Today's guest post is brought to you by Amida who writes at the
wonderful blog, Journey Into Unschooling. Here she shows you a
great way to re-use plastic soda bottles or juice cartons to create
an upside-down tomato planter!
I've always been fascinated with growing tomatoes
upside-down, but, $19.99 (which was what my local
garden supply store was selling it for) seemed a bit steep
to pay for what essentially is a bag you fill with dirt!
So I decided to make our own using some very
basic materials we had around the house.
Here's what you'll need:
2-liter bottle or
juice carton
Garbage bag
Duct tape
Tomato plant
Utility knife
Paper towel
Cotton balls
Twine
Garbage bag
Duct tape
Tomato plant
Utility knife
Paper towel
Cotton balls
Twine
1. Using the knife, carefully cut
off the bottom
of your bottle or carton.
of your bottle or carton.
2. Roll up a garbage
bag around your arm and
insert into the bottle. Once inside, loosen the bag
and try to spread it evenly within the bottle. The
reason I used the black bag was to keep the roots
covered and hopefully warm in the sun.
insert into the bottle. Once inside, loosen the bag
and try to spread it evenly within the bottle. The
reason I used the black bag was to keep the roots
covered and hopefully warm in the sun.
3. Fold the top edge of the bag over the
bottle and secure with duct tape.
bottle and secure with duct tape.
4. Wrap a tomato plant with paper towel and
carefully insert into the bottle and out through the
spout. The towel will help keep the soil together.
carefully insert into the bottle and out through the
spout. The towel will help keep the soil together.
5. Fill the rest of the bottle with soil.
6. Wrap some
twine or string at the mouth of
the bottle, stretching along the length of
the body, and tape in place.
the bottle, stretching along the length of
the body, and tape in place.
7. Stuff some cotton balls
through the bottom
opening to help keep water in.
opening to help keep water in.
8. Hang in a sunny spot and water thoroughly.
Our
plants have been growing strong for at least
three weeks now and appear to be doing well. Within
the first week, the plant flipped around and started
growing upwards.
three weeks now and appear to be doing well. Within
the first week, the plant flipped around and started
growing upwards.
Another advantage I've noticed is
that there that
are no bugs on the plants! Perhaps in this way, they
will survive a little longer than our usual crop and
maybe even provide us with some juicy
tomatoes this summer.
are no bugs on the plants! Perhaps in this way, they
will survive a little longer than our usual crop and
maybe even provide us with some juicy
tomatoes this summer.
Amida is a homeschooling mom of three and crafter at
heart who loves to make something out of nothing. She has
tried growing tomatoes every spring but never upside-down.
Visit her blog at Journey Into Unschooling for tons of great ideas!
heart who loves to make something out of nothing. She has
tried growing tomatoes every spring but never upside-down.
Visit her blog at Journey Into Unschooling for tons of great ideas!
