Fill the rest of the bucket with soil and use screening to hold the plant securely in place.

Another important consideration is the variety of tomato plants you grow upside-down.

All of the materials for this project are widely available.

White upside-down tomato planter painted with flowers with hanging tomato plant

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

Potting soil and fertilizer are available at home improvement centers or garden stores, as are the tomato plants.

It doesnt have to be neat or exact.

Some buckets may have a molded circle on the bottom that you might use as a guide for cutting.

Materials and tools to make an upside-down tomato planter

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

Also, measure the circumference of the bucket by wrapping the tape measure around the outside.

This adds a decorative touch and helps secure the cloth along the edges.

For added durability, secure the ribbon with small pieces of double-sided tape along its length.

Bottom of white bucket cut with utility knife for drainage holes

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

The screen helps to keep the plant and soil in the bucket while letting water drain out.

It helps to fold the screen in half to make the first cut.

Place the screen into the bottom of the bucket so it lies flat.

White bucket measured from lip to bottom of bucket

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

If the plant is root-bound, separate the roots or lightly slice them with a knife.

Take off any excess soil and remove the bottom few leaves.

Plant the Tomato

Fill the bucket with potting soil.

White bucket wrapped with white and floral tablecloth material

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

If the soil doesnt already have fertilizer mixed in, add some now, as directed.

The amount of soil you need depends on how you want to start the new plant.

The advantage of this is that the container wont shade the tomato plant when the sun is overhead.

White and floral table cloth wrapped around bucket with twine

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

Right-side-up method: Fill the bucket to the top with potting soil.

Put the lid on securely and turn the bucket over (so the hole is on top).

Upside-down method: Fill the bucket with potting soil up to 3 to 5 inches from the top.

Bottom interior of white bucket covered with mesh screening over hole

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

Put the lid onto the bucket, then tip the bucket onto its side.

Pull down the flaps of screening so they lie flat on the soil.

Remove the cover on the bucket so that the soil can receive rainfall or irrigation water.

Tomato seedling plant prepared by separating roots

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

Immediately water the bucket until water begins to drain through the bottom hole.

Tips for Growing Upside-Down Tomatoes

Tomato seedling inserted into bottom hole of bucket for planting

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

White upside-down tomato planter hanging from handle

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala