When I think about spring, I start getting really excited about planting my garden. My mouth starts watering at the idea of fresh picked tomatoes, juicy ears of corn and all of the jalapenos I'm going to be canning. Sadly, though, I live in an area that has a very short growing season. It really isn't safe to even start thinking about planting my garden until AFTER Mother's Day. That means no homegrown tomatoes until August, and that just isn't acceptable.
I found a solution! Have you seen the Topsy Turvy Upside-Down Tomato Planters? That seemed like a great idea to me, but holy moly those things are ugly, and they are expensive. I decided to make my own. I pulled an old hanging basket out of the shed, one that still had a coco liner in it. I emptied the old yucky plant remains and slit a hole at the very bottom. The slit I made was about an inch long. I then fed the leaves and stem of my tomato plant through that hole leaving the soil and roots on the inside of the basket. I filled around it with garden soil. Then I planted a basil plant on the top and filled around that with soil. Now my Tomato bush won't take up a large amount of room in my garden, it looks pretty, and best of all I can bring it inside in the evening to avoid the frosty nights that still lie ahead. A hanging tomato would also be a great solution for someone who lives in an apartment or simply doesn't have space for a garden.
Last year I followed the same process and my tomatoes were beautiful, but I didn't think about it in regard to getting a jump start on the growing season. Having a tomato plant hanging this way, you must be aware of the water and keep the soil moistened frequently.
Now all I have to do is water, wait and dream of the Caprese Salads I will enjoy with all of those tomatoes and basil!
Make sure to grab the button to let everyone know about the Spring Extravaganza!
