It's a Topsy Turvy World

The crazy train is leaving the station and, fortunately, my sweet Hubby just shakes his head and climbs on board. You know how you'll hear or see something on the edge of your consciousness and you kind of file it away for later ... but then you realize you didn't get the whole thing?

I sort of caught an infomercial recently for growing tomatoes upside down so they're hanging instead of planted in the ground. I thought this was a great idea because our Yorkie, Louie, has made it his mission on earth to destroy plants. I do a little container gardening (very little) in the back yard. I've had a little luck (very little) with flowers and aloe vera and cherry tomatoes and grew some amazing pumpkin leaves - no pumpkins, just leaves. And, bless his pointy little head, Louie helps me out by yanking these plants out by the roots and bringing them in the house through the doggie door, leaving a trail of dirt.

Once, after a storm, we had a 10-foot long palm frond on the ground and when we got home from work, Louie had single-doggedly pulled the entire thing into the house through the 7"x10" opening in the doggie door. He's big for a Yorkie, but he's still only 13 pounds - now that is dogged determination! I'm sure when Louie does things like this, Miles (who is the nervous Nellie of the two) just frets and paces and waits for the fertilizer to hit the fan.

Part 2 of edge of consciousness ... I was going to the grocery store last week and right in the doorway they had a display for the upside down tomato plants - for only $9.99. I thought, hmmmmmm, but was in a hurry so I didn't get one just then. After I got home, I wrote it on the grocery list -- then Hubby went grocery shopping and picked up the Topsy Turvy Upside Down Tomato Plant package.

Except, duh, it's just the Upside Down Tomato Planter ...

It does not include the actual tomato plant, potting soil or fertilizer. So now my little $10 project has turned into a $30 project. How many tomatoes can you buy for $30? Look at that picture again and you will notice Louie laying on the love seat just to the right of the box. I'm sure he's thinking I just loves me some tomato plant!

As mentioned, Hubby was on board with this little gardening project and, since he needed to run to Home Depot Sunday, he picked up a seedling Roma tomato plant (my favorites), a huge bag of potting soil and some fertilizer for vegetables. So far, you will note, I've done absolutely nothing but write it on the list.

So on Monday, I asked him if he wanted to help me pot this thing. He gave me a looooooong look and asked why he would want to do that since he'd already done everything else! Fortunately, he was just kidding and ended up being more than helpful because you need more than two hands to wrangle that plant into the upside down planter and connect it into the placeholder sponge, and it gets pretty darn heavy as the dirt is going in. And he climbed the ladder and hung it for me. What a guy!!!

I have a notoriously non-green thumb and always either over- or under-water. The information sheet reads - and I quote - "You cannot over water the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter." Hubby said to tell you that, even with my black thumb, half an hour after we potted it, our 9" seedling was still alive -- ha ha! I'll keep you posted ... Happy Earth Day!