How To Grow Tomatoes Upside Down In a Hanging Basket

Last updated on April 6th, 2022

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There are plenty of planters that give you more character in your garden space and using an upside-down planter is one such idea. In fact, they have become a very fun and non-traditional way to grow tomatoes, especially if you have limited space on the ground. With a small space where you are unable to fit the plants you want, an upside-down planter can give you tomatoes throughout the season without taking up limited walking space. There are a few commercially designed planters you can use or you can make one yourself, and you can plant a handful of varieties that will thrive in such conditions.

There are many advantages to this aside from saving you space. Growing them in a hanging basket upside down requires less work on your behalf because you don’t need to set up the staking or the caging for the tomatoes to grow. With most tomatoes, when you plant them in the ground you have to design something upright to give them a support structure but in these cases, you have a hanging container and the trailing stems grow downwards, cascading instead of growing upwards will require less structure on your behalf.

This brings with it the advantage of limited weeds in the planters and being upside down increases air circulation so your tomatoes are less vulnerable to diseases and fungal infections.

Making a Planter

The fastest way is to purchase a commercially designed upside-down planter. There are plenty of models out there sold online, some of which have received invention awards and all you need do is fill them with potting soil, add your tomatoes, and hang them. Most of these commercial planters can hold up to two plants, however, some will hold even more.

Just some of the upside-down baskets you can buy!

Allstar Innovations Topsy Turvy Deluxe- New & Improved Upside Down Tomato & Herb Planter - As Seen On TV

Includes: 2 Topsy Turvy Deluxe
Grows all varieties of tomatoes, including beefsteak, yellow and cherry. Also grows other vegetables including green bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant and more
Grow delicious and juicy tomatoes all season long (up to 30 lbs of tomatoes with normal care, feeding and sunlight). Hang in direct sunlight, on deck, balcony or patio. No bending, caging, staking or weeding.
The Topsy Turvy Upside Planter is simple to set up and maintain: swivel top for easy turning, uses ordinary potting soil, grow your own organic vegetables and durable materials to last for years.

Upside Down Hanging Strawberry & Tomato Garden Planter

Tomato Garden Planter

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Alternatively, you can make your own with a 5-gallon bucket that has a handle. Start by drilling a hole in the bottom of the bucket that is a maximum size of about 6cm. Lance the tomato in the hole and secure it using peat moss or a coffee filter. Then, hang the planter using the bucket handle.

No matter which option you use, make sure that you have a sturdy hook and bracket for your wall (or post) because once full of compost these containers will be quite heavy and the last thing you want is to try and hang them and have them fall down and break, and all your hard work be undone.

Choosing the Right Compost

You need good, nutrient-rich compost for your upside-down plants. Moisture retention is very important so you need to add things like peat moss or mulch the top of your soil. You should also integrate a fertiliser to replenish any nutrients that your tomatoes take out of the compost on a regular basis. Nutrient depletion can take place with tomatoes very quickly, so you should replace the compost every year when you are planting your new tomatoes at the start of the season.

Choosing the Right Variety

There are certain varieties that grow better in an upside-down environment than others. Most of the time these are patio and container varieties because they’re designed to thrive in smaller spaces. This also means you will get smaller fruits, such as those on the cherry tomatoes. Yellow Tumbler gives you yellow tomatoes and it produces more fruit than other varieties marginally. Tumbling Tom and Tumbler are other options intended for planters and you can find these in red or yellow varieties.

Finding the Right Location

The location of your planter will go a long way towards the success of your tomatoes. Tomatoes need a very sunny area that provides them with full sun all day long, for at least 8 hours. But you also need to make sure the site is in a more sheltered area because windy days could snap the stems. During warmer weather, you might need to water the plants once or twice a day.