G'day Everyone, I hope you enjoyed the video, and I wanted to give a big shout-out to all of you whom I've met out and about lately! It's always nice when someone says hello, so thanks to you all for your support, and if you see me at the local nursery or wherever don't be backward in coming forward to say G'day. Cheers :)
Love to have you at our weekly coffee group in Landsborough at the Steaming Cup Cafe - any Thursday 7am Mark. Just a small group, and we're all gardeners :) Cheers, Sean.
Do ya reckon that using a white pot or or double potting with and insulation between, or a reflective coating would stop it drying out so fast. The black pot would be hot as and heat up the soil like anything.
@datwistyman could be! I also don't love how badly folded the stems get, and how much strain there is near the base of the plant. This might be a good method for cherry / other small varieties of tomato, but likely not beefsteak or heirloom. I'd probably just try to maximize value for time in staking the plants the traditional way, with posts & twine. Do a row or a circle of several (4+) plants all using the same support system.
I'd love to see your take on this. Is it similar to Mark's or slightly adjusted? If willing, do you think you could share this on Mark's forum Self Sufficient Culture? www.selfsufficientculture.com/
If you're worried about the edges being too sharp? As far as being not curled enough. I would recommend using a pool noodle to cushion the stems of the plant.😊
Foam pipe insulation would work as well. It would be slimmer than the pool noodle and it already had a slit in place to fit over the edge of the pot. Great idea!
Can I just say , as an amateur veg gardener, I absolutely love your channel, thank you so much for for simple, hands on , super informative videos , plus your in Oz as am I. Great videos !!!!!!! A big thank you
Beautiful tomatoes! I accidentally grew a cucumber plant in with hanging petunias in a hanging basket and they both grew like crazy! Typically, I lose cukes to the groundhogs, but they couldn't get the ones growing in the hanging pot!
I've grown Maskotka trailing tomatoes in Ireland for a few years using a similar method. I find a short section of pipe insulation placed over the edge of the pot where the stems flop over works brilliant
To cure a thin or rough pot edge, I take a length of old garden hose, carefully slit it thru one side and pinch it around the pot edge. Makes a fat, round edge and it's cheap. Cheers!
Suggested improvement; Water retention tray under the pot before securing it to the post will help keep the soil damp and reduce the need to water as frequently. You would need to put more effort into ensuring the pot is closer to level though.
I’ve grown tomatoes this way for years and it works wonderfully. The natural tomatoe plant in the wild is a vine which creeps along the ground, upright/supported plant growing is a human thing. I also find that once the plants fruit, extra phosphorus makes far better tomatoes and a little extra calcium prevents blossom end rot. Excellent as always Mark 👍🇦🇺🇬🇧
Thank you for sharing this! I am partially paralyzed, and also have very little space for gardening. After the initial setup, this looks like a great way for me to grow tomatoes!
Great idea, great tips! Wish I was picking cherry tomatoes right now. But I'm here in the US, winter's coming. It was in the 30's F last night (1.4 C). This is one of the ways I'll get through winter. Watching you, Mark, do amazing things in your garden! Have a great day!
This video came at the perfect time Mark. I have about 100 10 litre containers from my daughters work place and I’ve been soldering holes in the edge and hanging them off my colourbond fence here in South Australia …I have many volunteers from last year and my two earliest ones are covered in fruit already. I lost one branch but it broke while repotting so I’m not blaming it on growing downwards . I’m trying cucumbers and zucchini as well to hang down. Last year I watched too many TH-cam videos and cut off all my suckers and had so much less fruit so this summer im going to embrace wild growing more and see how it goes 😊
Heya! Yes, cutting off the suckers is often recommended as it'll produce larger fruit since the plant focuses on them instead. But it does significantly lower the yield, which a lot of us don't really like. If you have more questions, you can always pop by Mark's forum and we'd love to help you out. It's called Self Sufficient Culture and it can be found in the description box (or if you trust me, click the link below). www.selfsufficientculture.com/
I like to cut off the first sucker and plant it in a pot of potting soil as essentially the 'second bunch' of plants. Means I only have to grow half as many from seed.
OMG that is the coolest idea! I've had problems with my soil being dry and I've done most of the suggestions you've had for growing tomatoes and I still have issues. I'm going to give this a go with some new seedlings I've just grown. Very keen to give this a good go. Thanks Mark! 👊
Heya! I'm one of Mark's moderators. If you want some more help regarding this, and/or wish to share progress, Mark has a forum of like-minded people that all help eachother out. I'd love to see you there and hopefully help you out a bit! www.selfsufficientculture.com/
I've had similar issues. My biggest helpers have been tan containers vs black (mainly grow bags here), bigger grow bags (5 gallons and up, even if the plant doesn't need that much space), tons of mulch both on top of the soil but around the container (not possible for hanging baskets but I'd definitely use a lighter colored one through the summer), and put the irrigation system on a timer. Good luck!
Before the pot is filled, I would slit open one side of a pool noodle or piece of old garden hose and snap it around on the top rim of the pot to better cushion the tomato branches. I love this! I will try it this year.
Hanging baskets come with their own snap on tray in the bottom which save run off water. A DIY idea is to use two 2-gallon plastic buckets to make a self wicking bucket system. Double stack them and dill holes in the bottom of the top bucket, so the space between the two buckets become a water reservoir. You should adjust this spacing to get the desired size of reservoir you want, and use machine screws to hold the two buckets together. Also need one big hole drilled just below the top bucket so excess water in the reservoir can spill out. Currant-sized tomato variety are good for hanging baskets as they have a more sprawled out growth habit.
I also grow my tomatoes this way, hanging off of my balcony. I have 4 plants per pot, they do snap a little when they go over the edge as you have shown but the plant can heal it very well (none of mine died and I have about 20 plants). My experience was - the plants are very healthy, they have tons of fruit and very easy to care for.
hello for the tomato pot cut pool noodle for the top of the pot lip glue wont hold foam but could possibly sit on if it was slit screws with massive washers work well
That’s perfect timing! I’ve just planted tomatoes (and climbing beans) at the top of a 4 foot high retaining wall, intending to let them ‘fall’ down the wall so they are easier to harvest from below, rather than bending down from the path on the top side of the retaining wall. I’m in brizzy too (Logan) but on a steep slope. I’ve been coveting your tall birdies beds for years but can’t justify the cost of replacing the ones I have now. Yet. Thanks again for letting me know I’m not the only one with totally crazy ideas 😵💫😵💫😵💫
I think hanging between the legs of a tripod with beans climbing up the legs of the tripod. But the whole hanging tomatoes idea is great. I also like your trellis tunnel too.
Just started my first growing season this year after watching your videos, I got lots of seedlings sprouted and just started re potting and I’m preying for some nice tomatoes like you always get.
I do self-watering GroBuckets and a raised bench sounds like the solution for me. Also sounds like a great place to put my potatoes underneath! I grew them between the tomatoes and the buckets in grow bags this year.
Thanks for the short but plump video, full of juicy tidbits about growing tomatoes high. Definitely something I want to try though need to figure out a low-impact way to elevate the tomatoes, as I’m renting at the moment. Like the idea of placing another vegetable underneath to catch the runoff.
No idea if it will work but maybe you can add a "Pipe Insulation Tubing" (that grey stuff) on the edge of the bucket. This will make it softer and maybe easier for the plants when hanging on/over it.
Always looking for better and easier gardening hacks. Thanks Mark for all your research and comprehensive reviews. Getting excited that my "prong" will be arriving soon. TX heat killed so many plants in my yard this year so it will be good timing for a proper workout. Thanks for your role in making that happen.
A great idea! I think I’ll try this for the coming season. Last season I just couldn’t keep up with all the staking and tying, and it all became a bit of a mess. One for my note book!
Thank you so much for this video!! I’m just about to start growing food on my new property, and this was so useful and we’re going to give this a shot! Sending you positive vibes, thank you for spreading the growing knowledge!!
I'm about to plant my first tomato in a hanging basket so here's hoping I get a great yield as you did! Only have a small porch to play with otherwise would have followed your lead for sure!
maybe adding a pool noodle to rim would help, especially if it is a sharp end. thinking on this also maybe a shelf stack with "steps" on the north side for stability and able to reach top.
Hey Mark love ya vids, been watching for a few years now Mate just wanted to tell ya that I take your advice a fair bit and I pruned for the first time on my tomatoes, just the lower branches as they were touching the ground, and it triggered a substantial growth spurt in them! Also they grew a heap of flowers on them
Hi Mark love the more frequent videos and it gives me something to look forward to every night to wake up in the morning to hope to see a newly posted video on your channel. Keep the hard work up and I love the content😊😊😊. PS. I will never forget your advice, MULCH MULCH MULCH!!!
What a great idea Mark. I think a plank across two posts or on a fence might work well! And it's nice to see you looking so healthy and strong again!! That flu didn't stand a chance with all the nutrients and vitamins you grow in your garden!! Snow here in BC last night - first of the Okanagan season - so I'll live vicariously through your channel as I plan next years garden. Only pot and squash left to harvest.
perhaps adding on old bicycle wheel at the bottom of the bucket to the hanging vine has a bit more support could help reduce some of the stress on the main stem, whilst also helping the vine to spread out further! as for remembering to water, maybe just adding a simple sign at eye level as a reminder?
You have proven my designs for having raised platforms (quasi-flat kitchen step stool ladder platform). Put in 4 tall stakes, and put on a platform. Can put in cross bars for lower vegs needing growing trellises. Put these tomatoes on the platform and drop down. All of the flatlander gardening underground area of the platform can grow root vegs (carrots, beets, ...), leafy vegs (lettuce, celery. ...), bulb vegs (onions, garlic, leek), vine vegs (beans, peas, squash, melon, cucumber. armenian, bitter melon, kiwi, gooseberry, currant, (can also hang these down from platform), fruiting vegs (chili, pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, okra, ...) So a flatlander can actually have a double garden with stepped platforms throughout the grow area. And interspersing the different veg types with other veg types in this design, one can maximize their space with root vegs, shady vegs, full sunlight vegs, low vegs, high vegs, ... almost to the point ... far better than square foot gardening !
Good Morning, Mark. Well you have my wheels turning this morning! 😆😆 I have been considering all the ways to grow my tomatoes, in the greenhouse. This just might be a or the answer that I am looking for. It certainly would free up a lot of bed space. 🤔🤔
I might have to try this. I have about 4 or 5 timber post for a fence that blocks my dogs in their own area and they are well spaced apart. Thanks for this idea!
Just watched the intro and you have gotten my brain thinking, I have a long tall stone retaining wall this would work with. Can't wait to watch the rest of the video!
Hello Mark, from here in Country Vic. Send a bit of warm weather down here. My Dwarf beans are a bit slow this year. I usually get 3 crops in the one bed (one, after the other). I've got 33 GROSSE LISSE plants in & 10" tall. I am making a bed for another 50 GROSSE LISSE (cricket ball size) from seeds I saved. everyone needs 80 TOMATO PLANTS LOLOL.
I think this might be great for my mom in the tropics, where pests and the wet ground are such a problem. I basically live in the desert and this would burn to a crisp here! I bury my pots in the ground to take advantage of the ground’s insulation while still protecting the roots from rodents.
Good evening. & Greetings USA Georgia 😊 First i must say,,, ive been watching your channel for quite some time. I always learn something new and different. I will do this next spring for my tomatoes 🍅
I grew Tumbling Tom variety on hanging baskets. Worked great (in UK). Didn't trail that much though. More bush form. Padded the baskets with empty compost bag cut into shape and poked some holes in for drainage. Big yield, still picking them now.
Suggestion: Use a short length of ‘pool noodle’; slit one side down the center and then press down over the pot lip. Drill 3-4 small holes to thread zip ties through to keep it in place.
Try a container off the side of your deck or off the stairs so they hang down there. Or a pot on top of your deck railing. Also just over the side of your raised beds, or in a pot on a plank between your raised beds?
Superb ! Trying something different. Most people cannot think about 3D. A grow-wall is basically 2D but vertical. This is 3D thinking - progress with this one, it is not 'normal', which i like.
That's an excellent idea. I have a very small garden (18'x2'), and even so had a very successful go with Roma tomatoes this past year. Doing buckets on a board would give me more control, and get them out of the dirt (I tried to tie them up, but ended up with only a foot or so height). I think doing something like an A-frame, with a board on top and rebar stakes into the ground would give me the stability to not have it blow over in the Chicago winds!
Love your experiments and your enthusiasm and is infectious! Honestly not something I had ever considered. Brilliant. Do you ever have really strong winds ? Did it survive them on a post? Look forward to more,as always 🎉🎉 Thank you for sharing
I actually used the topsy turvy's when they first came out. I planted cherry tomatoes in them through the hole in the bottom - had no trouble with any fugus or mold or anything. they did great. also tried eggplant. Did ok just not very big The problem was the pots themselves are not deep enough so I started making my own and had tomatoes out the bottom and strawberries on top. Like in the picture you have to have a deep pot so the roots can expand. Just an fyi
I dont think roots in general like growing up. There partially gravity oriented but also seek water and nutrients, but due to gravity both tend to pool at the bottom of the plant anyway, meaning the roots will only ever grow shallow.
Two 55 gallon drums stacked. Two thirty gallon drums stacked inside to take up space. Filled with light soil. A simple cattle fence section cut to square on top with wood supports for a trellis. An angle grinder with a cutoff disc can make cuts in the side to hammer in for additional growing spots [think basil and cilantro].
Plant training will go a long way. If you're sticking to one container I would go oversized like a 30 gallon living soil container (if it can be supported) then build a frame from wood scrap if available and/or trellis from pvc. I would try to spread out the canopy as much as you can like those horizontal greenhouse trellis. If not just use the pvc as support/guides to move each plant away from the container before they hang down.
Great idea! I might try this with pole beans, too. I had some that grew over 10 ft/ 3m this year and left a ladder in the garden so i could reach them.
what a fantastic idea, I am so going to try this, its also a great space saver, for someone like me with limited space, I wonder if you could use a pool noodle with a split in it as protection round the outer rim of the pot,
Oh I really enjoyed this video Mark! We very recently moved from the country into town and so container style gardening will be what I must do until we can find another smaller country property to buy in the future. I rent and there are some rules about gardening I must follow, but container gardening is fine! What a easy way to grow cherry tomatoes, wow!
also "pipe insulation" or pool noodles split and put over the lip around the top of the pot, helps protect the plant as it lays across the lip of the pot.
G'day Everyone, I hope you enjoyed the video, and I wanted to give a big shout-out to all of you whom I've met out and about lately! It's always nice when someone says hello, so thanks to you all for your support, and if you see me at the local nursery or wherever don't be backward in coming forward to say G'day. Cheers :)
Love to have you at our weekly coffee group in Landsborough at the Steaming Cup Cafe - any Thursday 7am Mark. Just a small group, and we're all gardeners :) Cheers, Sean.
Do ya reckon that using a white pot or or double potting with and insulation between, or a reflective coating would stop it drying out so fast.
The black pot would be hot as and heat up the soil like anything.
@datwistyman could be! I also don't love how badly folded the stems get, and how much strain there is near the base of the plant. This might be a good method for cherry / other small varieties of tomato, but likely not beefsteak or heirloom.
I'd probably just try to maximize value for time in staking the plants the traditional way, with posts & twine. Do a row or a circle of several (4+) plants all using the same support system.
And here I thought, you meant the politicians.
I wish! But unless you are shopping in North Carolina in the USA....not going to happen. But it would be awesome.👍Love your videos.
I always grow my tomatoes that way, it works really good and they are secured from the slugs. I grow three plants per pot. Greetings from Sweden.
I'd love to see your take on this. Is it similar to Mark's or slightly adjusted?
If willing, do you think you could share this on Mark's forum Self Sufficient Culture?
www.selfsufficientculture.com/
How do you raise the pots? Do you just hang them?
I grow two plants per pot but now I’m going to try three 👍also I hang my pots just like hanging flower baskets 👍
If you're worried about the edges being too sharp? As far as being not curled enough. I would recommend using a pool noodle to cushion the stems of the plant.😊
Foam pipe insulation would work as well. It would be slimmer than the pool noodle and it already had a slit in place to fit over the edge of the pot. Great idea!
I was just thinking that as I was watching!
Can I just say , as an amateur veg gardener, I absolutely love your channel, thank you so much for for simple, hands on , super informative videos , plus your in Oz as am I. Great videos !!!!!!! A big thank you
Beautiful tomatoes! I accidentally grew a cucumber plant in with hanging petunias in a hanging basket and they both grew like crazy! Typically, I lose cukes to the groundhogs, but they couldn't get the ones growing in the hanging pot!
Curious if you had less issues with powdery mildew and such doing it that way?
Oooohhh, nifty! We hve groundhogs, I'll have to try this :D
No diseases, no insects!@@bethb8276
You could run a length of pipe insulation around the rim of the pot to protect the plant from the edge.
That’s what I was thinking. Or a pool noodle cut along the length.
I'm glad he highlighted it.
I was thinking the same …. A pool noddle it is.👍
I was thinking maybe some old towelling rolled up around the edge in a circle.
I've grown Maskotka trailing tomatoes in Ireland for a few years using a similar method. I find a short section of pipe insulation placed over the edge of the pot where the stems flop over works brilliant
To cure a thin or rough pot edge, I take a length of old garden hose, carefully slit it thru one side and pinch it around the pot edge. Makes a fat, round edge and it's cheap. Cheers!
Like this idea a lot. Well recycled.
Thanks! I have SO many old hoses that I’ve run over with the mower!
Awesome idea! Thank you!
Suggested improvement; Water retention tray under the pot before securing it to the post will help keep the soil damp and reduce the need to water as frequently. You would need to put more effort into ensuring the pot is closer to level though.
I’ve grown tomatoes this way for years and it works wonderfully. The natural tomatoe plant in the wild is a vine which creeps along the ground, upright/supported plant growing is a human thing. I also find that once the plants fruit, extra phosphorus makes far better tomatoes and a little extra calcium prevents blossom end rot. Excellent as always Mark 👍🇦🇺🇬🇧
Hi...... MARK nice to see you that a good idea to growing vegetables tomato thanks you bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋👍👍👍👌👌👌
You have a very calming essence and sense of humour. Thank you for what you do.
Always on the hunt for smarter more efficient ways. Thanks Mark. Wonderful watch as always.
Thank you for sharing this! I am partially paralyzed, and also have very little space for gardening. After the initial setup, this looks like a great way for me to grow tomatoes!
Great idea, great tips! Wish I was picking cherry tomatoes right now. But I'm here in the US, winter's coming. It was in the 30's F last night (1.4 C). This is one of the ways I'll get through winter. Watching you, Mark, do amazing things in your garden! Have a great day!
This video came at the perfect time Mark. I have about 100 10 litre containers from my daughters work place and I’ve been soldering holes in the edge and hanging them off my colourbond fence here in South Australia …I have many volunteers from last year and my two earliest ones are covered in fruit already. I lost one branch but it broke while repotting so I’m not blaming it on growing downwards . I’m trying cucumbers and zucchini as well to hang down.
Last year I watched too many TH-cam videos and cut off all my suckers and had so much less fruit so this summer im going to embrace wild growing more and see how it goes 😊
Heya! Yes, cutting off the suckers is often recommended as it'll produce larger fruit since the plant focuses on them instead. But it does significantly lower the yield, which a lot of us don't really like. If you have more questions, you can always pop by Mark's forum and we'd love to help you out. It's called Self Sufficient Culture and it can be found in the description box (or if you trust me, click the link below).
www.selfsufficientculture.com/
I like to cut off the first sucker and plant it in a pot of potting soil as essentially the 'second bunch' of plants. Means I only have to grow half as many from seed.
OMG that is the coolest idea! I've had problems with my soil being dry and I've done most of the suggestions you've had for growing tomatoes and I still have issues. I'm going to give this a go with some new seedlings I've just grown. Very keen to give this a good go. Thanks Mark! 👊
Heya! I'm one of Mark's moderators. If you want some more help regarding this, and/or wish to share progress, Mark has a forum of like-minded people that all help eachother out. I'd love to see you there and hopefully help you out a bit!
www.selfsufficientculture.com/
I've had similar issues. My biggest helpers have been tan containers vs black (mainly grow bags here), bigger grow bags (5 gallons and up, even if the plant doesn't need that much space), tons of mulch both on top of the soil but around the container (not possible for hanging baskets but I'd definitely use a lighter colored one through the summer), and put the irrigation system on a timer.
Good luck!
Before the pot is filled, I would slit open one side of a pool noodle or piece of old garden hose and snap it around on the top rim of the pot to better cushion the tomato branches.
I love this! I will try it this year.
6:08 Imagine opening your eyes in the morning and this is what you see
Hanging baskets come with their own snap on tray in the bottom which save run off water. A DIY idea is to use two 2-gallon plastic buckets to make a self wicking bucket system. Double stack them and dill holes in the bottom of the top bucket, so the space between the two buckets become a water reservoir. You should adjust this spacing to get the desired size of reservoir you want, and use machine screws to hold the two buckets together. Also need one big hole drilled just below the top bucket so excess water in the reservoir can spill out.
Currant-sized tomato variety are good for hanging baskets as they have a more sprawled out growth habit.
I also grow my tomatoes this way, hanging off of my balcony. I have 4 plants per pot, they do snap a little when they go over the edge as you have shown but the plant can heal it very well (none of mine died and I have about 20 plants). My experience was - the plants are very healthy, they have tons of fruit and very easy to care for.
hello for the tomato pot cut pool noodle for the top of the pot lip glue wont hold foam but could possibly sit on if it was slit screws with massive washers work well
I love the idea of growing something from the ground up while you grow the tomatoes from the container down.
That’s perfect timing! I’ve just planted tomatoes (and climbing beans) at the top of a 4 foot high retaining wall, intending to let them ‘fall’ down the wall so they are easier to harvest from below, rather than bending down from the path on the top side of the retaining wall. I’m in brizzy too (Logan) but on a steep slope. I’ve been coveting your tall birdies beds for years but can’t justify the cost of replacing the ones I have now. Yet. Thanks again for letting me know I’m not the only one with totally crazy ideas 😵💫😵💫😵💫
I think that would be the ideal height as it’s fully accessible.
Taking raised gardens to new heights
I am growing mine in a hanging pot......its only hubby and I so happy with results ♥♥
I think hanging between the legs of a tripod with beans climbing up the legs of the tripod. But the whole hanging tomatoes idea is great. I also like your trellis tunnel too.
Thanks, Mark! I'm trying your technique as soon as the snow melts!
Just started my first growing season this year after watching your videos, I got lots of seedlings sprouted and just started re potting and I’m preying for some nice tomatoes like you always get.
You could cut up a pool noodle and place that over the edge of the pot for a softer edge where the tomato vine drapes over.
I do self-watering GroBuckets and a raised bench sounds like the solution for me. Also sounds like a great place to put my potatoes underneath! I grew them between the tomatoes and the buckets in grow bags this year.
Thanks for the short but plump video, full of juicy tidbits about growing tomatoes high. Definitely something I want to try though need to figure out a low-impact way to elevate the tomatoes, as I’m renting at the moment. Like the idea of placing another vegetable underneath to catch the runoff.
I would use a pool noodle around the lid to allow more surface area for the vines to lean on!! I am definitely trying this next season 👍
No idea if it will work but maybe you can add a "Pipe Insulation Tubing" (that grey stuff) on the edge of the bucket. This will make it softer and maybe easier for the plants when hanging on/over it.
It was great hanging out with you this morning 😊
Interesting idea! Beautiful tomatoes 🍅
Always looking for better and easier gardening hacks. Thanks Mark for all your research and comprehensive reviews. Getting excited that my "prong" will be arriving soon. TX heat killed so many plants in my yard this year so it will be good timing for a proper workout. Thanks for your role in making that happen.
A great idea! I think I’ll try this for the coming season. Last season I just couldn’t keep up with all the staking and tying, and it all became a bit of a mess. One for my note book!
I'm in bulgaria. ( I'm Scottish)
I'm definitely going to give this method a go. Thanks for your videos.
Well done you for always trying to improve. I am impressed. Be blessed all here with abundant harvests.🙏🙏🙏🙏
It's about 0 where I'm watching from, not looking forward to winter here. Love your content.
Thank you so much for this video!! I’m just about to start growing food on my new property, and this was so useful and we’re going to give this a shot!
Sending you positive vibes, thank you for spreading the growing knowledge!!
You are onto something friend. You have given me some ideas.
At times your expressions scare me! YOur ideas always inspire me. EAch video makes me smile! Have a Great day mate!
Stunning and beautiful tomato's.
Love how you’re always trying nice things ❤
I can't wait to give Tomatoes a go come this Spring. We are currently in Fall approaching Winter much later.
I'm about to plant my first tomato in a hanging basket so here's hoping I get a great yield as you did! Only have a small porch to play with otherwise would have followed your lead for sure!
maybe adding a pool noodle to rim would help, especially if it is a sharp end.
thinking on this also maybe a shelf stack with "steps" on the north side for stability and able to reach top.
I love what you've done here Mark, with a few small improvements, is definitely something I'd love to try, so Thank You!
Looks like an interesting idea, I might give it a go this summer down in vic 👍
Hey Mark love ya vids, been watching for a few years now
Mate just wanted to tell ya that I take your advice a fair bit and I pruned for the first time on my tomatoes, just the lower branches as they were touching the ground, and it triggered a substantial growth spurt in them! Also they grew a heap of flowers on them
Hi Mark love the more frequent videos and it gives me something to look forward to every night to wake up in the morning to hope to see a newly posted video on your channel. Keep the hard work up and I love the content😊😊😊. PS. I will never forget your advice, MULCH MULCH MULCH!!!
What a great idea Mark. I think a plank across two posts or on a fence might work well! And it's nice to see you looking so healthy and strong again!! That flu didn't stand a chance with all the nutrients and vitamins you grow in your garden!! Snow here in BC last night - first of the Okanagan season - so I'll live vicariously through your channel as I plan next years garden. Only pot and squash left to harvest.
perhaps adding on old bicycle wheel at the bottom of the bucket to the hanging vine has a bit more support could help reduce some of the stress on the main stem, whilst also helping the vine to spread out further! as for remembering to water, maybe just adding a simple sign at eye level as a reminder?
You have proven my designs for having raised platforms (quasi-flat kitchen step stool ladder platform). Put in 4 tall stakes, and put on a platform. Can put in cross bars for lower vegs needing growing trellises. Put these tomatoes on the platform and drop down.
All of the flatlander gardening underground area of the platform can grow root vegs (carrots, beets, ...), leafy vegs (lettuce, celery.
...), bulb vegs (onions, garlic, leek), vine vegs (beans, peas, squash, melon, cucumber. armenian, bitter melon, kiwi, gooseberry, currant, (can also hang these down from platform), fruiting vegs (chili, pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, okra, ...)
So a flatlander can actually have a double garden with stepped platforms throughout the grow area. And interspersing the different veg types with other veg types in this design, one can maximize their space with root vegs, shady vegs, full sunlight vegs, low vegs, high vegs, ... almost to the point ... far better than square foot gardening !
Good Morning, Mark. Well you have my wheels turning this morning! 😆😆 I have been considering all the ways to grow my tomatoes, in the greenhouse. This just might be a or the answer that I am looking for. It certainly would free up a lot of bed space. 🤔🤔
Thanks Mark. Great ideas as always. Love your videos. Every time I think about giving up you give me new inspiration.
Very cool!
Thanks for trying it and letting us know!
thanks mark, food for thought. if I grow tomatoes next year, I'll try something similar and let you know. thanks
I've used a pool noodle around the top of the pot to round out the sharp edge to stop the plant from breaking.
I might have to try this. I have about 4 or 5 timber post for a fence that blocks my dogs in their own area and they are well spaced apart. Thanks for this idea!
Just watched the intro and you have gotten my brain thinking, I have a long tall stone retaining wall this would work with. Can't wait to watch the rest of the video!
Hello Mark, from here in Country Vic. Send a bit of warm weather down here. My Dwarf beans are a bit slow this year. I usually get 3 crops in the one bed (one, after the other). I've got 33 GROSSE LISSE plants in & 10" tall. I am making a bed for another 50 GROSSE LISSE (cricket ball size) from seeds I saved. everyone needs 80 TOMATO PLANTS LOLOL.
What a great idea! I want to try that. I reckon half a round pool Noodle would help preventing any breakage on the edge.
Will def try this method next year ! Greetings from Portugal
I think this might be great for my mom in the tropics, where pests and the wet ground are such a problem. I basically live in the desert and this would burn to a crisp here! I bury my pots in the ground to take advantage of the ground’s insulation while still protecting the roots from rodents.
Good evening. & Greetings USA Georgia 😊 First i must say,,, ive been watching your channel for quite some time. I always learn something new and different. I will do this next spring for my tomatoes 🍅
So simple yet still never thought about doing this, thanks
I grew Tumbling Tom variety on hanging baskets. Worked great (in UK). Didn't trail that much though. More bush form. Padded the baskets with empty compost bag cut into shape and poked some holes in for drainage. Big yield, still picking them now.
That's been done for a long time Mark. Cheers mate 😊
Suggestion: Use a short length of ‘pool noodle’; slit one side down the center and then press down over the pot lip. Drill 3-4 small holes to thread zip ties through to keep it in place.
Good idea. I have tons of plants and wondering what to do with them.
I’ll use the fence posts and see how they come out.
Try a container off the side of your deck or off the stairs so they hang down there. Or a pot on top of your deck railing. Also just over the side of your raised beds, or in a pot on a plank between your raised beds?
…and perhaps suited to hanging baskets, too?
edit…but I like the idea of the balcony railing…or from the top step :-)
Looks cool..I will give it a try on 2024
So excited for next spring to try this here in SC, USA. Love your videos!
Those tomatoes 🍅 look awesome. Perfect size
Superb ! Trying something different.
Most people cannot think about 3D. A grow-wall is basically 2D but vertical.
This is 3D thinking - progress with this one, it is not 'normal', which i like.
i think ill give that one a shot this next growing season!
What a great idea! Thank you for sharing.
Nicely modified upsidown method. I will be trying the drape over method next year!
Yep I grew tomatoes this way and got a ULTIMATE HARVEST
That's an excellent idea. I have a very small garden (18'x2'), and even so had a very successful go with Roma tomatoes this past year. Doing buckets on a board would give me more control, and get them out of the dirt (I tried to tie them up, but ended up with only a foot or so height). I think doing something like an A-frame, with a board on top and rebar stakes into the ground would give me the stability to not have it blow over in the Chicago winds!
Great idea. I might try it from my kids swing set.
You could take a piece of black foam pipe insulation and attach it around the rim of the pot to help give the stems more cushion.
Love the idea, Mark! Will definitely try this next season! Thanks!
I am going to try this one out, I just picked up some wild tomato, so I am ready 😎👍
Here in UK I buy hanging bags for growing tomatoes, nice and simple and keeps most of the little creatures out of them 🙂
Love your experiments and your enthusiasm and is infectious!
Honestly not something I had ever considered.
Brilliant.
Do you ever have really strong winds ? Did it survive them on a post?
Look forward to more,as always 🎉🎉 Thank you for sharing
I too was wondering about strong winds breaking the plants.
I actually used the topsy turvy's when they first came out. I planted cherry tomatoes in them through the hole in the bottom - had no trouble with any fugus or mold or anything. they did great. also tried eggplant. Did ok just not very big The problem was the pots themselves are not deep enough so I started making my own and had tomatoes out the bottom and strawberries on top. Like in the picture you have to have a deep pot so the roots can expand. Just an fyi
I dont think roots in general like growing up. There partially gravity oriented but also seek water and nutrients, but due to gravity both tend to pool at the bottom of the plant anyway, meaning the roots will only ever grow shallow.
Am SO going to try this next year here in NC!!
Great idea Mark, I’m going to give it a crack this weekend. Thx again
Two 55 gallon drums stacked. Two thirty gallon drums stacked inside to take up space. Filled with light soil. A simple cattle fence section cut to square on top with wood supports for a trellis. An angle grinder with a cutoff disc can make cuts in the side to hammer in for additional growing spots [think basil and cilantro].
Always interesting. Thanks, Mark.
Plant training will go a long way. If you're sticking to one container I would go oversized like a 30 gallon living soil container (if it can be supported) then build a frame from wood scrap if available and/or trellis from pvc. I would try to spread out the canopy as much as you can like those horizontal greenhouse trellis. If not just use the pvc as support/guides to move each plant away from the container before they hang down.
Great idea! I might try this with pole beans, too. I had some that grew over 10 ft/ 3m this year and left a ladder in the garden so i could reach them.
Cheers for your insights, love your work
what a fantastic idea, I am so going to try this, its also a great space saver, for someone like me with limited space, I wonder if you could use a pool noodle with a split in it as protection round the outer rim of the pot,
I've done the same thing with the hanging pot for the sharp edge I put a pool noodle around the top
Oh I really enjoyed this video Mark! We very recently moved from the country into town and so container style gardening will be what I must do until we can find another smaller country property to buy in the future. I rent and there are some rules about gardening I must follow, but container gardening is fine! What a easy way to grow cherry tomatoes, wow!
also "pipe insulation" or pool noodles split and put over the lip around the top of the pot, helps protect the plant as it lays across the lip of the pot.
I love your channel!! You have inspired me. I've planted a few veggies 🎉🎉fingers and toes crossed that it successful😊.