Anyone use Topsy Turvy planters?

[MelanieM]

The other day I came across the Topsy Turvy strawberry planter. It looks pretty perfect for this wannabe gardener with no experience at all! Has anyone used this? How did you find it compared to growing on the ground? (Part of me just wants to cover our whole property in berry plants! lol!)

 

They also have a tomato planter, and I'm thinking that would be great too! Again, no experience here with growing tomatoes at all, and am wondering if this is a better option than container gardening.

[Maddysmom26]

we have done the the tomato and the cucumbers..

we used regular hanging baskets and pushed the plants through the bottom..

was amazing! the plants grew and grew and we had tons of the tomatos and little cukes! they reallly work well!

[Amy Jo]

I've heard wonderful things about them. I'm going to try several this year - I've seen ways to make your own, which is what I'll probably do.

[Mrs Mungo]

Everyone I know who has used them in Southern climates said that the tomatoes started to rot before they could ripen.

[mom26]

My kiddos bought me one last year for Mother's day but I waited too long to open the package and it was too late in the season to find strawberry plants( I thought it came with seeds:001_huh:)...thanks for the reminder to get to a nursery and grab some plants...also I read you need potting soil NOT topsoil....

Hope you are enjoying strawberries soon!!

Blessings,

Kathi

[cjzimmer1]

I don't know anything about the strawberry ones but I will tell you what I know about the tomato ones.

 

My parents own a greenhouse. We have had hundreds of requests for plants for these things. Here's my thoughts.

 

First of all, with the exception of patio tomatoes (which I will comment on later), tomato plants get really big and really viney and needs lots of water. For a traditional plant we recommend a MINIMUM of 20 gallons of soil but they still produce better in the ground. And they will use as much as 2-3 or more gallons of water per day when they are producing. If I remember correctly, the Topsy Turvies hold about 5 gallon of soil. So unless you want to be out watering your plant 2-3 times every single day (and don't you dare go away for a a weekend without having someone come and water it), you plant is going to get too dried out. This stresses the plant out and you will get significantly less yield than if you were to get it properly watered.

 

We still get customers who want to try them out. About 90% come back and tell us the next year that we were right and they should've just stuck with a pot. the other 10% come back and say they were very happy with the results. Much of this will be based on your level of expertise (pot growing also requires a lot more attention to things like fertilizer because the soil gets depleted easily with no chance of regeneration), the amount of effort you are willing to put into and your level of expectation (if you don't mind getting a smaller crop than what you would get from the same plant in the ground then you might be perfectly happy).

 

Patio tomatoes are smaller plants but they don't vine at all. They are like little trees. So while they would be better for the smaller soil container the habitat doesn't lend well to growing upside down.

 

I believe the Topsy turvey is designed for a certain type of viney plant that is smaller like a patio tomato plant. However, as a grower we have no clue what plant they were intended for. Since we have so many requests. we have looked into finding a plant more suitable to this situation and we have been unable to locate seeds for any tomatoes that would be appropriate for this type of container. Not saying a plant doesn't exist but if it does it's hard to find and probably not worth the effort of an average person to obtain it.

 

What we recommend, depending on what size pot you can handle, patio type plants can grow in a 5 gallon or larger pot. Make sure it has drainage holes and get a large tray to put underneath. This allow you to add extra water for the plant to soak up as it needs it and so you don't have to spend as much time and care on watering.

 

If you don't mind a larger plant (and ganglier look), you can grow regularly tomatoes in a 20+ gallon pot, but you must have a cage or some other means of support for the branches. You will aslo need a tray underneath for additional water . My kids love cherry tomatoes (and the plants actually get bigger even than regular size tomato plants). I grow one on the deck in a pot with a large cage. We then push it in the corner and use two sides of the deck railing for additional support when it outgrows the cage. It hangs about halfway down the sides of the rails. It does NOT look pretty. However, we then have hundreds of little cherry tomatoes just outside the door that my kids can walk out and eat at will. Since it's such a healthy snack I don't mind the unsightly mangle of plant and tomatoes on my deck.

 

If you have any other questions, let me know. I have lots to say about tomatoes. I've been working in the business for over 25 years now. My parents keep talking about retiring but I keep hoping they won't because then I won't be able to work there anymore and I enjoy it alot.

[EJCMom]

We tried the tomato one twice, and the tomatoes kept rotting before they could fully ripen. We're just going to do it the old fashioned way this year.

[Rene']

I have one that is a Tomato/Herb hanger and I'm growing 4 tomato plants, 2 marigolds, and a strawberry plant. One plant is a cherry tomato, the other 3 will produce medium sized fruit. I planted it in February and have several tomatoes. I'll post some pics later today.

 

I do have to water it about twice a day now, and fertilize regularly, but I realized that would be necessary when I bought it, so I knew what I was getting into. The bags generally are only good for one year. I personally love it and am having fun with it.

[Tammyla]

Same here in the Midwest. We are skipping them this year.

 

Everyone I know who has used them in Southern climates said that the tomatoes started to rot before they could ripen.

[Lady Florida.]

We've had very good luck with the tomato ones. I do have to water daily (but only once a day) in the dry season, but we get more and better tomatoes than we've ever been able to get when we plant in the ground or a pot. We had tomatoes well into July last year, which in Florida is unusual. Normally they rot in the humidity and wet ground well before that (tomatoes are pretty much done by May here).

 

I've tried the strawberry planters several times though, and have had no luck with them.

[Mejane]

 

I grow one on the deck in a pot with a large cage. We then push it in the corner and use two sides of the deck railing for additional support when it outgrows the cage. It hangs about halfway down the sides of the rails. It does NOT look pretty. However, we then have hundreds of little cherry tomatoes just outside the door that my kids can walk out and eat at will. Since it's such a healthy snack I don't mind the unsightly mangle of plant and tomatoes on my deck.

 

 

 

What a cool idea. Thanks for all the good info, Stephanie!

[Lady Florida.]

Everyone I know who has used them in Southern climates said that the tomatoes started to rot before they could ripen.

 

We're in a hot, humid climate (Zone 9b) and I've had better luck with tomatoes in the Topsy Turvy than in the ground or regular pots.