I did this with banana peppers and they are going crazy.  I used a 1 gallon can, 2 planters that look like windo boxes (I have them hanging out the bottom and on top) and a five gallon bucket!

I built one of these this year myself, they are not going as fast as the ones in the garden but its a fun little project. I have a few pictures on my blog of it.

Yes, however the plant doesn't get enough nutrients to the roots and if its upside down then the nutrients go directly to the leaves and rest of the plant.

you can't plant them like a normal hanging plant, because the stems hanging over the side would break from the heavy fruit. This small planter looks pretty but I think you need more soil for a regular tomato plant. Cherry tomatoes might be okay in there though. I made my planter yesterday using a 5 gallon bucket, because I'm hoping for a bumper crop and I planted 'patio' tomatoes.

I blogged about it http://triagefromhome.com

Simple frame- take three lenghts of anything straight, rigid and over six feet long. Fix them into a teepee shape and tie at the top. Hang pot from that. My fav is three landscape timbers tied at the top. You can take any regular pot and use string wire or clothes hangers to rig up a basket for it in a few minutes. Smiles

will let you know how my chili releno peppers work. I love this idea, esp with plants in a coconut basket coming oo the top as well. all of you creative people should be proud of yourselves!

I had the same thought about spending a lot for a planter with the sole purpose of growing a tomato plant.

I made one in 10 minutes for $1.50 and it is doing just fine. Some do care about the look, but in my case, I was more concerned about price and the fact that it would grow tomatoes. I had several people ask me about the step by step process, so i made a PDF and a video (nothing fancy)

I think the point is, if a tomotoa can grow and yield good fruit, you do not need to spend alot of money unless you care about the "look" of the pot.

Anyway, if anyone is interested...

http://gravitygarden.com/bucketgarden/?p=351

As an experiment, I took a folgers plastic coffee container, drilled 2 holes on adjacent sides near the bottom using a keyhole bit in my drill. Is then painted it black using charcoal grill hi temp paint. I then eased 2 tomato plants through the holes from the inside, then filled the container with dirt, with a shot of Miracle Grow. I replaced the top, then placed the plants on the railing of my deck, with the plants hanging over the side. In a few days, the leaves began turning upwards toward the sun. I have no idea if the amount of dirt in the container will support 2 plants, but if anyone wants to know, post your interest and I'll repost in about a month. Cheers!

thinking the reusable shopping bag (by bullseye) is one of the BEST ideas i've seen on this subject.  i think that's the style i'm going to make for my hangin' maters!!  can't wait to eat 'em!

Just wanted to say a few things about weight. These planters will weigh alot! especially if you are using containers 2 gallons or larger. They will weigh even more once watered and more still when the plant is fruiting. If you are hanging them from hooks the hooks are going to need to be very strong and anchored in something that won't come apart easily. The first planter that my Mom made pulled the wood apart under the eaves. A pvc tree frame probably won't hold more than one plant without being overly complicated and bulky.

Thanks for the coconut fiber mention. I have read about tieing tomatoes up against a vertical chickenwire tube full of soil and compost so they will root every foot or so. Perhaps you could root one plant into several fiber baskets hanging in a row. Or a longer tube of fiber hanging with a plant from the bottom tied up to the outside of it as the plant reaches up...or...

I have wanted to plant tomatos for so long. (growing up with them in my back yard) but i moved in to a 2nd floor condo and fell inlove with the idea of the topsy. not thinking that i could do it myself if found this site and seen all the ideas i then went out on a mission yesterday to pot my tomatos. needless to say i am a big DIY'er and always look for ways to make a project just a smig simpler (not trying to cut corners) but on my down the planters isle while i was getting the pot that i needed in reading this forum, i passed a coconut fiber pot then i had the idea that this pot has it all in one.

1) its already woven so i wouldnt need fabric.

2) it had it own hanger/pot holder

3) and i think it looks prettier hanging.

i bought at 14" one at walmart with the chain to hang it and all for $7. it came with its own little fixing and pot was being held by some wireing with the perfect size cirlce at the bottom to feed the tomatos thru once i cut the fiber. so far it looks good and took about 10 minutes. the watering is simple and it looks nice even on my porch. we will see how it turns out. thanks for ideas!!!

I noticed that several of the viedo's had fence's in them. What I have done in the past is grow cucumber's and pole beans along the fence. Once they start to vine out, just tie(train) them to the fence. After a short while they get the idea. It's easy pickins too. By the way, there are other idea's for hanger's out there, but this seem's the best so far as you can grow 2 or 3 for one. A real space saver.

There is no need to buy plastic buckets from home depot!  Restaurants will give them to you for free and will often have a wide variety of sizes.  

I made 6 hanging tomatos this past month and have a few ideas I used I'd like to pass along. I used 2 gallon paint buckets w/ lids from Home Depot. I've always heard 5 gal works best but so far mine are doing just fine. After doing all the planting and such I put the lids on and snapped them in place. . I drilled ten 3/8th in holes around the lid and hung them from my gutterless eves directly in the "drip zone". The holes seem to allow enough water in the plant yet prevent too much water in during a heavy rain. A light rain once or twice a week seems good enough for them to "self water". If no rain I simply spray the roof over the plants until water starts to drip thru the bottom hole. The lids seem to help retain moisture. Also used 3'8th in "eye" hooks, 2 per plant, spaced 3 1/2 inches apart. Makes for a stable, level hang. For aethstetics I painted them w/ a 4 inch roller using some solid ( as opposed to clear ) stain in my main house color I just happened to have handy. Quite by accident I found that the stain, after drying totally, wrinkles in a cool way when water hits it. Also used a "trim" color arond top area near lid that was difficult to roll stain on. Krylon Fusion Spray paint designed for plastic is what I used and is just great.   Hope this helps anyone......

The tree stand is a good idea.  I'm planning to make somethink like that but with PVC.  You can get conntectors that just screw on so easier for a non-builder - lol.  Still not sure on how to make a sturdy base for it though if any one has a suggetion.  I never though of the water line.  That is a really good idea.

On the question about peppers.  I have not tired them but have heard from others that they grown great.  Pretty much any kind of plants works from the research I have reviewed from other growers.  I would say give it a try.  The that could happen is your out a couple bucks for a plant.

I am making some of these this weekend, and I'm wondering if anyone has tried this method with any type of pepper? We love to have a variety of hot peppers to go with the maters for salsa and whatnot, and it seems like this would work for them as well. If anyone has any thoughts please let me know.

Thanks for the great site,

Will in Idaho

I have seen photos somewhere of a "tomato tree". It was just a 4"X4" post about 8' tall with a pair of crossed 4"X4"X2' arms notched together and bolted to the top like a weathervane. One bucket hung from the end of each of the 4 arms. a drip tube ran up the post and split off to each arm and ended over each bucket. The bottom of the drip tube had a standard connection for a garden hose so that it could be hooked up every couple of days. The plants seemed to "make room for each other" so that even the one on the shaded side produced as much as the others. Fourhuge plants in the same space that would normally be taken up by just one!!

Robin, that's a great idea! I was thinking I could use the pails kitty litter comes in too.

I made one out of a gallon milk jug (if opaq need to spray paint it.  I cut an opening at the bottom of the jug for adding soil and water.  I fed the plant through the spout in the top of the jug and used a piece of sponge cut to the size of the spout opening to keep the soil from falling out.  Don't forget to cut a slit in it so the sponge will fit around the steam of the plant.  I made holes to run the jute twine for hanging.  I didn't think about having one growing out of the bottom of my flowers I already have growing.  Great tip - Thanks

I haven't read anything about the bags being better. Although, you might want to check out Bullseye's comment and link below. Very clever!!!