So I came home a few weeks back and my mother had stopped over and left me a gift:



This thing promises to grow your tomatoes more efficiently by means of growing them upside down. My mother purchased it for me because I was explaining to her that I would like to grow tomatoes, but I've run out of space in my front yard and can only do potted plants out back and already have a grapevine and plans for a potted strawberry patch. She told me about the topsy turvy and I was fairly skeptical as it was a "as seen on tv" thing. Regardless it ended up on my table. So I figured, why not.

I got a small tomato plant and put it inside as directed and hung it in my back yard off some rope that i used to dry clothes on. It gets a lot of sun there.
 I expected it to die in a few days to a week.

Well, shit. This thins has grown 3x it's size in just about two weeks. No flowers or tomatoes yet... so the jury is still undecided. However, this thing is promising (so far!)

As a side note: My bf's family has a tomato contest in the late summer. If this thing produces good tomatoes I'm going to make some bruschetta with it. Then I'll horrify everyone by telling them I grew them at the foot of I-95, in a topsy turvy!

I've seen one of these before.  They do actually grow pretty well.

I have one of these: http://www.aerogrow.com/redesign/index.php  The herbs grew faster than I could use 'em.  Between that and a topsy turvy, you could probably make awesome fresh marinara sauce and bruschetta growing everything entirely at home.

It seems like a neat idea, but last summer I tried growing tomato plants in 5 gallon buckets and it didn't go so well. The plants themselves grew HUGE, but then only grew a couple of tomatoes. I think a container is just too resctictive for a regular tomato plant.

Still, I hope I'm wrong and you get lots of tomatoes!

Would it work for weed?

emp - I WANT ONE OF THOSE SO BADLY!

krsna - That's what Im afraid of. Then again, I did go with a small producing tomato plant with a smaller root system. Did you have a regular sized tomato plant? Maybe that's why it didnt work?

I'm also growing dwarf oranges. So far they are super cute, but very sour (which works out cause they are delicious)




Id love a dwarf lemon tree



Si - Im sure it would do wonders with weed, esp if it got the right light and you fed it and kept it watered (they dry out easily)

Are dwarf oranges different to kumquats?

Yep, they are different! Baby oranges, in orange form. Never had a kumquat. Are they sweet?

The peel is sweet, and the meat is bitter. They're delicious.

Ive got to try those. ive been having a BITCHING hard time finding passion fruit in these parts and Im DYING for it. I wonder if kumquats are readily available?

I wonder what growing them would be like?

They sell kumquats in the local Hannafords up here.  I've never tried them.  I'm not sure when they are in season though.

My parents used to grow them (kumquats), no problem.

As for passion fruit, I have a fucking MASSIVE passion fruit vine growing on my deck. In this climate, it's hard to stop the thing from taking over - we have to hack it back every couple weeks. Right now I have about 15 passion fruits sitting on my outside table, waiting for someone to bother with them. Shame I can't mail 'em to ya!

Oh god I'd kill for those right now. You have no idea how far I've drove just to find some of those... with no such luck. they are so fucking delicious

Ive got to try those. ive been having a BITCHING hard time finding passion fruit in these parts and Im DYING for it. I wonder if kumquats are readily available?

I wonder what growing them would be like?

I took care of passion fruit vine at the last job. The flowers are to die for and they go all over. They reseed like crazy! I always had people stealing the seedlings. I didn't mind though.

If you're ever down in DE let me know and I'll hook you up.

Joy, it is a FACT, I will COME to DE to get the hook up. Wanna make this happen? What can I offer in return? I dont grow anything fantastic

You want a few good starter plants? Let me talk with my friend that still works there. She can get the hook up since it's all her deal now.

The place is in South DE. Right on the beach near OC. I don't need anything in return just trying to help you out.

I'll call her tomorrow to see how many have popped up this year..

I'll call her tomorrow to see how many have popped up this year..

...and then you'll ask her about the passion fruit, right?

I miss having a garden.

My sister and her boyfriend used to have a farm way out in the sticks in Jamaica.

Just you wait until I get my shack in Shimoda. Then you'll be the one feeling envious

I can't wait to drop out of proper society and become a farmer/general malcontent.

I can't wait to drop out of proper society and become a farmer/general malcontent.

Hey man, that's my schtick...

I can totally see some sort of commune coming out of this

Let us get back to hiking before I start discussing the possibility of settling in West Virginia to stay reasonably near family instead of moving back to the Northwest.

that sounds amazing, Si! I have good soil, oddly enough. Rich black, and usually everything grows in it... except sage. I consistently kill sage

Got $15K? I know a mountain surrounded by Dalhradians looking for shareowners...

I can get $15K and wouldn't mind owning a mountain. Can I name parts of it as I see fit?

I'm a couple of years away from making any serious move, really.

Get in quick before all the good bits are renamed "Aussies are wankers trail" etc...

actually, if i sold my money maker, Id get within 1 or 2 K of 15.

a piece of mello goes for $13K these days? Oh my