Day Fifty-Three. Topsy Turvy Tomatoes.

On Day Fifty-Three I put my Woot! purchase to use. I planted tomatoes in the Topsy Turvy tomato planter.

I went to Lowe’s after work to pick out some tomatoes to plant, not knowing anything about tomato plants. I chose Better Boy because the woman next to me asked one of the gardeners which was the best and it was his recommendation, and Mountain Pride because I liked the description and it said it was Heirloom. I’m not even sure I know what “heirloom tomato” means, but it’s what all the salads are made of in the fancy restaurants, so it sounded good to me.

I got home with my purchases and set about deciding where I would hang these lovely upside down tomato trees. I figured the easiest place would be in the corner of  the front porch since I could attach the hooks to the beams under the roof and it seemed like that spot would get enough sun. I mean, the heat comes streaming into the house late afternoon. But then I reconsidered. It really wasn’t all that sunny there, with the giant oak tree in our front yard obstructing the light most of the time.  On the instructions, it was made very clear that tomatoes need a lot of sunlight.

So I did what I always do when I have some sort of household question and phoned my parents. My dad told me that he had bought some six foot hooks you put in the ground for his upside down tomato plant. At Lowes. Where I had just come from. And which was a terrible trafficy mess to drive to and from. I figured I could wait until the next day and instead make the trash can compost pile I had picked up material to make for Day Fifty-Four. Except that I was missing an arbor for the drill bit. Which could be found at Lowes. Doh.

In the end, I opted to hang the plants in their original intended location and then I could make a return trip to the hardware store the next day to pick up the six foot hooks and drill part to complete my weekend activities.

I followed the instructions to a T, only breaking off one limb of one of the tomatoes. I’m sorry, Mountain Pride. And although I purchased and installed the shepherd’s hook into the ground, the weight of the plants toppled the darn thing over. So in the end (and after several trips to the hardware store), I hung them over the sunny side of the back porch. And because I am a bit behind in posting these daily blogs, I can also show you how well they have flourished.

I can’t wait to eat my heirloom tomatoes.