Tomato? That's right: the mix of potato and tomato not only yields a double harvest, but is also very easy to grow at home.

Tomatoes and potatoes are among the most popular plants in German gardens. However, the two nightshade plants do not get along well and should be as far apart as possible in the bed. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could grow both plants despite having limited space? No problem with the tomato: the clever plant mix has delicious tomatoes on top, but the popular tubers can be found on its roots.

The tomato is not made from genetic engineering, but is based on the principle of refinement that many are already familiar with from fruit trees. She also thrives in pots, making it easy to grow even in the smallest of spaces. We will show you how you can use the simplest of means to refine a potato into a tomato and harvest delicious potatoes and tomatoes from one and the same plant.

Tomoffel: Shopping List

  1. Two plastic planters (capacity 30 liters or more)
  2. Carpet Knife
  3. pencil and ruler
  4. High quality potting soil
  5. Potatoes
  6. Tomato seedlings
  7. Tape
  8. Hairclip
  9. Plant Stick

Growing Tomatoes: Instructions

  1. First the right home for the tomato has to be created. You will need two plastic planters of the same size. A capacity of 30 liters or more is ideal, so that the roots have enough space to spread out. Three identical viewing windows are now cut into one of the pots with a carpet knife. It is best to draw them out beforehand with a pencil and ruler in order to get a good overview of the size and arrangement. Be careful not to accidentally injure yourself. When the first pot is prepared, you can simply put it in the second.
  2. Fill the pot about a third full with soil. For example, our Plantura tomato and vegetable soil is suitable for this. Then cut the potatoes in half and lay them on the ground, cut side down. The choice of depends onindividual taste: If you like it particularly unusual, you can also use colorful potato varieties such as the 'Violetta'. Now the rest of the pot is filled with soil and it says: "Wait and drink tea."

  3. After about 14 days, the potatoes should have developed strong shoots that clearly protrude from the ground. So far so good, but where's the tomato?
  4. Don't worry, the tomato also gets its grand entrance when grafting: With a slightly slanted cut, you separate the young tomato plant roughly in the middle. A spot just above or below a sleeping eye, which would later develop into a stingy instinct, is ideal. By the way, cherry or cocktail tomatoes are best suited as tomato varieties.

  5. The potato, on the other hand, is cut three to four centimeters above the ground with a straight, clean cut. Then the potato plant is split about a centimeter deep and down the middle. For all cuts, remember to use a clean, sharp knife.
  6. Now the tomato cutting can be carefully inserted into the cut of the potato plant. A simple strip of tape holds the two parts of the plant together until they can grow together.
  7. You can also attach the tomato to a plant stake with a hair clip - this ensures that the tomato part of the plant above ground grows upright and is not pushed down by its own weight.
Fix the two parts of the plant with adhesive tape and attach to a plant stick

Tomoffel caren

From now on, the Tomoffel only needs regular care and attention: Fertilize the plant regularly, but make sure you have a balanced nitrogen balance, otherwise the Tomoffel tends to excessive leaf growth while the fruits wither. Regular watering is also important, especially since the plant in the pot needs more water than its sisters in the bed due to higher evaporation. However, waterlogging should not occur either, as the Tomoffel cannot tolerate this particularly well. Otherwise, you should give the tomato the same care that a normal potato or tomato needs. You can find out how to fertilize tomatoes properly in our special article.

If you pay attention to these points, you canlook forward to a rich harvest soon. The potatoes can be harvested particularly easily and as needed if you remove the inner pot and simply remove the ripe potatoes through the viewing window. This not only saves time, but also avoids soiling the apartment with potting soil.

This is what the finished tomato plant looks like

Tomato in the Pot: Summary:

  • Cut three viewing windows in a planter.
  • Put the planters together and fill one third with soil.
  • Cut potatoes in half, place cut-side down in pot and cover with soil.
  • Wait about 14 days until strong shoots have formed.
  • Cut horizontally about 4 cm above the ground, then split vertically about 1 cm in the middle.
  • Cut the top of the tomato seedlings at an angle.
  • Graft the tomato cutting into the crevice of the potato plant.
  • Fix the connection point with adhesive tape.
  • Tie shoots to plant stakes with bobby pins.
  • Water and fertilize regularly.
  • Harvest (potatoes through viewing window) and enjoy.

Category:

Garden Design