Spring River Nurseries Introduces Groundbreaking Grafted Tomato Plant

Online, March 25, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Grafting a poor producing tomato variety onto a special vigorous tomato rootstock is nothing new. It is especially useful for promoting yields of heirloom tomatoes which generally do not bear as heavily as more modern varieties, but Michigan grower, Spring River Nurseries has gone one step further by grafting a tomato variety onto a potato so that the two plants grow tomatoes above ground and potatoes below.

The amazing tomato part of the grafted plant is the extra-early cold-tolerant variety, 'Sub-Arctic' which produces medium-size red tomatoes on a bushy (determinate) plant which ripens its fruit clusters all at one time. The potato part of the grafted plant is the red-skinned variety, 'Red Pontiac' which matures its large, edible tubers at the same time that the tomatoes are ready to pick.

Tomatoes and potatoes are closely-related members of the same plant family. The leaves and stems look alike and grow together in the same space, resembling a single bushy plant.

The Tomato-Potato is ideal for growing in garden soil where space is limited and also in containers since three of these grafted tomato plants will easily grow in a 15 gallon container such as a whisky half-barrel. Live plants are shipped with leaves and roots already established and ready to transplant. Simply plant in a sunny position into fertile soil after frost danger in spring, and harvest tomatoes and potatoes within 70 days.

To purchase the Tomato-Potato Plant, visit the Spring River Nursery website at www.springrivernurseries.com.