TopsyTurvy Pepper Planter??

AlexC · June 21, 2012

Was wondering if anyone else has ever or is currently using the TopsyTurvy so I could compare the results Ive had because i am thinking i could've had better result in regular containers. The first two pictures are roughly 2 weeks after transplant and the second 2 are from last Sunday. All of these were grown from seed from Burpee Sweet Pepper and Hot Pepper Mix Packets.

**nctomatoman** · June 23, 2012

I actually think that the Topsy Turvy is mostly a scam - not enough soil to keep more than one plant nourished and sufficiently watered (barely) - anything other than cherry tomatoes would break the branches - and peppers are so brittle stemmed that I imagine that once they got any size and heft they would end up on the ground. I grew a Sungold in one - got moderate results. I guess if there were one that held 10 gallons of soil - for one plant - it would be fine - a cherry tomato in 5 gallon would need water probably twice per day in the hot summer once the plant got large.

AlexC · June 24, 2012

Yeah I kinda figured that it wasn't a good method since I saw other peppers online that look much bigger and healthier than mine. I am glad I only spent $1 on each one of the Topsies I bought. Thank you for your advice...I wont be using those again next year.

Alex

feldon30 · June 24, 2012

I've actually had more success with peppers in containers than in the ground. Never tried TopsyTurvy tho.

**nctomatoman** · June 24, 2012

If you've already got them, use them for cherry tomatoes - it's really pretty cool to see them cascade down. (except our dogs eat anything within their reach - we had one that went from the deck down to the ground in a 20 foot drop - dogs learned to look there each day at the ground level!)

meadowyck · June 24, 2012

AlexC
I've never used them, but our neighbor tried them for tomatoes, and they were rather sickly looking and I think he maybe only got cherry size tomatoes off what should have been close to one pound tomatoes. So that cured me from wanting to try them. They an every day and most time twice a day water requirement.

Craig that is funny your dogs are eating your tomatoes.... when we lived in Kentucky where I had beautiful garden, I didn't have to worry about deer or squirels eating my tomatoes, it was the dogs who loved to eat them, but like the wildlife they would just eat half and leave the rest. I always knew when they had eaten some as they wouldn't greet me at the door, they would wait for me to call them over. I never got mad, I would just pick up the tomatoes and add them into their food, after a short time of this we started fencing them....LOL

ContainerTed · June 24, 2012

Hey, AlexC. Like said above, use them for some of the small super-dwarf varieties like Florida Basket, Tumbler, or Tumbling Tom. The plants remain small and droop their fruit over the sides. Keep them in partial shade and you'll help the watering task.

Crandrew · June 25, 2012

They look cool

, Im just interested about those branches snapping once some serious fruit loads up. GL

Rockporter · June 25, 2012

I used the strawberry topsy turney and had terrible results from it. Definitley didn't have enough soil for all the plants and it was only about 1/3 full. I lost most of the plants in it and replanted them into a regular planter and walla, they are looking really good now.

AlexC · June 27, 2012

Need HELP!! So i just checked on the topsyturvy peppers and they are completely overwhelming the soil bag with roots. I scratched a little at the surface and I started ripping the roots...I need to know what I should do...ex. transplant carefully to other pots(not really wanting to use this option till last) keep them in there but constantly water and add nutrients...or was thinking if i could cut the bottom of it out and plant them into a pot so the roots could try and head down into a container or ground...not sure if the roots will reach that far. Any advice will help i really like peppers and would hate to get such tiny plants after all the work to care for them.

Thank you for the advice on what to try using the other topsies for...didnt know that there was cascade style maters sounds very interesting to try.

Rockporter · June 27, 2012

Alex, transplant them as soon as you can because you will not be able to keep them wet long enough. I know because I used them for the strawberries and I lost all but three of my plants. You can use a pair of scissors to cut the holes open much wider to take the root ball out of the holes and it shouldn't be too much problem for the plants. Do it in the early AM while the plants are cooler and much less stressed.

rockhound · June 30, 2012

TT's are mostly sold as gifts, I believe. It is cute. Giving one shows you were thinking of the person. They'd be great if they lived up to the hype, but they don't. Who knows, maybe in an alternate universe all the plants grow upside down, lol.

June 23, 2012	#2
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	I actually think that the Topsy Turvy is mostly a scam - not enough soil to keep more than one plant nourished and sufficiently watered (barely) - anything other than cherry tomatoes would break the branches - and peppers are so brittle stemmed that I imagine that once they got any size and heft they would end up on the ground. I grew a Sungold in one - got moderate results. I guess if there were one that held 10 gallons of soil - for one plant - it would be fine - a cherry tomato in 5 gallon would need water probably twice per day in the hot summer once the plant got large. __________________ Craig

June 24, 2012	#4
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I've actually had more success with peppers in containers than in the ground. Never tried TopsyTurvy tho. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

June 24, 2012	#5
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	If you've already got them, use them for cherry tomatoes - it's really pretty cool to see them cascade down. (except our dogs eat anything within their reach - we had one that went from the deck down to the ground in a 20 foot drop - dogs learned to look there each day at the ground level!) __________________ Craig

June 24, 2012	#6
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	AlexC I've never used them, but our neighbor tried them for tomatoes, and they were rather sickly looking and I think he maybe only got cherry size tomatoes off what should have been close to one pound tomatoes. So that cured me from wanting to try them. They an every day and most time twice a day water requirement. Craig that is funny your dogs are eating your tomatoes.... when we lived in Kentucky where I had beautiful garden, I didn't have to worry about deer or squirels eating my tomatoes, it was the dogs who loved to eat them, but like the wildlife they would just eat half and leave the rest. I always knew when they had eaten some as they wouldn't greet me at the door, they would wait for me to call them over. I never got mad, I would just pick up the tomatoes and add them into their food, after a short time of this we started fencing them....LOL __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

June 24, 2012	#7
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Hey, AlexC. Like said above, use them for some of the small super-dwarf varieties like Florida Basket, Tumbler, or Tumbling Tom. The plants remain small and droop their fruit over the sides. Keep them in partial shade and you'll help the watering task. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

June 24, 2012	#3
AlexC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: SAn Diego,CA Posts: 9	Yeah I kinda figured that it wasn't a good method since I saw other peppers online that look much bigger and healthier than mine. I am glad I only spent $1 on each one of the Topsies I bought. Thank you for your advice...I wont be using those again next year. Alex

June 25, 2012	#8
Crandrew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: asdf Posts: 1,202	They look cool , Im just interested about those branches snapping once some serious fruit loads up. GL

June 25, 2012	#9
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	I used the strawberry topsy turney and had terrible results from it. Definitley didn't have enough soil for all the plants and it was only about 1/3 full. I lost most of the plants in it and replanted them into a regular planter and walla, they are looking really good now. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

June 27, 2012	#10
AlexC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: SAn Diego,CA Posts: 9	Need HELP!! So i just checked on the topsyturvy peppers and they are completely overwhelming the soil bag with roots. I scratched a little at the surface and I started ripping the roots...I need to know what I should do...ex. transplant carefully to other pots(not really wanting to use this option till last) keep them in there but constantly water and add nutrients...or was thinking if i could cut the bottom of it out and plant them into a pot so the roots could try and head down into a container or ground...not sure if the roots will reach that far. Any advice will help i really like peppers and would hate to get such tiny plants after all the work to care for them. Thank you for the advice on what to try using the other topsies for...didnt know that there was cascade style maters sounds very interesting to try.

June 30, 2012	#12
rockhound Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 285	TT's are mostly sold as gifts, I believe. It is cute. Giving one shows you were thinking of the person. They'd be great if they lived up to the hype, but they don't. Who knows, maybe in an alternate universe all the plants grow upside down, lol.