How to Grow a Pomato Plant

If you are like me, you may have wondered if there really is such a thing as a Pomato plant that produces tomatoes on the top and potatoes underground. Well, wonder no more. They do exist, but in order to grow one, you'll need to graft a potato plant to a tomato plant. Follow these steps to grow your very own Pomato plant.

Things You'll Need

• Potato Plant
• Tomato Plant
• Sharp Knife/Razor Blade
• Grafting Tape
• Plastic Bag
• Large Growing Container

Instructions

1. Choose a healthy vigorous tomato plant that is approximately 6 to 8 inches tall.

2. Select a potato plant that is approximately the same height.

3. Set the two plants side by side so that the stems will touch easily. You may need to elevate the tomato plant to get the desired height.

4. Using thin sharp knife or a razor blade, gently remove a sliver of the stem from the potato plant. This sliver should be no more than 1/3 the depth of the stem and no longer than one inch. Take care not to sever the entire stem.

5. Locate an area on the tomato stem that matches the height of the cut on the potato plant. Repeat the cutting procedure on the stem of the tomato plant.

6. Gently join the two exposed areas and wrap around both stems with grafting tape, being careful to cover all exposed areas.

7. Set the plants in an area out of direct sunlight and watch for signs of new growth on the top of the tomato. Watch the graft site for a slight bulge to indicate the graft is forming. Once you observe lush growth on the tomato plant, you are ready to cut off the top of the potato plant above the graft site.

8. Allow the plant to grow until you again see vigorous growth on the tomato plant. This should take two or three weeks. At this point you are ready to remove the bottom portion of the tomato plant. To do this, cut the stem slightly below the graft site.

9. Enclose the plant in a clear plastic bag for to maintain moisture, as the tomato plant may wilt for a few days while it adjusts. After several days, remove the plastic. If the plant shows signs of wilting, simply cover with plastic for a few more days.

10. Once the plastic is removed, watch for signs of new growth. When the plant shows lush green leaves, you can remove the grafting tape. Congratulations! You have just created a Pomato plant that will produce tomatoes on top and potatoes underneath the soil. Be sure to water regularly to maintain optimum health.

Tips & Warnings

• Pomato plants are spectacular plants to display at fairs or for science projects. Consider growing them in a clear plastic container wrapped with dark paper that can be removed at maturity to show the potatoes underground and tomatoes on top.

• Fertilize with a water soluble fertilizer every two weeks.

• This plant is also known as a Topato plant, and is often referred to as a Tomato Potato Plant

• You must trim away any new shoots that come from the potato plant on a regular basis. These will grow quickly and rob the tomato plant from valuable nutrients.

Resources

• Gardener's Choice Supplier
• Whatever Works Supplier
• David Hershey. Mad Sci Network.Faculty Botany
• Grafting Information