Tomato-Potato Hybrid Plant Could Be Yours
In another epic case of gardening grafting that blows our minds, BBC reports that a new plant called the TomTato is now headed for the U.K. market.
The specialty? It's a tomato vine, with potatoes growing in its roots. Yes, it's a tomato and potato plant. Let the tomato-to-mah-to, potato-po-tah-to jokes begin.
Guy Barter, of the Royal Horticultural Society, told BBC that the plant was created by grafting the potato plant to the tomato plant, a technique often used to add multiple types of apples to one tree. It's not genetically modifying the produce, but instead having faith that both plants will want to survive.
The plant has reportedly been created before, but the taste had always suffered. After 10 years, however, the tomatoes' flavor now exceeds store-bought tomatoes. "In the past we've never had any faith in the plants — they've not been very good — but grafting has come on leaps and bounds in recent years," Barter said. "Many people don't have that much space in their gardens and I imagine this sort of product would appeal to them." Unfortunately, the plants only last one season, but in terms of novelty and going organic, it might just be worth it. Now if only we had a backyard.