Question
The gardening season is just about done for this year.  I was looking at my tomato plants and thought I might bring one in over the winter.  It is a cherry tomato plant about 16" tall, it was a late bloomer.  This is about 4 green tomatoes on it and about 6 blooms.  What do you think? Will I get tomatoes all winter?  I have heard the leaves are poisonous to humans, what about cats and dogs?


Answer
Sally, the tomato plant will not not well in the house due to the lack of sunlight.  Tomatoes need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.  Unless you have a sunroom that faces southwest, the plant will not survive.  Even if you were successful, a tomato plant only lives for so many months before it goes to seed.  I have found that they begin digressing after about 5 months.  The harvest quickly declines and the fruit the plant does set is very small.

In regard to the leaves, my cats are outdoors all summer and have never ingested a tomato leaf.  The leaves have a distinct smell that deters animals.  Also, I doubt that they are poisonous since many insects and slugs will eat tomato leaves, with no ill-effects.

I hope this helps.  Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike