AFTER 40 years of growing bananas, retired farmer Ernie Patmore has a green finger or two.

But even he was surprised at his latest success in growing tomato plants in eight-inch (20cm) pots.

“One is about eight-foot (2.4m) high,” the Chillingham resident said yesterday.

His achievements since retiring from banana growing eight years ago have included growing a range of other vegetables and plants, including giant watermelons and a huge rose bush.

He puts part of the success of his latest tomato crop down to the use of a vegetable fertiliser he often previously used on his bananas, plus the potting mix.

“I've got about 16 tomato plants growing in eight-inch pots, but one especially is growing well,” Mr Patmore said.

“I've never grown one that high before. One at the end of the row is five- to six-foot tall and a bit younger, so I don't know how high that will be.”

Mr Patmore said the tallest had so far given him 15-20 huge, juicy tomatoes.

“It's amazing. I didn't think it would get that tall,” he said.

“And the tomatoes are bigger than a cup. They are the best tomatoes I've ever grown in pots.”

Mr Patmore said the variety that had grown the tallest was the Marmande, which is described on the website www.localharvest.org as “a beautiful, large fruited tomato with slight pleats”.

The website reveals it is an old French variety with a taste that is “such a true tomato taste”.

Mr Patmore agreed, saying tomatoes bought in the shops today could not compare. He said many tomatoes grown commercially become leathery after being picked too early and force-ripened.