₦airaland Forum

lt may sound crazy but can u imagine tomato & potato growing on the same stem? l mean on the same plant-the potato under the soil and the
tomato above the soil enjoying the warmth of the environment-both at the same time! Read more.


After losing his job as a matatu (bus) conductor in Kiambu town due to overindulging in alcohol, Wangoto became a petty thief to survive. “I was caught red-handed inside a chicken coop in the middle of the night holding two large birds. How could I even deny that I was stealing them?” he asks.

In November 2011, he was sentenced to one year at the Kiambu GK Prison. The Gachie resident says that this was a blessing in disguise since his prison experience equipped him with new farming skills.

Silver lining

While in prison, he learned about growing tomatoes and potatoes on the same stem through grafting. The resultant plant is called pomato, or in some literature, tomtato.

“I have maximised space on the tract of land by growing tomatoes and potatoes together. This has also eased the time, labour and money I would have used, yet I have still maintained top quality produce,” he says.

Last season, Wangoto says he made over Sh200,000 (N400,000) from his harvest. “The plant’s production was overwhelming; the pomatoes did extremely well. We might have lost some produce since we did not have market for the whole lot and due to storing in humid areas, but we have since learnt from this and started constructing bigger stores,” he says.

Last year in April, Wangoto and his brother Mwangi were among exhibitors displaying their produce at a Kiambu County farmers’ exhibition at Ndumberi Stadium. “We shared the grafting technique with other farmers. They have to understand that although these plants don’t seem like they are related, they are part of the same family — the Solanaceae (nightshade) family — so you can graft them,” Mwangi says.

The advantages of the pomato is that since you are planting both tomatoes and potatoes on the same plant, you save on space and time. You can grow the crop on a balcony or small backyard and harvest enough to subsist on.

Grafting also improves resistance to bacteria, fungi, and pests. Wangoto says the grafting process starts with the farmer selecting a potato and tomato plant of about the same height and width. The graft With a sharp knife, cut the potato stem about an inch from the roots and make a V-shape cut. “Get rid of the roots from the tomato plant and make a straight cut on the stem.

Shape the cut to create a wedge shape that will fit into the potato’s V-shape cut. “Carefully slide the two cut pieces together and wrap the graft with grafting tape, ensuring it holds. In about three weeks, when the plant starts showing signs of growth, you can remove the grafting tape and replant it.” Kiambu Prisons GK Farm Manager Samuel Manene adds that you can use a polythene strip to tie the potato bud and the dissected tomato scion together.

“Ensure you carry out the dissection high above soil levels to hinder disease-causing organisms from infecting the upper plant. After grafting, the tomato leaves continue making food for the potato tubers beneath the soil,” he said.

Embed the grafted plants 10cm deep in troughs about 70cm apart and with 30cm between tubers. When planting, mix fertiliser into the soil at a rate of about 1kg of fertiliser for every 35m of trough.
Weed and earth up the pomatoes as they grow, with the final earthing up to be done when the plant is 25cm high. Ensure you constantly irrigate the plants.

Food commodity

The potato is the most important non-grain food commodity in Kenya. The crop grows best in cool altitudes of between 1,500 to 2,300 metres above sea level in loamy soil. Potatoes and tomatoes are prone to attack by late blight and bacterial wilt. “It is thus recommended that you spray fungicides, and since there is no chemical control for bacterial wilt, use a clean, resistant seed varieties and carry out crop rotation with cereals,” Mwangi says.

Note that grafting can affect the flavour of tomatoes (though some say those on the pomato have a sweeter taste).

Hmm..why provoke my appetite? l chop bushmeat(grasscutter) wella when l was into rice farming. Now in Kenya, attempt any form of "bushmeating" you will find yourself writing statement at the police station and appearing in court the next day!

Nothing on Kenya? l dey suspect this list.!

haryomikun: Mehn,,,, is d guy's name Yerima or sumthin'.... Tha'z 2bad oo

That is exactly my grouse! His oldest child is mother of 5! His family knows about his ways and have given up on him as his klds are all grown ups.

Haba! Ngige should go & rest since 2003! he contested against Obi, he contested against Obiano,don't worry in d future he will contest against Obinna who is still in Primary 6! He should respect himself & reflect over his life while taking his snuff!

haryomikun: Chairman do yu J̶̲̥̅̊u̶̲̥̅̊ƨ̣̣̣̇̇̇̇τ̣̣̥ wanna tell us story ni? ? Dem niggaz talkin paedophiles yu talkin one pot bellied man doin secondary skul galz of 18 and 19

Am talking about 13-15 year olds!

Certainly not the children!

priscaoge: 15times?? The Dog na thief

No, na 50cents!

OP, do change your weighing from pounds to kilos, we no dey U.S, also the amounts into Naira to save us the stress of converting. Goat milk is the real deal, a sip will convince you! It softens and glows your skin. More nutritive than cow's

OP, I eat fried beans but it must be pre-boiled before the frying. l learn am for kenya and you add carrot, capsicum (sweet pepper) and ginger powder.

Opytim: does he rape them? So far he doesn't rape or threaten them, he is not totally at fault. A secondary school girl is matured enough to say No to such advances.

No matter what he has a moral obligation to set them right.

jethro2: Hope you didn't forget my strawberry seed? This is a reminder. Thank you

Still on my mind.

Some people will still say polygamous setting is good, tell that to the children of d battered woman! With this incident, d seed of hatred has been sown between the kids of the 2 wives! If Polygamy is good for the man, is it good for the children?

obowunmi: Goat milk ke?

Na im sure pass! Drink or bath with it, na so your skin go dey shine and soft like new born baby own! It is also more nutritious than milk from cows. Google it.

5minsmadness: Yummy.....
Wait. Back up!
Did you say GOAT milk?

YES! GOAT MILK! l live in Nairobi so l get to buy fresh goat milk for N390 per litre & all the carrot, bread, cucumber & co l mentioned no pass N150!

denkyw: Carry alomo bitters rubb am for those fingers,after testing the bitterness no be person go tell am to stop.

For my kid sister who is now in her 20's it was bitterleaf that was used, no be person tell am to stop!

l prefer my eggs boiled to fried,so for breakfast l boiled 2 eggs, made rings out of fresh tomatoes, cucumber & onions also adding cabbage, lettuce & diced carrots. it went along with 6 slices of wheatbread & a hot jug of goat milk- healthy eating!

hancock: Yes payment is done only and only with Paypal. They ship exclusively to just a handful of countries right now

Then you have to get someone resident in the U.S with a Paypal account.

Must the payment be done only with Paypal? Why not try making the payment with Visa or Mastercard?

Painful.

Had an Eke Uke (local dog) e no dey take eyes dey see chicks but very clever enough to keep away the mother hen.

There is one coded one living in Ojota Lagos he is now in his 60's , huge with a pot belly and over the years has the records of messing wit secondary school girls. Very disgusting! l did suggest he should be reported bt was told off to face my work!

That commissioner of works must be really good. He was the commissioner way back in 2009 when l saw him checking out the then on-going road cutting through lfite-Ogwari to Omasi Agu.

following....though l know dey look for work.

What is exceptional about it?

This is certainly a comic relief!

Has anyone noticed that Francophone countries from lvory Coast to Gabon have this laid back lifestyle and are jaiye-jaiye people. They love working less & "relaxing" harder, most of those really hustling in those countries are mostly foreigners!

And one stupid Ngis now busy here in kenya excreting drugs ingested. he left lagos yesterday, destination Bangkok but there was an emergency landing in Nairobi last night because d pilot fell sick. passengers were lodged in a hotel bt d guy is in hell!