Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter

This will teach you to make a simple, quick inverted vegetable planter. Increases yields, saves space, recycles.

Steps

 * 1) Gather your materials. Set-up the ironing board, plug in the iron and set to "Rayon" with no steam.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Interweave the shopping bags. Interweaving the bags helps create strength by distributing the weight when it is filled with plant and soil.  #Open the first bag, nice and wide, by holding the handles and shaking it open and filling it with air.  Insert the second bag into the first by matching the handles, shaking it open as well.  Now turn the handles 90 degrees.  You have two bags (one inside the other) and four handles sticking up, one each at the top, bottom, left and right.  Repeat this step 2 more times.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 3) *Note that you should now have 6 bags, one inside the other with four handles each having three loops at the top, bottom, left and right. Set aside.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 2Bullet1.jpg|center]]
 * 4) Prepare the ironing board On the narrow end of the ironing board wrap the first sheet of newspaper around it. Position the side of one page overlapping the point of the board by 3 in and tuck it underneath the board.  Then tuck the sides under the side of the board as well.  You might want to use a small piece of tape to secure the edges under the board (Optional)[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 3.jpg|center]]
 * 5) Lamination and Handle formation Make sure your iron is hot as it is time to laminate and create the handles.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 4.jpg|center]]
 * 6) *Center one handle of your interleaved bags in the center of the ironing board pull it over the end of the ironing board as far as it will go. The point of the ironing board should be in the center/bottom of your bags.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 4Bullet1.jpg|center]]
 * 7) *Twist the loops of the bag handles into a rope like structure. Cover the bags with the second piece of newspaper keeping the twist in your handles as best you can.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 4Bullet2.jpg|center]]
 * 8) *Start at the handle and begin to iron the bags.  Spend about 15-20 seconds on the handle so they begin to stick to one another.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 4Bullet3.jpg|center]]
 * 9) *Work to the point of the ironing board, moving continuously heating the newspaper and plastic beneath. After you have done this for about 45 seconds, pull up the newspaper carefully and see if the bags are laminating (sticking together) If not, re-cover with paper and iron again.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 4Bullet4.jpg|center]]
 * 10) *The result should be a solid sheet of plastic and a handle that no longer untwists because it has fused together.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 4Bullet5.jpg|center]]
 * 11) Advance the bags towards you (current handle moves toward the side and underside of the ironing board) until you are halfway between the last handle and the next handle. Be sure your ironing board point is in the center bottom of your bags.  Laminate the bags again.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 5.jpg|center]]
 * 12) Continue this process until you reach the first handle again. Remove it from the ironing board.  Your handles and sides should be fused together and the bottom is now kind of puffy because we did not fuse this area.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 6.jpg|center]]
 * 13) Fuse the bottom. Take the remaining newspaper sheets and ball them into the bottom of your planter. Gather the planter around the newspaper so it looks like a ball covered by a sheet.  Cover the bottom with the newspaper you used to cover the plastic and gather it around to the bottom (towards the handles of the planter.  Apply the iron gently to the rounded shape to laminate the bottom of the planter.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 7.jpg|center]]
 * 14) Cut the Plant Opening. Using the scissors cut an X in the center bottom of the planter the cuts should be 1+1/2 to 2 in in length.[[Image:Make an Inverted Hanging Tomato Planter Step 8.jpg|center]]
 * 15) center

Tips

 * Try other plants
 * Make sure your bags are well laminated -- increase iron heat slightly if the bags are not adhering to themselves.
 * Keep the iron moving since distributing the heat creates a better lamination and less sticking to the newspaper.

Warnings

 * An iron can cause burns, be careful, have adult help you with this if you're younger.
 * Be aware that most tomatoes don't do well in this kind of planter. Try a variety that is smaller and determinate for best results.
 * These need a lot of water and frequent feeding. If you live in a really hot climate, this might not be the best way to grow a tomato plant.

Things You'll Need

 * 6 Plastic shopping bags (common food-store variety)
 * 3-4 Full (double page) sheets of newspaper
 * 1 Iron
 * 1 Ironing Board
 * Scissors
 * Scotch tape

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