Did you know that both the tomato and potato are related to the nightshade family? That’s the secret behind the Pomato, which grows tomatoes and potatoes. This plant is not genetically modified or cross-bred. This plant is made using grafting skills.
Grafting is the process of combining two similar plants to make one multipurpose plant. Not all plants can be grafted; you can only combine similar plants. To graft, the cambium, the layer of cells in a plant that produces more cells, must be lined up correctly and taped together using grafting tape to heal. There are many different ways you can cut the plants to combine them.
There are many ways to graft together two plants, but here is my preferred way:
Get the necessary tools:
- A tomato plant
- A potato plant
- Grafting tape
- A sterilized sharp grafting knife
- A small, clear plastic bag
- Skewers or stakes to hold the plant up
Getting started:
Work in a shady place to prevent the plants from drying up. Make sure that the potato and tomato plants have the same stem diameters, and then remove most of the tomato plant’s leaves so the plant doesn’t have to work too hard after the grafting. Cut the potato plant around 10 centimeters from the soil, then do the same for the tomato plant. Then, you cut a slit right in the middle of the potato plant stem and sharpen the tomato stem. Here’s a visual to help you better understand what I mean.
- Here’s an image to help visualize how to cut the plants. (Source: The Seed Collection)
After you cut both plants precisely, join them until they fit snugly, and then wrap them with grafting tape. If the plant looks unstable, insert a skewer near the base of the plant and tape it together to where the plant was grafted. Use a plastic bag to cover your plant so it retains moisture better. Keep your new grafted plant in a bright area, but try to avoid the plant getting direct sunlight. Finally, watch for new growth; when you see significant growth, you may remove the plastic bag and move it to a sunnier location!
Related Articles:
- https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6971
- https://www.instructables.com/Grafting-Made-Simple/
- https://www.theseedcollection.com.au/blog/the-ketchup-n-fries-plant
- https://www.mainegardenideas.com/how-to-grow-a-pomato-plant.html
- https://living-mudflower.blogspot.com/2015/03/how-to-graft-tomato-to-potato.html
Take Action:
Don’t want to graft? Well, you can buy already grafted plants here:
