I have tried, without success, to grow tomatoes for three years.

My first year, I lived with my parents. I took a week's wages from my Saturday job on a market stall to Wilkinson and bought cheap plastic propagators, a bag of potting (not sowing) compost for 75p, and a packet of mixed tomato seeds, six varieties in all. To the horror of my house-proud mother I poured compost into the propagators and sowed the tiny seeds, all in her cleanly swept back garden and then left them to grow... on my bedroom windowsill. So desperate was I to learn how to garden that I documented the growth of each tiny seedling, of which there were nearly a hundred! When they were an inch tall I carefully planted them into individual black pots and made them a home in my three-tiered pvc cold-frame at the bottom of the garden. That was the last I saw of them. Heavy winds that night blew my cold-frame into a neghbours garden.

Two years later, I owned my own home. This time it was my garden, I could grow whatever I wanted, wherever I wanted. My tomatoes began life on my kitchen windowsill. I watched them intently everytime I washed the dishes or prepared a meal. I didn't feel the urge to note down the measurement of of every seedling in a college notebook, but I still felt anxious for them to grow. I ruthlessly picked out the weaker plants (something I'd thought cruel on my last attempt but seemed neccessary this time round) and planted them directly into warm soil under mini polytunnels. Unfortunately my two cats found the polytunnels to be an excellent playground, and trampled my baby toms.

This year was my most recent unsuccess. A new garden and a not-so-settled frame of mind to contend with. However a new, more encouraging and helpful boyfriend. I managed to plant my seedlings into the ground and with no cats around they thrived. My greenfingers are not yet to be however as although they developed an abundance of fruit, none grew big enough or ripened. This time though, we planted too late, the beginning of June to be exact. My enthusiasm is not swayed. I shall have a full season next year, plant early indoors, plant out into warmed soil under glass coldrames and hopefully enjoy my first homegrown tomatoes, with my first true love in what feels like my first home.

Hopefully this time next year I will be posting photos of dozens of juicy round tomotoes!