Harvest time???

Puregoodtomatoes · July 16, 2007

I'm wondering how to tell when an eggplant is ready to harvest. Can an eggplant be harvested inmature and still be good?

Suze · July 17, 2007

You can pretty much harvest eggplant at any stage, but just don't leave them on the plants too long. If you feel they are big enough to eat/use, then go for it. It helps to know a little bit about what to expect in terms of avg size in regards to the variety you're growing, because there is variability amongst the different varieties. Older ones tend to become woody or pithy, and the skin will start to become dull. If they stop putting on size at an appreciable rate (once eggplants set, they size up fairly quickly), that's generally a good sign they should be picked.

Grub · July 17, 2007

Suze says it perfectly. All I will add is I sometimes eat the immature ones, the small sweet fruits about an inch or two long, raw and straight from the vine... try it! Very palatable.

Puregoodtomatoes · July 17, 2007

Thank you very much, I've harvested eggplant that were like cardboard when eaten raw, which was probably past its prime. Now that I know that there is no harm in picking them too young, I will not be afaid to do just that.

July 16, 2007	#1
Puregoodtomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Midwest Posts: 38	Harvest time??? I'm wondering how to tell when an eggplant is ready to harvest. Can an eggplant be harvested inmature and still be good? __________________ Puregood Tomatoes

July 17, 2007	#4
Puregoodtomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Midwest Posts: 38	Thank you very much, I've harvested eggplant that were like cardboard when eaten raw, which was probably past its prime. Now that I know that there is no harm in picking them too young, I will not be afaid to do just that. __________________ Puregood Tomatoes

July 17, 2007	#2
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	You can pretty much harvest eggplant at any stage, but just don't leave them on the plants too long. If you feel they are big enough to eat/use, then go for it. It helps to know a little bit about what to expect in terms of avg size in regards to the variety you're growing, because there is variability amongst the different varieties. Older ones tend to become woody or pithy, and the skin will start to become dull. If they stop putting on size at an appreciable rate (once eggplants set, they size up fairly quickly), that's generally a good sign they should be picked.

July 17, 2007	#3
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Suze says it perfectly. All I will add is I sometimes eat the immature ones, the small sweet fruits about an inch or two long, raw and straight from the vine... try it! Very palatable.