Does it work? Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter

I've been wanting to try the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter for quite some time. It's one of those As Seen on TV products that look like it might actually work. And who doesn't love fresh home-grown tomatoes.

This weekend, we were at Home Depot and they had some of these gadgets in the garden center. Mike saw them too and asked if I wanted to get one. Of course I do!

So we picked one up and I read on the box that you have to buy a tomato plant to put in it and some potting soil. We browsed the tomato selections and ended up picking a Better Boy tomato. This is a variety that my Granddaddy grew in his garden.


When we got home, Emily and I potted up the tomato plant in the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter. It was a very windy day and, unfortunately, Emily was sitting down-wind from the planter and all the potting mix. It ended up getting all over her and in her hair. Whoops!

So you take off the planter's cap and remove the split sponge that's in the bottom of the planter. I let Emily hold our sponge and she ended up breaking it in two pieces, but it worked okay anyway. You insert the tomato plant from the bottom and then put the split sponge around the stem. Then you push the sponge down into the bottom of the planter. This is how the plant is held into place.

After the plant and sponge were firmly plugging the bottom hole, we started adding potting soil to the planter. The directions said to fill it to within two inches of the top, but ours was not quite that full.
We hung the planter on a shepherd's hook in the backyard then added water to the top of the bag. Unfortunately, it was so so windy outside and our poor tomato plant was being whipped around. I hope it survives the night.

The instruction pamphlet says to water the plant often and to fertilize it every two weeks at first and then ever 10 days and then every few days.

I'll let you know how it goes ....