Make room for the ‘Ketchup ‘n’ Fries’ plant

Photo: Territorial Seed Company

Could this be my dream plant? Well, French fries have been my favorite food since I could barely see over a kitchen counter.

I cook fresh rarely, but the “TomTato, the Grafted Ketchup ‘n’ Fries plant,” may encourage me to do it more often – at least when I have a craving for fries.

The Territorial Seed Company has created a way to grow potatoes and tomatoes on the same plant. It sounds strange at first, considering tomatoes are planted above ground and potatoes within the soil.

But, ah – that’s the beauty of the concept. The TomTato is what I like to call a soil sharer. The potatoes grow directly underneath the tomato vine. The photos show the TomTato growing with or without a container.

It’s genius, natural and required no genetic modification. United Kingdom gardeners were the first to take advantage of this dual plant, but now it’s available in the contiguous United States in April and May.

Photo: Territorial Seed Company

The company will send 2.5-inch pots and promises more than 500 red cherry tomatoes with a Brix level of 10.2 and up to 4.5 pounds of white potatoes.

Of course, you can’t make ketchup with tomatoes alone. You need some help from onions, vinegar, garlic and other ingredients, depending on the recipe you use. Just be sure to find a recipe that calls for fresh tomatoes, not canned ones.

If you’re a cook who’s cramped for garden space, maybe you’ve already figured out this nifty configuration?

Sorry if you have Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” in your head. It’s stuck in my brain too.