Tomatoes in winter.

I think it was in Episode two of "The Edible Garden" (BBC) that Alys Fowler builds a greenhouse using repurposed 1930's lead light windows, in the hope that she would be able to grow a tomato plant that could be kept safe from blight.

 ~ Just on a side note - I would just love to find some windows like this and do the same ~

The idea stayed with me, and in autumn I got to thinking... what if I could use my greenhouse to grow a tomato plant in winter? What if I could eat home grown tomatoes all year round?

A crop of tomatoes that flourished beyond measure over the summer time meant that I now had lots of tiny tomato plants sprouting all over the place (seriously, where did all of these seeds come from?).

Ever so gentle I wiggled one of the plants free from its growing spot, checked that the main root was not damaged, and replanted it into a pot filled with good quality compost.

I sat the potted tomato seedling in the greenhouse, and it seemed to grow before my eyes. After what seemed like a few days it grew so large it needed a stick to bare its weight.

The tomato plant grew, and it grew and it grew.

Until finally, one day when I checked it, I discovered that those tiny yellow flowers had been replaced by these tiny green spheres...

Success! 

I might be one of the few people in Newcastle who will be feasting on home grown tomatoes this winter!

Sometimes in my garden, I do have a "win".

Sam xox