“It’s like a science project,” says Alice Doyle, of appropriately named SuperNaturals Grafted Vegetables, in a story at NPR’s blog The Salt about the Ketchup ‘n’ Fries plant that yields both cherry tomatoes and potatoes. According to The Salt, “This isn’t a genetically modified organism but a plant of two different nightshades: the top of a cherry tomato grafted on to a white potato.” Grafting is an age-old technique adapted over the last century for use with vegetables. SuperNaturals experimented for five years on the potato-tomato combo before deciding to license the TomTato from a British company that spent 15 years on the project.
The potato-tomato combines an early-yielding tomato and a late-producing potato so both can be harvested throughout the season. Michael Perry, who helped develop the TomTato, says it appeals to a wider audience, including teenagers, than the usual gardener set.