Topsy-Turvey Planting

[Concretemasonry]

I have been thinking of using the topsy-turvey system to grow tomatoes and other vegetables.

I am in a 2 story townhouse with a northern and eastern exposures compounded by some 30' pines to the north (40 feet away) and 50' ash trees to the northeast. The two story condo is to the south.

I have great flowers around my 10x20 patio on the north because I can choose the proper varieties that work there. I have tried tomatoes on my deck, but they do not get enough sun to really do well (too close to the building).

I own the land around my townhouse, but the magnificent trees and the privacy will stay and it gets difficult to put in a real garden because that gets into landscaping and association approval and created mowing problems. Single poles are not a problem.

I have identified an area about 30' north of my unit and not under any trees that has full summer sun from about 9:00 or 10:00 AM until sunset that could be a place to put in some up-side-down plants supported on a shepherds hook.

What are the opinions on growing cherry tomatoes and possibly peppers? They are always seen from both the uper deck and patio and watering/maintenance will not be a problem because of the convenient location.

Thanx in advance for opinions.

Dick

[Newt]

That sounds like a wonderful plan! Towards the end of the growing season you may have to check the pots twice a day as the mature root system and full sun will dry them out quickly. Also try and use determinate toms.

Newt

[Quietman]

That sounds like a wonderful plan! Towards the end of the growing season you may have to check the pots twice a day as the mature root system and full sun will dry them out quickly. Also try and use determinate toms.

Newt

Newt,

I'm just curious, why not indeterminate?

Also, for the OP, you might consider black, plastic pots for your peppers. The color and material will heat the soil up nicely for the pepper plants (IMHO)

Quiet

[Newt]

Quietman, that's a good question. I suggested it because the indeterminate continue to grow and grow and grow. They are acatually a vine type. With a hanging pot you may find the plant grows all the way to the ground if you don't have the pot high enough.

Determinate are a bush type and will stay more compact for a pot.

Newt

[Concretemasonry]

The inderterminate plant are the only thing to use. - Can you imagine what will crawl up the stem? An indeterminate plant can be many feet long id allowed to groe and stretch out. I had a tomato plant in Virginia that was in a 6' cage and once it got over the top. it gre like wildfires (hot and humid).


I have found that you should stay away from larger fruits (Beefsteak, Big Boy, etc.) because of the weight. Apparently peppers do well if there is heat and sun, which we have in the summer.

I will plant in a few weeks (maybe 4 weeks depending on the late snows and weather cycles), but it will still be sooner than traditional setting out dates for here.

[Quietman]

Guess I hadn't thought of that!

Whenever I think about the two types (determinant and indeterminant) I always thinks "ever producing" and "one giant, huge, what will I do with all these ripe tomatoes at once" varieties. I hadn't considered continuing vine growth.

While I've never done it, can an indeterminate be pruned (or re-routed so it becomes a turvy-topsy for a few weeks, then allow normal topsy-turvy growth to resume) and thus the grower gets the benefit of continuing fruit rather than all ripe at once?

Quiet