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THE NEW TANNERTHURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010 9Upside down gardening saves space and foils pestsUpside-down gardening, primarily and blight are less likely to damage trast, have more fl exible, sprawling of leggy crops like tomatoes, cucum-crops suspended in the air, they are stems that produce fruit throughout bers and peppers, is more common unsure whether growing them upside the season and are less likely to be partly because of the various types of down rather than right-side up will harmed by gravity. upside down planters on the market. yield better results. In addition to plastic soda bottles, The advantages of upside-down Judging from gardening blogs and milk jugs and five-gallon buckets, gardening are many: it saves space; Web sites, those fooling around with upside-down planters can be made theres no need for stakes or cages; upside-down gardening are gener-out of thick heavy-duty plastic trash it foils pests and fungus; there are ally enthusiastic, particularly if they bags, plastic reusable shopping totes, fewer, if any, weeds; there is effi cient have planted smaller varieties of to-kitty litter containers, laundry ham-delivery of water and nutrients thanks matoes. pers and even used tires. Web sites to gravity; and it allows for greater air Tomato varieties are labelled as like instructables.com and Upside-circulation and sunlight exposure. either indeterminate or determinate, DownTomatoPlant.com show how it While there are skeptics, propon-and horticulture experts recommend can be done. Variations include build-ents say the proof is in the produce. choosing indeterminate ones for ing a water reservoir either at the top Tomato and jalapeeedlings upside-down gardens. Determinate or bottom of planters for irrigation, sprout from upside-down planters tomato plants are stubbier, with some-cutting several openings in the bot-fashioned out of milk jugs and soda what rigid stalks that issue all their tom and sides for planting several bottles that hang from fences.fruit at once, which could weigh down seedlings and lining the interior with While horticulturists, agronomists and break the stems if hanging upside landscape fabric or coconut fi bre to and plant scientists agree that pests down. Indeterminate types, by con-help retain moisture. ACTON HOME HARDWARE invites you to the GRAND OPENING of our newly renovatedOUTDOOR LIVING CENTRESATURDAY, MAY 29 10 AM TO 2PMDEMONSTRATIONSCOOKING & SAMPLINGOutdoorFireplaces*FREE SureFlame Gauge with every propane tank swapMower & Trimmer Product KnowledgePRODUCTSSAVE THE TAX ON TRIPremium PolishIN STOCK BBQs*FREE Samples!SCOTTS LAWN HG TOP SOIL HH WORK Hummingbird****SOIL. 28.3L25LGLOVES LgSOLAR FIXTUREReg 7.49Reg 2.49Reg 5.99Reg 14.99$$$$3603-070Sale 5.00Sale 1.75Sale 2.00Sale 5.005053-6845053-8995525-265* While quantities last. Sorry No RainchecksACTONHOME HARDWARE362 Queen Street East, Acton 519-853-1730