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| Black Beauty eggplant in container with petunias |
Saturday, June 20, 2020
Eggplant is easy to grow. It is happy in a pot or the ground. Eggplants are tropical plants and require a long growing season to fruit. You can still get fruits by purchasing a plant and putting it in your garden or container now. It's not too late to enjoy this veggie for the season!
Eggplant is a staple in Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern and many Asian cuisines. It is used as a substitute for meat in many dishes. This fruiting vegetable originated in India and has been cultivated there for thousands of years. It had made its way to the Mediterranean region by the Middle Ages.
Eggplant contains fiber, antioxidants that have potential health effects against cancer, C, K, folate vitamins, and copper, iron, magnesium and potassium. eggplant nutrition info
Ideally, eggplant should be started indoors 6-8 weeks prior to the last frost date (for Zone 6, this is end of February/first of March). They are heat loving veggies that need some time to start producing fruit. If you don't get them started early or just want the convenience, there are many varieties available at nurseries and big box stores.
Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed, 18-24" apart in full sun. Fertilize when transplanting with a balanced organic/all natural fertilizer. Fertilize again with the first flowers appear to support the growth of fruits, then monthly if planted in the garden bed. For those planted in pots, I add solid fertilizer monthly and give a liquid fertilizer when I water every 2 weeks. The plants like moisture so don't be stingy with water.
Eggplants, like peppers and tomatoes, are perennials. You can bring them indoors at the end of the season and with direct sun, continue producing. If they survive the winter, they will produce sooner and have bigger yields next summer. I have had mixed luck overwintering mine, but I have only tried keeping them in the garage with a fluorescent grow light.
Eggplants grow well in pots. This is my preferred way to grow eggplants. Look for dwarfs or patio types like Casper, Listada de Gandia, White Egg or Fairytale, or plant in a larger container. We have found the white fruiting eggplants the best for our hot and humid summers. They don't get bitter and their skins don't get tough. I have also grown Rosa Bianca in a large pot and it did well. This year, I am growing White, Rosa Bianca, and Amadeo in pots. I also like Turkish Orange. It has a smokey flavor and smaller orange fruits. I decided to try Amadeo this year. Depending on how it does, I'll grow Turkish Orange next year. It's fun to try new varieties.
Eggplant contains fiber, antioxidants that have potential health effects against cancer, C, K, folate vitamins, and copper, iron, magnesium and potassium. eggplant nutrition info
Ideally, eggplant should be started indoors 6-8 weeks prior to the last frost date (for Zone 6, this is end of February/first of March). They are heat loving veggies that need some time to start producing fruit. If you don't get them started early or just want the convenience, there are many varieties available at nurseries and big box stores.
Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed, 18-24" apart in full sun. Fertilize when transplanting with a balanced organic/all natural fertilizer. Fertilize again with the first flowers appear to support the growth of fruits, then monthly if planted in the garden bed. For those planted in pots, I add solid fertilizer monthly and give a liquid fertilizer when I water every 2 weeks. The plants like moisture so don't be stingy with water.
Eggplants, like peppers and tomatoes, are perennials. You can bring them indoors at the end of the season and with direct sun, continue producing. If they survive the winter, they will produce sooner and have bigger yields next summer. I have had mixed luck overwintering mine, but I have only tried keeping them in the garage with a fluorescent grow light.
Eggplants grow well in pots. This is my preferred way to grow eggplants. Look for dwarfs or patio types like Casper, Listada de Gandia, White Egg or Fairytale, or plant in a larger container. We have found the white fruiting eggplants the best for our hot and humid summers. They don't get bitter and their skins don't get tough. I have also grown Rosa Bianca in a large pot and it did well. This year, I am growing White, Rosa Bianca, and Amadeo in pots. I also like Turkish Orange. It has a smokey flavor and smaller orange fruits. I decided to try Amadeo this year. Depending on how it does, I'll grow Turkish Orange next year. It's fun to try new varieties.
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| White eggplant ripening |
I use Espoma vegetable fertilizer on all my vegetables, fruits and potted plants. Before I moved, I could also get Re-Vita fertilizer which is also a good organic fertilizer. You can also make your own all natural fertilizer pretty economically. Make your own all natural, complete fertilizer
Of the 5 eggplants, only 2 are flowering and have baby eggplants on them. I got started much later this year than typical.
When fruits come on, be sure to harvest regularly. There are 2 good reasons. One-the more you pick, the more the plant produces. Two-the fruits are sweeter and skins thinner on younger fruits.
The only pest I've found with eggplants are flea beetles. They seem to just love the White eggplant leaves. They eat them until there is hardly anything left but the veins. I tried to let the pest "come in balance" and didn't treat with anything, but it has been 5 years with no slowing in sight so I am using insecticidal soap to knock them back this year. Plants need their leaves to produce food for the plant and its fruits! You might also be able to use nasturtium as a decoy plant to attract the flea beetles away from the eggplants. This has not worked for me to date.
Eggplant can be baked, steamed or grilled. My favorites are brushing on olive oil and salt and grilling until tender, stuffing and baking, using as lasagna noodles, or slicing and topping with parmesan cheese and backing until the cheese is crisp. I do the same with zucchini. Keep the grill temp below 350 or substitute grape seed oil that has a higher smoke point.
I have tried blanching eggplant and freezing them. They just don't taste the same. This year, I think I will try fully cooking them and freezing them, see if I can preserve the extras that way. Here are the recipes I use for eggplant and zucchini What to do with all that zucchini?!
Of the 5 eggplants, only 2 are flowering and have baby eggplants on them. I got started much later this year than typical.
When fruits come on, be sure to harvest regularly. There are 2 good reasons. One-the more you pick, the more the plant produces. Two-the fruits are sweeter and skins thinner on younger fruits.
The only pest I've found with eggplants are flea beetles. They seem to just love the White eggplant leaves. They eat them until there is hardly anything left but the veins. I tried to let the pest "come in balance" and didn't treat with anything, but it has been 5 years with no slowing in sight so I am using insecticidal soap to knock them back this year. Plants need their leaves to produce food for the plant and its fruits! You might also be able to use nasturtium as a decoy plant to attract the flea beetles away from the eggplants. This has not worked for me to date.
Eggplant can be baked, steamed or grilled. My favorites are brushing on olive oil and salt and grilling until tender, stuffing and baking, using as lasagna noodles, or slicing and topping with parmesan cheese and backing until the cheese is crisp. I do the same with zucchini. Keep the grill temp below 350 or substitute grape seed oil that has a higher smoke point.
I have tried blanching eggplant and freezing them. They just don't taste the same. This year, I think I will try fully cooking them and freezing them, see if I can preserve the extras that way. Here are the recipes I use for eggplant and zucchini What to do with all that zucchini?!
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