upside down milk jug tomato planter

[around]

Hey -
thanks to a tip from avari20 on this thread

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=238860.msg2639998#msg2639998

i made this tomato planter from a milk jug
well, that's two milk jugs



i had to take some photos to explain to friends what i had done, so i figured i'd put them up here too

first, you cut the bottom off a clean milk jug
and take two (about 6 feet each) lengths of rope
and tie them together twice, just around the center of each rope


then tie each side together


then put your jug upside down in the center hole
and tie the ropes on each side together again



another view



this is where you need to balance your jug in your lap
or i did mine on the edge of a table
and put the tomato plant down through the jug spout
and fill it about 2/3 with dirt

then tie it up to a post, water it
and watch the tomatoes grow!!

happy planting

[Motherfungus]

This is such a simple but fabulous idea.  I'm going to have to try it.

[craftydeb]

Very creative! 

[around]

the nice-to-grow-you planter looks better, i think--
 i wish i had looked that up before i made this one
(although, then i would have had to come up with another project for all my milk jugs)
 

[juliusmunki]

Ooooh... I have always wondered what to do with those plastic jugs that seem to add up exponentially... hmmm... maybe i could do strawberries??  or impatiens???

Thanks for such a great idea and tute!!

[iloveoctopus]

i saw a commercial for something like this the other day! i thought it was a rip off cause there had to be a way to make the same thing for alot less. and i was right cuase you did it! awesome!

[kianee]

Will you have to prune and cut back the leaves and stems in order for the plant to continue growing downwards? Or will you allow them to grow up? Keep us posted about the project, I'd like to hear how this continues

[around]

my plants don't have any tomatoes yet (but they just got planted last week - it's still been cold some days here in Kentucky)
but from the looks of the topsy turvy tomato planter photos, i shouldn't have to to any additional pruning for the tomatoes to just grow naturally
--although it was one of my uncle's tomato secrets to pull off all but 3 or 4 leaves when the tomatoes start growing - it's supposed to help increase air flow and let the plant direct more energy to the fruit
but i'll definitely update when the real fun starts!!

[around]

just an update - the lower hanging (slightly crookedy) milk jug fell down during a storm on Sunday and the stem is bent (but not broken) - but they aren't really growing that much. the two i have planted near the hanger aren't doing that great either -- i think i'm going to move them out to more sun when i make a new garden later this week (just waiting to rent a tiller!!) it was just supposed to be wildflowers while i'm waiting on my peony roots to grow up, but every garden could use a couple of tomatoes, right???