If You Like Topsy Turvy...

With 29 tomato plants in the ground, I have four more tomato varieties to go. 

I saved several special plants for this experiment: Dr. Carolyn, Lime Green Salad, OSU Blueberry and Pink Thai Egg. They're going in the homemade versions of the (in)famous Topsy Turvy upside-down tomato bags.

Like most As Seen on TV gizmos, the Topsy Turvy leaves me both intrigued and deeply skeptical. Curiosity won when I saw them on sale at Home Depot for under $10 apiece. I bought a couple--not to keep, but to dissect and see what the fuss is all about. First of all, these things are huge! I can see them easily weighing over 50 pounds apiece with wet soil and a fruit-laden (optimist that I am) tomato plant. Nothing that currently exists in our garden can hold something this heavy or is tall enough. I decided they'd make cool presents for Dad, so I carefully planted an heirloom tomato plant in each one. This leads me to my second gripe: they are a b*tch to set up. The small hole at the bottom where the plant sticks out, the foam that holds the stem in place, and the soft sides of this contraption(basically a reinforced rice sack)--these are just three features that make planting anything bigger than a tiny seedling a veritable one-woman Twister game. 

So here's my cheaper and easier version: Take four 99-cent trash cans, chains, hooks, dish sponges, four tin pie plates, and some wire. Grab a creme brulee torch and soften the plastic at bottom of each trash can. Cut out 3" diameter holes. Attach hanging chains to top of trash cans using wires. Work seedling through molten hole, holding it in place using a piece of dish sponge with a nickel-sized hole cut out of the middle (ala Topsy Turvy foam). Fill pot with dirt. Cap with pie plate with a 3-inch hole cut out of its center. Hang. Hope for the best.

Voilà!

I have all the varieties set up and planted, but had one more little plant. It's a second Aunt Molly's Husk...I guess it's not a tomato, but it's still part of the project. It's a really sweet little plant and it deserves to be more than just an afterthought. 

Maybe it can hang out with some basil and a few flowers?

Like so.

Hanging Tomatoes Planted on May 3, 2009:

Dr. Carolyn

 Lime Green Salad

OSU Blueberry

Pink Thai Egg

Solo Tomato Plant Planted on May 3, 2009:

Aunt Molly' Husk