Topic: Tom Tato

[Jayb]

T&M have just intoduced a grafted tomato and potato plant, giving two crops from one plant. All for a bargain price of only £14.99 for 1 plant!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/fruitandvegetables/10332908/TomTato-mutant-plant-that-grows-tomatoes-and-potatoes-unleashed.html

[squeezyjohn]

I just had to check my calendar.  It is September and not April right?

[Jayb]

I did a double take in case it was a wind up too. I watched the video clip, I guess when you harvest your spuds the tomato plant either dies or suffers big time.

[Obelixx]

They showed on on the One Show the other night.   Don't see the point unless you garden in pots on a tiny terrace or balcony.

[winecap]

Double cropping sounds like a good idea to me, but £15 - I don't think so. The Telegraph article says people have been doing this for decades. Has anybody here had a go? I'm definitely up for it next year - Just for fun. Any suggestions on varieties to try?

[Jeannine]

I seem to remember plants like this being advertised years ago in magazines,always pictures of huge crops, I don't think anyone took them seriously then, the ads looked so phoney.  XX Jeannine

[Jayb]

Double cropping sounds like a good idea to me, but £15 - I don't think so. The Telegraph article says people have been doing this for decades. Has anybody here had a go? I'm definitely up for it next year - Just for fun. Any suggestions on varieties to try?

Lol, sounds good to me, challenge of the pomato 

I've no idea to variety, I think a cherry tom as they are so productive and usually quick to start cropping. Potato, perhaps a favourite? Nothing too early or the toms won't have a chance to ripen? Might go for one of my long potatoes!

Anyone else up for the challenge?

[Jayb]

These two sites describe how, both similar http://homeguides.sfgate.com/graft-potato-tomato-plant-together-52381.html
http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7647547_graft-tomatoes-onto-potatoes.html
I think perhaps two modern type varieties might be best as they have been bred for disease resistance.

[Jeannine]

Well just one pot in the greenhouse maybe if I can find the time to do it. I remember watching the Johnny;s seeds video on grafting tomatoes and it looked awfully fiddly and the clips were neeeded. But I will take a look at the link and semi commit to have a go if you are going to give it a try.

XX Jeannine

[winecap]

Thanks for the links Jayb. I've not had time to check them out yet, but apple grafting went well this year so I figure anything is possible now. I was thinking a potato with a long growing season - perhaps rooster or even pink fir apple. Can't decide which tomato to go for, but there's plenty of time to decide and change my mind. Not exactly sure which of my favourites qualify as a modern variety with disease resistance...