I know this sounds strange but it works extrememly well. I hang the containers and put the plant in the bottom hole. So it's growing upside down out of the bottom drain hole. The plant comes out the bottom and grows toward the ground. I hang them at least 5 feet above the ground and there is no reason to stake them because they hang out the bottom. Make sure that what you hang them from is stout, because they can get real heavy. Once I started doing it, my neighbors saw how well they did and everyone was doing it the next year.
Now I plant basil and oregano in the top and the tomatoe out the bottom.
SIO3