Search results
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Eggplants. Catherine Boeckmann. March 9, 2024. Eggplant is a dark, glossy purple vegetable packed with nutrition. The one trick with eggplant is to harvest at the right time—when young—or it will get bitter. When cooked, it becomes extremely tender and absorbs flavors around it.
Oct 5, 2023 · There are a wide variety of eggplant types that come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. Contrary to its bland public image in the grocery store, eggplant is a shockingly diverse crop with dozens and dozens of varieties of all shapes, sizes, colors, textures, and flavors.
People also ask
How to grow eggplant?
What types of eggplant can you grow?
Is eggplant a perennial?
Do eggplants grow well?
- Little Green Eggplant. This one is round, plump, and pale-green in color. After cooking, the texture turns extra creamy and lends a very mild flavor.
- Globe Eggplant. It is also famous as the American Eggplant and is considered to be the fattest and biggest, growing up to 10-14 inches in length! The meaty texture makes it best for grilling and slicing.
- Italian Eggplant. Italian Eggplant has a teardrop shape with a deep purple color. It has a sweeter flavor as compared to the American Eggplant.
- Japanese Eggplant. Japanese Eggplant is available in a wide range of shades of deep purple, pale purple, or even black! It is best suited for stir-frying, pan-frying miso, and Thai grilled dishes.
- Method
- Tips
Start eggplant seeds indoors 6-9 weeks before the last frost is expected. Eggplants need warmth, so it is best to start them indoors and transplant them once the weather is warm enough. Aim to germinate the seeds 6-9 weeks before the last frost of the year is predicted. Eggplants should not be re-planted outdoors until the temperature is at least 70 °F (21 °C).[1] X Research source If you ...Soak the seeds overnight before germinating them. Eggplant seeds have a better chance of growing if they are soaked thoroughly before planting. Place the seeds in a small container and completely cover them with water. Let the seeds sit overnight, then drain the water.[2] X Research source Eggplant seedlings grow best in 72- and 128-cell trays, which have large seed containers that ...Fill seed trays with a fine, loose growing medium. For the best results, germinate eggplant seeds in a soil-less growing medium. Fill seed trays 3/4 full with the growing medium of your choice. Vermiculite, perlite, coconut husk, and compost are all good options.[4] X Research sourcePlant the seeds 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) deep and moisten the medium. Using your fingers, push 1-2 eggplant seeds into the growing medium in each individual seed container. Make sure that the seeds are about 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) under the surface of the growing medium. Cover over the seeds and mist or sprinkle water onto the surface.[5] X Research sourceLet the seeds germinate for 5-14 days. Eggplants seeds will grow as soon as 5 days or in as long as 2 weeks, depending on the temperature they are kept at. Warmer temperatures will spur a quicker germination period. Try to maintain a temperature of at least 65 °F (18 °C) for your eggplant seeds while they are germinating.If you do not have garden space to grow eggplants, try growing a single plant in a 5 gallon pot.[15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0If you live in a cooler climate, try planting eggplants in a raised garden bed, where the soil will warm up faster in the spring. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1- 67.9K
- Listada de Gandia. Our favorite recipe here by Mother Earth News. Listada de Gandia is an Italian eggplant best known for its succulent milky white skin with lavender and purple hue.
- Rosa Bianca. Our favorite recipe here by White on Rice Couple. This light pink-lavender eggplant with light purple colors is treasured for its rich, mild taste, making it a favorite among chefs and growers alike.
- Fairy Tale. Our favorite recipe here by The Kitchn. With its miniature form as well as gorgeous violet whitish skin, fairy tale eggplant is just as sweet as it sounds.
- Prospera. Our favorite recipe here by Erica Demane. Another miniature Italian eggplant; Prospera variety is best known for its striking rich purple hue with just a touch of cream peeking at the stem end.
Facebook. Twitter. Eggplant is a very tender warm season perennial grown as an annual. Grow eggplant in the warmest, frost-free time of the year. The edible fruit can be long and slender or round or egg-shaped fruit. The fruit is creamy-white, yellow, brown, purple, or sometimes almost black.
Eggplant is a beautiful plant in the garden, with large foliage and colorful fruit that suspends from above. One of the biggest keys of all to growing eggplant is to give it plenty of sunlight. Plant in a location that receives a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day, the more the better.
