DIY: Upside-Down Tomato Planter
14 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in DIY, Food, Gardening, Organic Tags: cilantro, tomato, upside down
We’re keen on DIY projects here at Green Mansions Foundation. Towards the end of spring, we decided to jump on the upside-down gardening bandwagon and bought ourselves a Topsy-Turvy. A few weeks later, after catching this article in the NY Times, we decided that we would also make our own upside-down tomato planter.
The project was simple – it took less than 10 minutes for us to put the planter together. Use a tomato plant that bears smaller fruit, as there will be less strain on the plant (we decided to grow cherry tomatoes in both of our planters). A bonus with the DIY planter is that the top is open, so we planted one of our favorite herbs, cilantro, on top (see photos below). We were even able to recycle a spare bucket and hook that we had in the garage, so the DIY planter ended up costing us approximately $5.
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to making your own upside-down tomato planter, from Urban Garden Casual :
The Method
You will need:
- 1 large bucket
- potting soil with some compost added
- a drill or knife for cutting the hole in the bottom
Drill a hole in the center of the bottom of the bucket. The hole should be about 2″ in diameter. Fill the bucket with potting soil mix. Cover with a lid or place a piece of cardboard over to serve as a lid.
Turn the bucket upside down, and plant one tomato seedling through the hole you’ve drilled in the bottom of your bucket. Make sure to plant deeply. Water the entire bucket with a mix of water and organic fertilizer, and hang from a sturdy hook.
As with any hanging basket, this will dry out easily in hot or windy weather, so watering frequently is a must.
Photos of our Topsy-Turvy:
Green Mansions Foundation
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