Thompson and Morgan has developed a new plant that can grow both aubergines and potatoes for the first time. The dual-cropping plant is named "Egg and Chips" and it grows aubergines from its stem and potatoes from its roots.
The two vegetables belong to the same plant family, known as the Solanaceae or nightshade and can grow in most sunny, sheltered spots in the garden or in a pot on a patio or balcony The hardy potato plant is able to support the more delicate aubergine far better than its own root system can in British soil.
Michael Perry, the product development manager for Thompson & Morgan, said: "Egg & Chips is a real innovation. For seasoned veg growers this is a really novel development. For those without the luxury of an allotment or large vegetable patch it makes the most of available space in the garden. Even the smallest patio or balcony can accommodate a pot-grown Egg & Chips plant. It also dispels the myth that you need to salt, wash and dry aubergines to draw out bitter juices before cooking - a laborious chore that has put many people off growing these Mediterranean plants in the UK. The aubergine variety chosen for the grafting process is a modern strain that has had the bitterness bred out of it - so you can simply pick, chop and cook it."
Contact Jackie Adams for more information