'TomTato' tomato and potato plant unveiled in UK

BBC ^ | 26 September 2013 | Staff

[Red Badger]

A plant that produces both tomatoes and potatoes, called the TomTato, has been developed for the UK market.

Ipswich-based horticultural firm Thompson and Morgan said the hybrid plants were not genetically modified.

Similar plants have been created in the UK, but the firm said it was thought to be the first time they had been produced on a commercial scale.

Guy Barter, of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), said it was looking at the plant with "real interest".

Mr Barter said many of these plants - created by a technique known as grafting - had been created before but taste had previously been a problem.

"We're looking at it with real interest because Thompson and Morgan are a really reputable firm with a lot to lose, but I wouldn't rule out that it could be a very valuable plant to them," said Mr Barter, who is a contributor to BBC Gardener's World.

[Red Badger]

The TomTato has been described as a "veg plot in a pot"

[Red Badger]

Gardening Ping!....................

[GeronL]

OK, this is interesting

[Disambiguator]

Still waiting for tomacco.

[WinMod70]

That’s cool but I’m holding out for one that throws T-bones & spuds.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Why would one want to pull up a perfectly good tomato plant just to get at the potatoes?

[Gay State Conservative]

Any sign of Key Lime Broccoli appearing in supermarkets and pastry shops?

[Founding Nephew]

Make the leaves into lettuce.

[Rebel_Ace]

Paging Dilbert and Wally, Dilbert and Wally...

[cornelis]

I think the pulled plant in the picture is for the picture.

[socal_parrot]

Fries and ketchup in the same plant!

[22202NOVA]

Call me when they can grow surf and turf!

[GeronL]

tomatoes, potatoes and BACON!!

[BenLurkin]

Isn’t any hybrid pant “genetically modified?”

[BenLurkin]

bttt

[cripplecreek]

That would be a great garden space saver.

[count-your-change]

I heard about a pumpkin plant grafted onto an oak tree. The idea was that a strong tree could carry the heavy pumpkins but when a fifty pound pumpkin fell from a high branch onto a worker reducing him to a midget Mr. Pumpkin Head the plan was so to say......dropped.

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[autumnraine]

That’s pretty cool, but you have to kill the plant to harvest the potatoes?

[BuckeyeTexan]

Maybe I haven’t had enough chocolate milk yet, but that just looks vulgar - like fruit and vegetable porn.