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Garden Gate:  topsy turvy hanging planters  |
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HookAngel
True Blue Farmgirl
253 Posts
Bren
CA
USA
253 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 6:30:58 PM
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HI.... I am so very limited where I now live with little sunshine and NO dirt and not much room either. But gardener that I have been I am LONGING for a spring garden. Besides some shade loving herbs and a box of lettuce/ mustard greens mix I figure I can put up a few of these hanging upside down planters. I am interested in any experiences you farmgirls have with these contraptions.
Two years ago I experimented with them and got some eggplants to do just okay, but the tomatoes didnt do so well, and the produce seemed small in size. |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 9:21:54 PM
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My grandfather made his own from white 5 gallon buckets. He said the originals didn't hold up well and were too small for the roots. He also mulched the open part so it didn't dry out so badly.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Apr 06 2011 : 10:13:55 AM
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I was wondering that same thing about what they are selling Angela. Plus to me it seems like they are really over charging for those contraptions.
I have a friend from here in the state, that married a man from Sweden about 12 or so years ago. When she first went to visit him there she had posted some pics of their upside down tomato growing! It was beautiful! I do not know why Americans aren't doing it how they have been in Sweden for a long time. I will try to explain it, but I am not sure if I am using the correct terminology.
In Sweden they use those half round hanging baskets, that you see here at many of the public places using for annual flowers. They are black metal. And many times malls and amusement parks are lined with them. They hang from a metal chain. Any way, just like here they line the basket in moss. The thing that the Swedish do differently is they cut a small x in the bottom of the moss, and plant the tomato upside down in said basket. Then they plant annuals on the top. When put on a porch or in a yard it's beautiful because you have the tomato coming out the bottom with pretty little annuals all on top! This to me seems so much more eye appealing then those ugly green containers I see them selling here for WAY to much money! I see Dollar Tree usually has these baskets I am speaking of for a dollar! I am not sure how good Dollar Trees are though, but compared to what they are selling the topsy turvy things for! WOW However, really you can buy the hanging baskets any where. This year I really didn't have the money to invest in so much stuff. But, next year I plan on doing it that way and putting hanging screws on the deck. I really have plenty of growing space, but I like not having to cage and stake the tomatoes when you grow them this way, and the beauty of having the flowers on the other side!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
Edited by - MagnoliaWhisper on Apr 06 2011 10:15:40 AM |
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HookAngel
True Blue Farmgirl
253 Posts
Bren
CA
USA
253 Posts |
Posted - Apr 06 2011 : 12:25:56 PM
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| I love the idea of the flower topped moss baskets but those are very shallow and how do the roots have enough room??? |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4827 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4827 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2011 : 1:06:04 PM
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I grew potatoes in a bag last summer. While it worked nicely, I only had about two meals worth of potatoes. I have decided not to use the bag again this year. I didn't feel it was worth all the trouble for so few potatoes.
I have grown tomatoes in containers and while I got a great crop of them, they just didn't have any taste. I found that growing them in the ground made all the difference in flavor. Best of luck finding what works for you. Let us know how it goes.
Dawn in IL |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2011 : 6:16:09 PM
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My aunts favorite way of doing potatoes is putting down a thick layer of straw/hay, and the putting the potatoes down, then another thick layer of straw/hay. Then you don't have to dig to get them! Worked great for her. She did the fingerlings I think. Of yukon gold, something yellow! lol
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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BarefootGoatGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1495 Posts
Corrine
North Carolina
USA
1495 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2011 : 7:08:38 PM
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lol Alee!
I love the moss idea Connie. I was really turned off by the looks of the buckets. However, the moss would be the perfect flowers for top! 1. They would grow enough to hang over the sides and hide the bucket! And 2. They come back every year! So you wouldn't have to buy new each year, just dig them up and plant a new tomato, and put the moss back on top! LOVE it! Another good one for the top would be bleeding hearts. Again hang over to cover up ugly bucket!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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HookAngel
True Blue Farmgirl
253 Posts
Bren
CA
USA
253 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2011 : 7:54:21 PM
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| good ideas... thanks so much |
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mrsamy
True Blue Farmgirl
167 Posts
Amy
Milwaukee
WI
USA
167 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2011 : 08:11:26 AM
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I made my own last year and planted nasturtiums on top. They creeped up and over covering a lot of the bucket in the process. Probably won't do it again though. Littlest one here wanted to grab the ripening tomatoes and nearly pulled the whole she-bang onto his cute little head after multiple efforts. I have enough other places that I can plant tomatoes without risking head injury, thank goodness.
Prayer costs nothing, but is worth the most. |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2011 : 09:48:16 AM
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You could also cover the bucket with table cloth material to make it look nicer. The dollar general has table clothes for $3. You could paint the bucket as well, maybe let your kids paint them. Keepsakes and tomatoes! Yum!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
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Garden Gate: topsy turvy hanging planters |
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topsy turvy hanging planters
