If you were thinking of starting a garden this year but didn’t get around to it, take heart. You can still buy transplants at Oryana, (although they will run out soon) and probably at other stores as well. And if it seems like you don’t have the time or inclination to take shovel in hand and start the backbreaking job of tilling the land, take heart again. Why not give a different kind of gardening a try, growing vegetables upside down!

As a recent New York Times article stated, “Growing crops that dangle upside down from homemade or commercially available planters is growing more popular, and its adherents swear they’ll never come back down to earth.” All you do is fill a container, such as a five gallon bucket, with soil, cut a hole in the bottom (maybe cut the hole first!) and plant your seed or transplant through the hole. Then find a sunny spot where you can hang the pot and have easy access to water, and voila…instant garden that isn’t susceptible to the same pests as plants grown on the ground.

The NYT article further states that “The advantages of upside-down gardening are many: it saves space; there is no need for stakes or cages; it foils pests and fungus; there are fewer, if any, weeds; there is efficient delivery of water and nutrients thanks to gravity; and it allows for greater air circulation and sunlight exposure.” One downside is you may have to water more frequently, and you can only plant certain veggies upside down. But what an intriguing idea! This would be a great way to grow cherry or roma tomatoes, bell and hot peppers. Maybe zucchini? Only if you harvested them when they are small though. I’d love to hear about your experiences with this. Feel free to leave a comment about your upside down garden.