Grow tomatoes up-side down?
VFW
http://upsidedowntomatoplant.com/dyi.html
--
Money! What a concept.
Lou
them out of reach of some pests like cutworms. But it seems a little hard
to believe that the plants will grow better upside down than they will right
side up, all else being equal. Anyone done a side-by-side test?
"VFW" <geor...@toast.net> wrote in message
news:georgeswk-B912A...@news.toast.net...
Bob F
My neighbor tried the commercial version. Said it was wasted time, energy, and
money.
Jeff Thies
> I guess it may make sense to grow the plants off the ground - it may get
> them out of reach of some pests like cutworms. But it seems a little hard
> to believe that the plants will grow better upside down than they will right
> side up, all else being equal.
The Tomato, after all, is a vine. It would just as soon lay on the
ground if we hadn't interceded to keep the fruits off the ground. It
doesn't have any trouble changing direction. I wonder if watering from
the bottom might help the roots grow, along the same lines of watering
deeply to encourage deep growth.
I found this:
http://nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca/gsdl/collect/fnl2.2/archives/HASH018f.dir/p009.gif
What a root system!
I know that irregular watering leads to blossom end rot and the fruit
splitting.
Anyone done a side-by-side test?
Not that I could find. Must be somewhere.
Jeff
Sofa Slug
> Lou wrote:
>> I guess it may make sense to grow the plants off the ground - it may
>> get them out of reach of some pests like cutworms. But it seems a
>> little hard to believe that the plants will grow better upside down
>> than they will right side up, all else being equal.
>
>
> The Tomato, after all, is a vine. It would just as soon lay on the
> ground if we hadn't interceded to keep the fruits off the ground. It
> doesn't have any trouble changing direction. I wonder if watering from
> the bottom might help the roots grow, along the same lines of watering
> deeply to encourage deep growth.
>
> I found this:
>
> http://nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca/gsdl/collect/fnl2.2/archives/HASH018f.dir/p009.gif
>
>
> What a root system!
>
> I know that irregular watering leads to blossom end rot and the fruit
> splitting.
>
> Anyone done a side-by-side test?
>
An apartment dwelling friend was growing tomatoes with a "Topsy Turvy
Tomato Tree". He said that the results were disappointing. He's had
spectacular results with this, though:
http://tinyurl.com/Earthbox-garden-kit
Apparently the built-in watering system works very well.
Rod Speed
> I guess it may make sense to grow the plants off the ground - it may get them out of reach of some pests like
> cutworms. But it seems a little hard to believe that the plants will grow better upside down than they will right
> side up, all else being equal. Anyone done a side-by-side test?
Yep, it works fine both ways.
Just means that tomatoes are a very adaptable plant.
You can do it with strawberrys too.
> VFW <geor...@toast.net> wrote
Rod Speed
> Lou wrote:
>> I guess it may make sense to grow the plants off the ground - it may
>> get them out of reach of some pests like cutworms. But it seems a
>> little hard to believe that the plants will grow better upside down
>> than they will right side up, all else being equal.
> The Tomato, after all, is a vine.
No it isnt.
> It would just as soon lay on the ground if we hadn't interceded to keep the fruits off the ground.
Thats wrong too with bush varietys.
> It doesn't have any trouble changing direction.
True. And plenty of other stuff doesnt either like strawberrys and other espaliered trees.
> I wonder if watering from the bottom might help the roots grow,
Nope, not evidence with hydroponic tomatoes that it makes any difference.
> along the same lines of watering deeply to encourage deep growth.
Doesnt work with some plants like lettuce.
> I found this:
> http://nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca/gsdl/collect/fnl2.2/archives/HASH018f.dir/p009.gif
> What a root system!
> I know that irregular watering leads to blossom end rot and the fruit splitting.
>> Anyone done a side-by-side test?
> Not that I could find. Must be somewhere.
Yep, tried both ways myself.