If you’ve been to a store in the past couple of years then you’ve seen a topsy turvy planter. You know the sock looking contraption that grows tomato plants upside down. Well it looks like there may be some advantages to this type of method of growing veggies. The product is growing in popularity, in fact the company reports that sales are up 50% and 20 million have been sold since they hit the market in 2005.
The advantages include….
- -space saving
- -no need of additional equipment including stakes and cages to keep the plants from toppling
- -less opportunity for the plants to be attacked from fungus and insects
- – less weeds
- -better delivery of water and nutrients
A New York Times article profiles an Atlanta gardener, Michael Nolan in a piece about upside down gardening. It seems that Mr. Nolan has found success planting vegetables in 5-gallon buckets and hanging them upside down. He notes that to help the buckets retain moisture he plants flowers or herbs in the top. Other suggestions are to top the planters with mulch or lids to keep them from drying out.
Anyone tried this….tell me what you think?
A Sustainable LIFE 
