Do you often wonder if growing tomatoes upside down in a bucket works? Or is it a rather odd practice to you? This may surprise you, but the exercise may give you great yields from a small space and with less work. Nevertheless, there are some disadvantages to this method. Are you excited to learn more? Here are the various pros and cons of growing tomatoes upside down. Keep reading.
The pros and cons of growing tomatoes upside down include easy maintenance, saving space, and flexibility. Additionally, upside-down planters have reduced risks of weeds, pests, and disease infestation and require no staking.
On the other hand, the cons of this practice include more frequent watering and weight-bearing issues. Also, growing tomatoes upside down is only suitable for certain tomato types.
Upside Down Tomatoes Pros
Here are the advantages of growing tomatoes upside down:
1. It is a space-saving practice
Like growing plants in containers, growing tomatoes upside down saves gardening space. The practice frees up ground space and maximizes the vegetable planting area. This method also allows you to grow tomatoes on a patio or balcony.
2. Upside-down tomatoes are flexible
You can easily move around your upside-down planters to get enough sunlight or to protect them from bad weather.
3. Reduction of pest and disease infestation
When you hang your tomato plants, there will be no direct contact between the crop and the ground. For this reason, your tomatoes will be free from slugs, ground worms, blight, and other soil-borne diseases. The practice also allows great air circulation, which helps eliminate fungi attacks.
4. They are easy to maintain
Growing tomatoes upside down eliminates the need to bend when watering, fertilizing, and harvesting fruits. Therefore, the practice is perfect for everyone, especially the ones with limited mobility.
5. No staking is required
When growing tomatoes, you require staking or caging to help sustain the growing fruits’ weight. Cherry tomatoes are lightweight; growing them upside down doesn’t need staking.
Cons of Grow Tomatoes Upside Down
Wondering what the cons of growing tomatoes upside down are? Look at this list:
1. The method requires more watering
When you grow tomatoes in a hanging manner, you’ll need to water them more often than with conventional cultivating methods. Although covering the seedlings with mulch helps retain water for some time, you’ll still need to water regularly.
2. Not suitable for some tomato varieties
Upside-down planters are only appropriate for small tomato types like grape and patio varieties. Heavy plants like beefsteak tomatoes break stems easily and get damaged.
3. The practice is not ideal for weight-bearing plants
Once you water the plants, they become super heavy and might fall away or break. Additionally, when tomatoes bear fruits, the system might not support the plants’ weight, especially the beefsteak variety.
Grow Tomatoes Upside Down FAQs
Q: Which direction should tomatoes face?
A: Plant your tomatoes facing your house’s south or west side, especially if you can’t provide ample sun or heat. This practice will allow the wall to absorb enough heat in the daytime and pass it to the seedlings at night.
Q: Which tomatoes grow best upside down?
A: The best tomatoes to plant upside down are the ones that yield smaller-sized fruits. They include Roma, patio, grape, or Cherry tomatoes.
How to Grow Tomatoes Upside Down Final Thoughts
Although there are a few disadvantages to growing tomatoes upside down, the practice is perfect in the 21st century.
The pros for this exercise include that it is easy to maintain, saves on space, and is flexible. Additionally, there are reduced risks of weeds, pests, and disease infestation, and staking is unnecessary.
The side effects of this method include frequent watering and weight-bearing issues, and it’s only suitable for certain tomato types. For best results, plant small tomato seedlings.