Vertical Horticulture Misadventure: A Narrative of Near-Disaster, Yet Surviving the Odds
Six months ago, an article in Rodale's Organic Life caught my eye, featuring verdant hanging vegetable baskets reminiscent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Inspired by the success of my container garden last year, I decided to embark on a similar project this spring and summer.
The plan was to create a easily maintainable, visually appealing, and productive hanging garden for someone like me with a limited green thumb. My mother helped me choose plants that would thrive in hanging containers, including lettuce, herbs, squash, cucumbers, and trailing beans.
After six weeks, I am delighted to report that all my plants are flourishing. However, things have not quite gone according to plan when it comes to my tomato plants. Rather than cascading down as I envisioned, they have grown perpendicular to the ground, heading towards the roof.
There's a chance that the tomatoes might eventually bend the stems down, creating a waterfall-like effect that I had initially aimed for. Yet, the current growth pattern is not the Hanging Gardens of Babylon I had imagined.
To achieve the desired horizontal growth and fill the hanging pot, it's crucial to select the right tomato variety, use a suitable container, provide support, prune regularly, train the vines, and position the hanging pot properly. Compact or dwarf varieties such as Patio or Tiny Tim would be more suited for this purpose. (Source: Enrichment Data)
As I weigh the options, I am torn between letting things be and risking the tomatoes growing towards the roof, or attempting to remedy the situation. Potting the plants sideways or re-planting them in the garden beds with strings on the porch are potential solutions. However, I am aware of the high likelihood of killing the plants in the process.
I welcome your thoughts on what I should do.
Given the challenges with the tomato plants in my hanging garden, it's clear that a lifestyle adjustment is necessary to achieve the desired home-and-garden aesthetic. To recreate the Hanging Gardens of Babylon-inspired vertical garden, it might be beneficial to consider switching to compact tomato varieties such as Patio or Tiny Tim, and learn techniques for training the vines horizontally.
