The Complete Guide to Hanging Tomato Plants Upside Down to Ripen Green Tomatoes

Hanging tomato plants upside down to ripen green tomatoes is an unusual but effective gardening technique As summer winds down, many gardeners are left with green tomatoes still on the vine Rather than losing the harvest, hanging the plants upside down allows them to continue ripening.

Why Hang Tomato Plants Upside Down?

As temperatures cool in fall, tomato plants start to decline, slowing further ripening. Hanging the plants upside down to ripen has several advantages:

• Keeps the plants alive longer so they can keep ripening fruit
• Allows airflow around the tomatoes needed to prevent rot and mold
• Leverages the plant’s natural ripening hormones and processes
• Requires less effort than tracking individual green tomatoes
• Yields vine-ripened flavor weeks after pulling plants

Hanging upside down is one more strategy to get every last ripe tomato from your plants. It can be used along with ripening on windowsills or countertops.

How Hanging Upside Down Works

This unusual ripening method takes benefit of the plant’s natural ripening while it’s still alive. Here’s how to do it:

• Select only healthy, vigorous plants, not those damaged by frost or disease.
• Hang plants upside down in a sheltered spot like a garage, basement, or under an overhang.
• Use rope, hooks, or twine to securely suspend plants from rafters, beams, or hooks.
• Leave any remaining green tomatoes attached to the vines during hanging.
• Check plants periodically and pick ripe red tomatoes as they finish ripening over 2-4 weeks.

The theory is that while alive the plant still transports sugars and hormones like ethylene to the fruit, helping them ripen. Picking green tomatoes disrupts this process.

Tips for Success with Upside Down Ripening

Follow these tips to get the most ripe tomatoes from hanging plants

• Gently invert plants to avoid dislodging tomatoes.
• Choose a location protected from frost but avoid direct sun on plants.
• Allow space between plants for airflow and keep foliage for extra ripening ability.
• Check every 2-3 days for ripe tomatoes to harvest immediately.
• Gently rotate plants to prevent flattened spots on tomatoes.
• Try both determinate and indeterminate varieties – both can ripen well inverted.
• Time ripening to avoid heavy rains that can rot tomatoes.
• Be patient – full ripening can take 3-4 weeks but yields vine-ripened flavor.

Best Varieties for Hanging Upside Down

The best tomato varieties for upside down ripening include:

• Small types like grape, cherry, and patio tomatoes which aren’t too heavy.
• Determinate varieties that ripen within a defined season.
• Disease-resistant hybrids that withstand stresses while hanging.
• Early season varieties that mature fruit quickly.
• Versatile varieties that can also be eaten green like Green Zebra.

Larger beefsteak types are too heavy and prone to breaking off vines. Very late season tomatoes may not have time to fully ripen before heavy frosts.

Where to Hang Tomato Plants Upside Down

Good spots to hang inverted tomato plants include:

• Garages, basements, porches, or under eaves – somewhere sheltered.
• High tunnels, greenhouses, cold frames – protected structures that extend the season.
• Near a window or light source – avoid full sun which can overheat plants.
• Under cover of trees or overhangs – prevents rain from splitting tomatoes.
• On pulley systems – allows raising and lowering plants for harvesting.
• Near a fan or breezy spot – ensures adequate airflow around the tomatoes.

How to Prepare and Hang Tomato Plants Upside Down

Follow these steps for harvesting plants and suspending upside down:

• Choose healthy, clean plants with a good amount of green tomatoes. Avoid diseased plants.
• Water plants well 1-2 days before hanging for moisture reserves.
• Pull entire plants up by the roots and shake off excess soil. Keep root systems intact.
• Gently detach plants from trellises, cages, or stakes, keeping stems and vines intact.
• Prune off any dead, damaged, or diseased foliage which can harbor pests and disease.
• Invert and suspend plants using string, rope, wire, chains, or hooks. Hang from main stalk near the base.
• Allow 2-3 feet between plants for airflow. Tomatoes can touch but avoid crushing.
• Place trays or tarps underneath to catch fallen leaves and ripe tomatoes as they detach.

Caring for Hanging Tomato Plants

A bit of care while ripening upside down optimizes your harvest:

• Check plants every 2-3 days for ripe tomatoes to pick.
• Lightly mist green tomatoes with water to replenish moisture – avoid soaking.
• Gently rotate or shake plants to discourage flattened sides on tomatoes.
• Remove any tomatoes with splits, cracks, or other damage to avoid rotting.
• Prune away flowers or new growth which divert energy from ripening.
• Move plants to warmer spots if temperatures drop below 50 degrees F.
• When frost threatens, pick all remaining mature green tomatoes to ripen indoors.

Extending the Tomato Season

Hanging plants upside down to ripen tomatoes can stretch out the tomato season up to 8 weeks longer. Some other techniques to extend tomato harvesting into fall include:

• Covering plants with cloches, cold frames, or row covers to protect from frost.
• Pruning plants to accelerate ripening of existing tomatoes.
• Picking mature green tomatoes before frost and ripening indoors.
• Pulling whole plants before frost and replanting them in containers to hang or overwinter.
• Pruning away new growth and flowers to divert energy to ripening fruit.

Tips for Harvesting Upside Down Tomatoes

Follow these tips when harvesting ripe tomatoes from inverted hanging plants:

• Check plants frequently – ripe tomatoes detach easily when ready.
• Gently twist tomatoes to separate from vines rather than yanking.
• Pick tomatoes at their peak ripeness when fully colored but still firm.
• Bring along scissors or pruners to snip stems of high tomatoes.
• Handle ripe tomatoes carefully to avoid bruising or splitting.
• Set harvested tomatoes out of direct sun to avoid overheating them.
• Use ripe tomatoes quickly for peak flavor and quality.

Storing Your Upside Down Tomato Bounty

To enjoy the upside down tomato harvest longer, use these storage tips:

• Keep freshly picked tomatoes at room temperature on the counter to finish ripening.
• Once ripe, store tomatoes in the refrigerator in a breathable bag or container.
• For cooked dishes, remove skins and seeds and freeze tomato flesh in ziplock bags.
• Process fully ripe tomatoes into salsa, pasta sauce, soup, or stew and freeze in airtight containers.
• Can or pickle green tomatoes just before the first frost to preserve for months.
• Dehydrate sliced ripe tomatoes in a food dehydrator and then store in jars or vacuum seal bags.

Enjoy an Extended Tomato Harvest

Don’t cut your tomato harvest short! Use the unconventional approach of hanging tomato plants upside down and be rewarded with vine-ripened tomatoes for weeks past the normal season. Follow the tips above to successfully ripen green tomatoes well into fall. Explore all the delicious ways to use your upside down tomato bounty!

Yes, hanging tomato plants, particularly cherry tomatoes or other small-fruited varieties, can be successful, especially in limited spaces. Upside-down planters offer several advantages, like reducing the risk of soilborne pests and diseases and freeing up ground space.