Ok. We've all seen them advertised on TV and balked at the gimmick-like fanaticism in which they're displayed. But, if you cut through all the sales pitch are these upside down tomato plants any better than sticking a few tomato seedlings in the ground?

For the record, growing tomatoes upside down is not a new concept. Anyone who's ever tried to make their own compost and then use it for potting medium will have witnessed a few tomato seeds escape through the bottom of their hanging baskets and continue to hang upside down while they fight for survival. Even seeing them grow wild, reaching out under ledges, trees and any other obstacle that might try to prohibit their growth is a sign that tomato plants weren't just designed to grow up against our nice and tidy stakes.

It's the tenaciousness of tomato plants that seems to work so well. While they can't be confined to growing as we would like their will to survive and produce means that they could almost grow anywhere - hence the success of the upside down tomato planter.

And, the more you think the process through the more it makes sense on a few different levels. For gardeners who are restricted to balconies or small courtyards, growing tomatoes upside down can save a whole heap of space. Sure, they could be grown in a pot but taking them out of the floor-bound container means that not only can you have your tomatoes, growing upside down of course, but you now have room for another plant or two.

Another pro in the argument for upside down tomato plants is it's ability to generate warmth. After recently planting out our tomato seedlings we have had to endure some very cold nights meaning that the soil cools down and then takes all day to warm up again before the sun drops and the process resumes. While this type of tomato planter isn't immune to the night cold, its size and position encourages the soil to warm quickly once the sun shines again.

The one downside of these planters is that the sheer weight of the crop, especially towards the end of the season, can literally pull the plant out of the container. This means that at the height of cropping you may be forced to pick some green ones just to give the plant some relief.

However, an upside down tomato plant - while not revolutionary to any degree - is a paradigm shift in how we think about using space and growing our produce. It challenges the mindsets that vegetables need to be grown in soil in blocks of horizontal space. If we think outside the box then growing tomatoes upside down isn't really a tall ask at all.