How to Hang Plants Indoors to Grow Tomatoes

Install the Hangers

• 1

  Find a sunny place in your home to hang the plant. Tomatoes require at least eight hours of sun daily. A south or southwest window provides the best light or you can supplement the light by using grow lamps.

• 2

  Use a stud finder, or tap on the wall or the ceiling, to locate a stud or joist. When tapping, listen for a muffled sound instead of a hollow sound to locate the stud or joist. Anchor and molly bolts in drywall do not provide enough support for the tomato plants, especially right after you water them. Mark the center of the stud or joist with a pencil. If you are hanging the plant from the wall, you'll have to use a bracket with an extension long enough to accommodate the width of the plant.

• 3

  Use a drill bit that is several sizes smaller than the screw-in bolt or hanger you intend to use. The pilot hole helps you insert the screw, and smaller holes ensure that the windings on the screw have plenty of wood to secure themselves to the joist or stud.

• 4

  Insert the hanger by screwing it in clockwise until all the threads are in the stud or joist. Test the hanger by tugging on it. It should be snug and not move. If you are using a hanging bracket on a wall, insert the top screw and bottom screw using a screwdriver.

Hang the Tomatoes

• 5

  Transplant the tomatoes into lightweight containers that have been designed for hanging. Plastic containers help the soil retain more moisture and add little weight to the plant. Hanging pots have preformed holes into which you may insert metal or string hangers to suspend the plant. If you are using string to suspend the pot, measure the length of each strand to verify that they are all the same size. Tie a knot at the top, and test it to see that it will fit inside the hook on the hanger.

• 6

  Place a drip pan beneath the potted plant, even if you plan to water the tomato by taking it down and using the hose or the kitchen sink. Even after the excessive water drains from the plant, tiny amounts of water may drip through the drain holes in the bottom of the pot.

• 7

  Hang the plant by inserting the knot or the hanger into the hook. If you are using grow lights, position the light according to the directions for the lamp. The lamps come in different strengths, and positioning it too close or too far can retard or burn the tomato plant. It is best to hang the lamps over the plant, slightly adjacent to the hook that holds the plant. If you have nowhere to hang it from the ceiling, place the lamp next to the plant and rotate the tomato plant frequently to expose all sides to the grow light.