Growing tomatoes

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Well, you know, that is true. I imagine if you get a type of tomato that ordinarily needs a cage, that would probably work.

Hm. Let us know how that works out, it looks pretty cool. I already have mine planted, and they are, predictably, in cages. (I don't even know what kind I have, they came up in my dad's compost heap as "volunteers" and I adopted them. )

[Dave1982]

How does that work? I've seen those, and they look cool, but one thing: Plants tend to grow upwards, right? So what keeps the tomato plant from looping around it's root ball and trying to grow upwards?

The weight of the tomatoes, and the plant itself. Tomato plants are really vines, and as such have little strength of their own. When planted in the ground, they require wire frames to wend themselves around or they just fall to the ground, which will make the tomatoes rot.

Oh, and I got one of those for my mother for Mother's Day (she asked for it). Believe it or not, we actually sell the Topsy Turvy at Staples. Unfortunately, the plant she put in it wasn't too healthy to begin with and looks like it might die before producing any tomatoes.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

How does that work? I've seen those, and they look cool, but one thing: Plants tend to grow upwards, right? So what keeps the tomato plant from looping around it's root ball and trying to grow upwards?

[draggar]

Yep - regular soil (maybe a special soil for vegetables at Home Depot).

Set up the topsy turvy HIGH - and i mean high. We had a different one - it was over 3 feet tall (including the wires to hang it from) PLUS the vines can easily reach 3-4 feet tall so you're looking at 8 feet high minimum - probabaly better at 10 feet *and* it needs to be secure since the soil (even dry) can be very heavy.

[BookstoreEscapee]

My parents have a couple of those planters. they also have pepper plants, or have in the past. I sent a message and will let you know what they say...

Edit: They say:
He should use potting soil only in the upside down planter. Should not need fertilizer.
Other than that, Miracle Grow stuff for veggies
Compost soil is fine.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

So today I bought one of those Topsy Turvy tomato planters and a tomato plant to go along with it.

I was kinds lucky to get the planter. We haven't been able to keep them in stock when they've arrived.

So I've got the plant in the planter and hung up in a sunny spot, and I'm wondering what kind of fertilizer I should use on it, since the instructions say to fertilize the plant fairly frequently, yet my mom says that shouldn't be necessary with the kind of dirt I used (compost-y soil). What should I look for at the store?

Also, I purchased a green bell pepper plant to plant someplace else--would that require anything special in the way of fertilizer? Any kinds of pests I should be keeping an eye out for?

Thanks to anybody who can help!