Editors Picks

Vertical Gardening Tomatoes– See the Huge Difference!

Turn your backyard garden into a salsa-making factory by growing up rather than out.

|


I started using this method after programming some lectures 12 years ago for the Mittleidter Gardening Group. All over the world Mittleider was teaching people how to grow food more efficiently often in small spaces with poor soil conditions.

I will not claim that I have perfected the method, or that I am a “master gardener” and I will not say that this is the one and only best method that everyone should use, but it has been great for us in our garden.

On good years through end of July through October we get around 25 pounds of tomatoes from our garden per week . With cilantro, onions, jalapenos –We literally grow all the ingredients to set up a salsa-making factory. Our neighbors love us, because we give away so many tomatoes.  And vertical giant plants reaching eight feet tall, is impressive to wow neighbors and friends.

What I can say about this is that while you need to invest time and money into building T-Frames, the investment is well worth the cost. It’s around $50 per row, about $100 total for the 1×1 posts, wire rope, twine, screws and nails. If there is enough interest in this I’ll make a video on how to make the T-frames, but it is very simple with even a circular saw. I would reccomend buying 12″ nails to pound down from the top of the T-frame to secure the top to the base. I would also recommend setting the posts in concrete if your span is greater than 12′.

Readers: Please feel free to pose questions. This is the fifth video in our gardening series. Four years ago we posted a video called “How To Supersize your Tomatoes” which has received 225,000 views. I’m totally amazed by this, and I would love to engage the YouTube community and hear from you about your garden and promote, especially in Salt Lake City, backyard urban garden homesteading. It’s my dream to have a garden that produces the majority of food we eat in the summer. We are maybe a quarter of the way there now, I’d love to hear from you who are also on your way.

, , , ,


Join our newsletter.
Stay informed.

Related Articles


  • The “Monster” of Bear Lake

    Have you ever heard of Utah’s hidden lake monsters? Beyond the tourist buzz of Bear Lake, whispers of a mysterious creature have persisted for generations. Dive into the untold stories, rare sightings, and eerie folklore surrounding Utah’s most elusive aquatic legend. Are the rumors real, or just a product of overactive imaginations?

    To access this post, you must purchase Full Access Membership.


  • Frisco, Utah: The Untold Story of the West’s Most Notorious Ghost Town

    Once a wild silver mining town, Frisco, Utah, was infamous for its nightly violence and lawless streets. Known as the “toughest mining town in the West,” its fortunes changed after a catastrophic mine collapse. Today, the deserted remains of Frisco, with its decaying kilns and empty streets, tell the story of a town that lived fast and died young. The mysteries of its vanished lawman and the outlaws who once ruled the streets still linger in its desolate landscape.

    To access this post, you must purchase Full Access Membership.


  • From Felon to Founder: How Rocky Rebuilt His Life After 12 Felony Convictions

    By the age of eight, Rocky was already using drugs, and by his twenties, he had 12 felony convictions and had spent years behind bars. His future seemed sealed. But then, something unexpected happened. Learn how Rocky defied the odds, escaped the cycle of addiction and crime, and turned his shattered life into a story of redemption and success.


  • Clear Water Distillery: Utah’s Bold Adventure in Craft Spirits and Creativity

    They started with no plan, a daring gift, and a touch of curiosity. Opening their distillery was just the beginning, but when the pandemic forced them to close almost immediately, they faced a choice: give up or reinvent. What followed was a journey of resilience and creativity, where every challenge sparked a new opportunity to craft something truly extraordinary.

    To access this post, you must purchase Full Access Membership.