Online seed retailer Thompson & Morgan has launched a hand-grafted tomato and potato plant to be sold for domestic use.
The plant, named TomTato, can be grown inside or outside, and yields up to 500 cherry tomatoes and around eight potatoes simultaneously.
T&M’s horticultural director Paul Hansord said: “We thought it was the easiest graft to start with before we explore the challenges of other combinations within the family.”
He added that the low risk of virus between the two plants was another reason they chose the combination for a first graft.
Hansord said the company is not disclosing what variety of tomato they used, but that they will have a Brix level of 10.2, and are advertised as sweeter than supermarket tomatoes.
Both plants are part of the Solanaceae family, which made them compatible for grafting. Other members include aubergines, peppers and tobacco.
The hybrid success has already generated press attention as one of the first of its kind in the UK. It is already available for £14.99 per pot online and will be in the catalogue from January 2014.
The plants are not re-usable and are described as a “one yield wonder”.
Hansord said: “It started as a gimmick and we are amazed at how successful they’ve been.”
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