first flower

duajones · April 24, 2007

I was out in my garden today with my electric tootbrush stimulating my tomato plants when I noticed the first flower on my black beauty eggplant. I touched it with the toothbrush and saw pollen squirt out. I know they are self pollinating but wonder if I hurt or helped the plant by doing this. The flower is beautiful by the way. First ever eggplant for me.

Duane

garnetmoth · May 1, 2007

congrats Duane!

I have a few seedlings, and hope to join you in about 4-6 weeks!

duajones · May 9, 2007

the plant looks real healthy but has dropped all of its blossoms to this point. at this rate I wont be eating any eggplant this year

Suze · May 16, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by duajones

the plant looks real healthy but has dropped all of its blossoms to this point. at this rate I wont be eating any eggplant this year

Duane, do you have any fruitset yet? My eggplants just started setting about a week or so ago.

duajones · May 17, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suze

Duane, do you have any fruitset yet? My eggplants just started setting about a week or so ago.

No mam I sure dont. It has been dropping blossoms from the get go. It still looks great and has new blossoms forming, just doesnt want to set for whatever reason.

CLa · May 9, 2007

give it some time, mine has been dropping some too, but last year we had some black beauty eggplant growing in the center of the hot humid summer (July) they produced just fine. All 3 of my eggplants have dropped a bloom or 2. (2 ping tung longs and one Ichiban. Although I just picked an Ichiban, which was the first flower it put on, but it has dropped a couple since.

CLa · May 16, 2007

I'm in the same situation it seems, my ping tung long seems to have lots of blooms, they keep dropping, hope it starts holding on to those blooms. A comparative: My Aunt gerties gold tomato plant has created a huge plant, and all the blooms have dropped, I thought it was the heat, but I was wrong, it is now starting set some fruit, 3 tomatoes I see now. So.. maybe it just needs to create a big plant first, who knows:/

duajones · May 23, 2007

I noticed yesterday that I finally have a fruit set. Hope more follow

duajones · June 4, 2007

3 have set so far with the biggest being maybe the size of a softball. How do you know when to harvest these babies?

**nctomatoman** · June 4, 2007

Harvest them when you want to use them. Softball size sounds pretty good; when they get too large the seeds tend to predominate and they can get a bit pithy. If you leave a fruit on the plant later on for seed saving, it is easy - eggplant turn yellow when they are ready for picking for seed saving (NOT eating!)...just cut them in quarters, push out the seeds while holding under water in a bowl - rub the flesh from the seeds, scoop out the flesh (which floats), then put the whole thing through a sieve...air dry on paper plates for a few weeks. I've found that you can get more eggplant seed than you will ever need from one fruit, and it is viable for at least 5 years.

duajones · June 4, 2007

Thanks for the quick reply craig. I havent eaten eggplant since I was a kid and dont even remember if I liked it. Looking forward to tasting it for the first time all over again.

**nctomatoman** · June 4, 2007

My wife made me an Aubergine convert! She adores the stuff, and I now look forward to them. My favorite thing to do is peel, slice thinly, dip in egg then breadcrumbs, add a pinch of parmesan to the top, lay them out on a cookie sheet, spray with bit of olive oil and bake at 400 for 15-20 min, until browned and crisp. Eat them as they are as a veggie, or use them for Eggplant Parmesan (layer them alternating with sauce and mozarella cheese, cover, bake till bubbly.). Other great use - Ratatouille - one of our summer staples (made better if you can use your home harvested zucchini, sweet peppers and tomatoes!).

duajones · June 4, 2007

I may try that recipe tonight or tomorrow. I had also thought of trying japanese style bread crumbs and actually frying them. Either way, I am looking forward to it.

duajones · June 6, 2007

Tried it last night using italian style bread crumbs and it was very good. It was actually closer to baseball size so I plan to harvest the next one a little bit larger. I sure hope my lone plant sets more fruit.

April 24, 2007	#1
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	first flower I was out in my garden today with my electric tootbrush stimulating my tomato plants when I noticed the first flower on my black beauty eggplant. I touched it with the toothbrush and saw pollen squirt out. I know they are self pollinating but wonder if I hurt or helped the plant by doing this. The flower is beautiful by the way. First ever eggplant for me. Duane

June 4, 2007	#10
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Harvest them when you want to use them. Softball size sounds pretty good; when they get too large the seeds tend to predominate and they can get a bit pithy. If you leave a fruit on the plant later on for seed saving, it is easy - eggplant turn yellow when they are ready for picking for seed saving (NOT eating!)...just cut them in quarters, push out the seeds while holding under water in a bowl - rub the flesh from the seeds, scoop out the flesh (which floats), then put the whole thing through a sieve...air dry on paper plates for a few weeks. I've found that you can get more eggplant seed than you will ever need from one fruit, and it is viable for at least 5 years. __________________ Craig

June 4, 2007	#12
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	My wife made me an Aubergine convert! She adores the stuff, and I now look forward to them. My favorite thing to do is peel, slice thinly, dip in egg then breadcrumbs, add a pinch of parmesan to the top, lay them out on a cookie sheet, spray with bit of olive oil and bake at 400 for 15-20 min, until browned and crisp. Eat them as they are as a veggie, or use them for Eggplant Parmesan (layer them alternating with sauce and mozarella cheese, cover, bake till bubbly.). Other great use - Ratatouille - one of our summer staples (made better if you can use your home harvested zucchini, sweet peppers and tomatoes!). __________________ Craig

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May 1, 2007	#2
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	congrats Duane! I have a few seedlings, and hope to join you in about 4-6 weeks!

May 9, 2007	#3
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	the plant looks real healthy but has dropped all of its blossoms to this point. at this rate I wont be eating any eggplant this year

May 9, 2007	#6
CLa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Central Louisiana. Zone: 8 Posts: 207	give it some time, mine has been dropping some too, but last year we had some black beauty eggplant growing in the center of the hot humid summer (July) they produced just fine. All 3 of my eggplants have dropped a bloom or 2. (2 ping tung longs and one Ichiban. Although I just picked an Ichiban, which was the first flower it put on, but it has dropped a couple since.

May 16, 2007	#7
CLa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Central Louisiana. Zone: 8 Posts: 207	I'm in the same situation it seems, my ping tung long seems to have lots of blooms, they keep dropping, hope it starts holding on to those blooms. A comparative: My Aunt gerties gold tomato plant has created a huge plant, and all the blooms have dropped, I thought it was the heat, but I was wrong, it is now starting set some fruit, 3 tomatoes I see now. So.. maybe it just needs to create a big plant first, who knows:/

May 23, 2007	#8
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	I noticed yesterday that I finally have a fruit set. Hope more follow

June 6, 2007	#14
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	Tried it last night using italian style bread crumbs and it was very good. It was actually closer to baseball size so I plan to harvest the next one a little bit larger. I sure hope my lone plant sets more fruit.