TAYLOR -- State police say a man from Lackawanna County was growing much more than tomatoes in his makeshift backyard greenhouse.
Troopers say that Monday they pulled 879 marijuana plants out of the greenhouse on Sampson Street in Taylor.
A family member of the alleged grower called them, suspecting there was more than just vegetables growing behind the house.
When state police showed up at the house in Taylor, they found the ingredients to make them feel suspicious: garden pots and potting soil on the front porch, and out back a whole lot of pot.
With the exception of a few tomato plants, troopers say the makeshift greenhouse covered in plastic was full of marijuana plants, 879 to be exact.
According to court papers, Victor Perfilio, 26, lived in the home and planted the marijuana garden. He was arrested and now faces drug charges. State police believe he built the greenhouse out of wood and plastic to keep his operation hidden in plain view.
Neighbors say the contents of the greenhouse came as a big surprise, mostly because they never noticed any activity at the house until this week.
According to court papers, one of Perfilio's family members tipped off state police and they started watching the greenhouse, finally spotting a marijuana plant from a hole in the plastic. Then troopers raided the place.
"It's kind of pretty secluded so I didn't notice nothing, you know?" said Tom Butrin of Taylor. "It is shocking to find that out so I was shocked to hear that."
Victor Perfilio faces drug possession charges.
State police say they don't know if he was dealing the marijuana or how long the plants had been growing there.
Perfilio is locked up in Lackawanna County Prison.