:

We hate you as well.

signed The cats.

[Daynna]

I see the advertisements for that hanging tomato plant kit all the time. I always think of creating the contraption myself. I love tomaters. :)

[Anne]

I see the advertisements for that hanging tomato plant kit all the time. I always think of creating the contraption myself. I love tomaters. :)

I bought one, but I think I'll make a next one. If it works...

gah.

I hate cats.

Dear Anne:

We hate you as well.

signed The cats.

Good. Then GET OFF MY LAWN!

[PostMortem]

Great thread! I'm going to have to give this a try. Anyone know if there are any other fruit bearing plants that could grow this way?

[David B]

Great thread! I'm going to have to give this a try. Anyone know if there are any other fruit bearing plants that could grow this way?

Strawberries?

Might need a net to keep birds off, but should be good re slugs and sanils.

David

[Christina]

I've started putting some of my strawberries into pots because of the slugs and snails and they're going great, but I'm not hanging them. I can't see why it wouldn't work. I'll try it when I get home to see what happens because I have volunteers all over the place that I can dig up. I think that things like cucumbers and squash would be much too heavy.

I already miss my garden.

[A Dead Relative]

Upside-down Tomatoes (http://www.minifarmhomestead.com/gardening/tomato.htm)

[Daynna]

Thanks for the link!

[Christina]

We haven't had much in the way of high heat so my tomatoes are still sulking a bit and haven't grown very much. This is fairly normal up here and they'll do fine once it stays hot for more than a day or 2 at a time. They still look healthy, though, and aren't all that much smaller than the ones in the ground.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g132/KGpictures/Flowers/hangingtomato1.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g132/KGpictures/Flowers/hangingtomato2.jpg