If Liz were Queen

QUEEN’S COMMENTS: It’s been a while since I’ve talked “garden.”  As you may have surmised by now, my passion for gardening ebbs and flows.  Later today if our monsoon here in Dallas lets up I’ll get out and take a few photos of you.  You can compare my zuchinni plant from about 8 weeks ago to its size today.

I just read on the Internet today about Upside down tomatoes and I’ve decided that I’m going to try them out.  Here are the instructions if you want to follow me in this adventure:

1. Obtain an old 5 gallon paint bucket with the snap-on lid.

2. Turn it upside down and using a utility knife, cut about a 3 inch hole in the bottom of the bucket.

3. Cut a 3 inch hole in the center of the lid too.

4. Place some newspaper in the bottom of the bucket to cover the hole.

5. Fill the bucket using a 40 lb bag of potting soil.  (a 40 pound bag will completely fill a five gallon bucket with none left over.

6. Snap the lid on the bucket

7. Turn it upside down.

8. Cut a couple of slits in the newspaper

9. Use your fingers  or a spoon to reach inside the 3 inch hole and fashion out a small cavity so the entire tomato plant, roots and all can fit inside.

10.  cover with soil and pack in.

11.  Allow plant to stay right side up for a week so roots can get a grip.

12. Now you’re ready to hang the tomato plant upside down!

So, what’s so great about growing tomatoes upside down?

1) Not as disease prone as tomatoes growing on the ground.

2) More difficult for animals and bugs to get to the plants

3) No need tilling or weeding!

You can read more about growing upside down tomatoes at the following websites:

Upside down tomato plant

Mini Farm Homestead

Mount Vernon News

Old Fashion Living