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Egg and chips plant.

HarrersHarrers Posts: 48
in Fruit & veg

Hi,

I saw Thompson and morgan advertise potatoes and toms grafted together  last year but decided to give it a miss. 

This year they have grafted an aubergine on top of a potato plant and i have ordered a plant to give it ago. Is anyone else giving it ago this year?

My question is- I take it I have to leave it until  autumn before harvesting the potato's .

And with the aubergines am I right in thinking I harvest them when they are still shiny  and do i have to bathe them in salt?

Thanks 

 

PS - I am in Essex, and have an unheated greenhouse- What would be the best time to start toms from seed?

Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    It depends what type of potato is being grafted. Is it maincrop or what. As for salting the aubergine, you only do that after you've picked it and cut it to cook, but even then you don't do that all the time when cooking them. The newer varieties of aubergine have less water in them and you'd only salt for certain dishes.

  • Steve 309Steve 309 Posts: 2,753

    Sounds like a gimmick but might be worth a try.

    I'd sow a few tomatoes in mid-Feb in an unheated greenhouse and hope there's no severe frost to come.  They'll need as much light as poss.  Then sow most of them in March or even April.  That way you'll get the benefit of an early start if the weather's kind, but the safety net of the main sowing if it's not.

    Incidentally, I believe you can get a really early crop by pinching out the plant as soon as the first truss has set.  You then have to ditch the plants once you've had the fruit, but by that time the other plants are on the way.  Haven't tried it yet.

  • HarrersHarrers Posts: 48

    Hi Dave Morgan,

     

    From the website, it looks like it Kestrel- It doesn't actually state the variety or if it is  main crop- just harvest Aubergines and tasty potatoes from the same plant. Thanks for the advice about the aubergines, I will see if i get a decent crop and try a few dishes. 

  • HarrersHarrers Posts: 48

    Hi steve 309.

     

    Thanks for the advice, I will sow a few now and the most of them later on,  as I have got a few different varieties , I should be ok- even a few blight resistant ones.

     

    I will try that tip after the first truss, to get an early crop

  • Thompson MorganThompson Morgan Posts: 43

    Hi

    The aubergine graft on Egg & Chips is a large fruiting variety so the fruits can be left on the plant for a long time to fully ripen and should be at their best in early autumn (we don’t despatch the plants until May/June to help overcome problems with late frosts).

    On our trial ground we found it best to harvest the aubergines, then cut the plant down to ground/compost level and leave it a further two weeks before harvesting the potatoes.

    You’ll get full growing instructions with your plant on delivery.

    The aubergine variety (a closely guarded secret) is a modern strain with the bitterness bred out of it, so there is no need to soak in salt before cooking.

     As for your tomato seeds, if you have the space to grow the plants on indoors before placing in the greenhouse in May, you can start from Mid February. If space indoors is limited you’d be best to wait until mid March.

    You could start one or two plants off in February for an early crop of fruits.

    Hope this helps. image

    Faye

  • HarrersHarrers Posts: 48

    Hi Faye,

     

    Thanks for your message, its very helpful and answers all my questions.

     

    I will try an early sowing of toms and see what happens

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