General information and discussion about cultivating eggplants/aubergines.
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#16 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6
Posts: 1,582
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Interesting, those temps sound ideal.
I would say the asian style ones seem to like more heat but should still be just fine. There are many OP varieties, and they should produce a decent crop. I guess you like the more tender texture of the long ones. I like a big of thickness because of the way I use them, but certainly that tender texture is useful in many dishes, especially those that are quickly cooked. Some other things that come to mind are: eggplants love water, soil should be moist all the time for best fruit quality. Which brings the problem of verticilium, they are very sensitive to it, if there is suspicious wilting, it's most surely verticilium. And then pruning, I saw various ways, but most people start with 3 stems (around the main branching that happens near the first flower). Then depending on variety and support, you usually leave only those 3, or you leave some more up, but in a way that makes a somewhat aerated bush (so branching leading away from the middle). |
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#17 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Floyd VA
Posts: 771
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Eggplant are under the row cover on the left in the 1st photo (broccoli and cauliflower under the row covers behind, which also did very well!). That is a quart mason jar in the 2nd photo for perspective. |
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#18 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
Posts: 1,337
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I was lazy this year and didn’t start any eggplant seed. I purchased Ichiban starts for myself and Little Fingers for a co-worker. Looks like the Little Fingers are all mine since COVID has closed my work for awhile now.
Don’t know why this picture is sideways like this. I have 3 plants in one earthbox. |
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#19 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6
Posts: 1,582
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That looks like some heavy production. What is the typical weight of those fruits?
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#20 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
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I’m not really familiar with these eggplants. The biggest ones on this table is 174-178 grams, others are 111, 137,143, 123 grams etc, etc. I can say one thing, they are very firm. Haven’t tried them yet. I will today.
This time I have an upside down picture for you. Lol |
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#21 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
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Okay, I grilled some on my griddle with olive oil, garlic powder, and salt. Not a whole lot of flavor, if the rest are like this I won’t grow them again. Ichiban is better.
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#22 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6
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A solid weight considering the number of them. Pity about the hard texture.
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#23 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MA/NH Border
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#24 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MA/NH Border
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What variety are you growing? |
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#25 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SE PA
Posts: 971
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roper, the ones on the right end might be okay. They look a little darker, or maybe it is the shadow causing it. But the ones in the middle all look past prime to me for a dark colored eggplant like black beauty, nadia, galine, or epic. I do prefer to pick them young. The ones I grow don't put out a bunch of fruit one spot like that, though. Those are the "little fingers?"
TomNJ I am right there with you on the row cover. I find it does a tremendous job over hoops on eggplant, peppers, okra, corn, and broccoli. I just uncovered my eggplant/pepper rows this evening and the eggplant look spectacular. I only had it covered for a few weeks. They love the heat! FD I'll bet you just need more warmth. They need more than peppers, and a lot more than tomatoes, in my opinion. Hoops like above, and some black plastic mulch really get them moving here. |
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#26 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Floyd VA
Posts: 771
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I use eggplant only for my incredible eggplant parm, so I like the shape of Black Beauty for this purpose. I plan to make and freeze numerous small trays from this crop. |
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#27 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
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Maybe I am picking them to big. I’m going to make my eggplant with spicy garlic sauce with the ones I picked today. If it comes out good then I’ll probably grow them again, these plant’s are very productive.
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#28 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SE PA
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They look great, nice and shiny. Hope they taste better this time. They look great for fries. I grew one called suraj a few years back, round one, but about that color.
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#29 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6
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TomNJ, not entirely sure those are Black Beauty, I assumed they were some Asian type by the upward leaves and purple stems. Maybe it's just the light.
So a few days ago I picked the Xi'an Green and the Green Dragon. They were 512 and 304 grams respectively (1.1 and 0.7 lb). The Xi'an is quite huge, feels very light in hand. The Green Dragon does not look like in the package picture, it should have been more pointed at the end, also bigger. Maybe later fruits will. Quality was surprisingly good, soft texture, cooked fast, on the sweet side. |
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#30 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Floyd VA
Posts: 771
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