Oct 5, 2008 10:12 pm US/Pacific
Buy It And Try It: The Topsy Turvy
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
It's called the Topsy Turvy, and it promises to be the easiest way to grow tomatoes. Let's see if that's true.
Jahd'n Darshan has spent the past decade helping customers at Talini's Nursery in Sacramento. He says tomatoes are one of the easiest fruits and vegetables to grow.
"I don't even know how it can get easier," he says. "I guess we'll find out."
The Topsy Turvy comes with a bag, directions and a recipe book that explains how to make spaghetti sauce, ketchup or tomato marmalade.
But first, we have to grow the tomatoes. We're going to plant sun gold tomatoes, which are Jahd'n's favorite to eat.
Following the directions, first he takes the plant out of its container, then places the supplied sponge around the base, sliding it through the hole at the bottom of the bag.
After a bit of the struggle, he hangs it up and pours in regular potting soil. About 10 minutes into the process, it's time to add a gallon of water.
"It might send it into shock," Jahd'n says. "Plants want to grow toward the sun, and I've just placed it upside down."
The infomercial claims the Topsy Turvy can grow tomatoes up to four weeks faster than conventional planting, so Jahd'n plants a second tomato plant in a pot for our test.
We give the plants more than two months to grow, and find two plants with a lot of golden tomatoes.
"It's pretty equal, the only difference is [that] one is hanging, and one is on the ground," he says.
The tomatoes even taste the same. Jahd'n says there was no weeding or bending over, but Topsy Turvey grew no faster than the potted plant.
"I'd say it doesn't stand to its claim, but it still is a great experiment," he says. "It'd still check it out."
I paid $19.99 plus shipping and handling, and I bought it at HangingTomato.com
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