grumpyf1

Much like the Wombles, plants are overground, underground, and taking up space in one, without generally doing much of use in the other. Not any more. News came in this week that green-fingered boffins have created a Frankenplant, which is tomato up top, and yummy spuds in the muddy stuff underneath. Before those of a sensitive disposition start fearing that this is one of those genetically modified plants, and we’re just a short step away from Triffids turning the tables and having us for lunch instead of the other way around, fear not. This ‘Tomtato’ plant (see what they did there? Heh!) is in fact not the product of some cellular-level fumbling, but actually harnesses the long established process of splicing, whereby you take two different plants, chop them up, and stick the bits together. Preferably the bits you want, if at all possible. It sounds simple, and I even possess one, although admittedly it is two varieties of apple on the same tree, which unsurprisingly is as ...