Materials

The minimal materials you will need to set up your upside down tomato plant are as follows:

• A tomato plant or seedling
• A container (see images below for some ideas)
• Scissors, a knife, or something sharp to cut a hole in the bottom of your container
• Mesh, cloth, or some old fabric to prevent soil from falling out of the container’s hole
• Soil Mix
• Hanging Apparatus

Container

Your imagination is the limit here. The tomato plant will be hanging upside down, suspended in the air. The container you choose will need a hole at the bottom, to allow the stem of the tomato plant to escape. Additionally, a hanging mechanism capable of supporting your selected container, the tomato plant and additional water weight will need to be considered. Below are some ideas for containers suitable for the job. Feel free to use one of these, or select or create something of your choosing.

A plastic or ceramic planting pot has the advantage of already having a hole cut in the bottom. You will need to attach a strong hanging mechanism.

A strong, reusable bag appropriately lined to maintain moisture could easily be transformed into a hanging container.

A bucket. Could be a cleaning bucket, from a hardware store or your little sister’s old sand bucket.

An old rubber boot? Why not? It would retain moisture, and it’s easy to cut a hole at the bottom.