New TomTato Plant Produces Tomatoes and Potatoes
They say two heads are better than one, but what about a plant that can produce both potatoes and tomatoes simultaneously? Introducing the TomTato, a plant that can do just that.
Described as a “veg plot in a pot,” the TomTato, which has been launched in the UK, can grow more than 500 sweet cherry tomatoes while producing white potatoes, according to The Independent. The idea came to Paul Hansford, horticultural director at Thompson & Morgan, when someone had planted a potato under a tomato as a joke fifteen years ago in the U.S. And the surprising thing about these plants is that they are individually hand-crafted, not genetically engineered. That’s right – hand-crafted.
The tomatoes even have a flavor profile far sweeter than those available in supermarkets. “The TomTato has been trialed for several years and the end result is far superior than anything I could have hoped for, trusses full of tomatoes which have a flavor that makes shop tomatoes inedible, as well as, a good hearty crop of potatoes for late in the season,” said Hansford.
However, a feat this amazing is not without its difficulties. Hansford notes that both the potato and tomato stems had to be the same thickness for the graft to work. And while there have been similar products on the market, the TomTato is unique because the potato and tomato is planted in the same spot, subsequently producing no potato foliage. Additionally, the plants can be grown either outside or inside, so long as they are in a large pot or bag.
Now that’s one way to plant more efficiently. Maybe two heads are better than one.
The Independent
Thompson & Morgan TomTato™
