Progress! Eggplant that were planted today in big pots - pics added June 26

[nctomatoman]

Finally, I got around to planting my eggplant for the 2010 season.

Casper, Neon, New York Improved, Apple Green, Ripples (my own variety out of Zebra), Rosita, Batu, Rosa Bianca, New York Improved (purplish stem), Casper (purplish stem), Neon F2 (two plants - one with a green stem, one with a slightly purplish stem), and Orient Express F2 (two plants - one with a purplish stem, the other with a dark purple stem).

So a mix of favorites, a check for crosses, and the beginnings of some dehybridization.

[Farmette]

Craig:
How many eggplants did you plant in each pot?

[nctomatoman]

One plant per 5 or 10 gallon pot.

[Farmette]

Thanks for the info. I am going to try potting mine this year. I have heard they do much better in pots than in a traditional garden.

[nctomatoman]

My theory is that eggplant and peppers like hot roots...I've found both yield much more heavily when in pots when compared to the garden.

[WVTomatoMan]

Good luck Craig.

After experimenting I only grow eggplants in containers. And I put the containers on asphalt. Ergo, I also think they like their roots being hot. Additionally you can get some decent sized eggplants from growing in containers. hmm. I'm going to start a new thread with pictures and a question I've been meaning to ask for a long time.

Randy

[Granite26]

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

My theory is that eggplant and peppers like hot roots...I've found both yield much more heavily when in pots when compared to the garden.

Interesting...I have always heard peppers like hot heads and cool feet! I guess I will have to try a few pots this year.

[nctomatoman]

Just a few pictures to show what's going on June 26.

An interesting set this year - regrowing Batu, from Sri Lanka (sort of looks like Bride), Apple Green for fresh seed, and a few stem color variants of saved seed - in this thread, Casper with its normal green stem, and with a darker purplish stem - clearly that one is a cross....also Neon and Orient Express F2, different stem colors.

In order below - Apple Green flower, then fruit, Batu flower, Casper darker stem flower and fruit, Casper normal green stem flower then fruit, Neon flower then fruit, and New York Improved fruit.

[huntoften]

Nice pics...I always tell the people that grow eggplant to make sure they take the time to look at their flowers. I think they are the most beautiful ones in the garden.

[roper2008]

I grew Thai Green Eggplant in 5 gal buckets last year.
For me they are more productive in the ground.

[veggie babe]

I think I will go home and cook some eggplant, there are so many ways to cook them. I lost several plants early on, I only have 3 varities left. Mine are not as nice as yours, great job.

Neva

[duckfan]

Eggplant is one vegetable that I find intriguing. They look great but they have absolutely no nutritional value and very little taste of their own. Whose idea was it to start eating those things anyway?

[nctomatoman]

Ah, but could you imagine Ratatouille or (obviously!) Eggplant Parmesan or Baba Ganouj without them!!!

I do find that they have a distinct flavor, but when they are not at their freshest (as in home grown), they can get quite bitter and offensive.

[nctomatoman]

First pickings today, 43 days from transplant! Pictured are two that came in as expected (Casper, Neon), and two surprises - Apple Green (looking instead like a large Kermit! This is clearly a hybrid), and a Casper cross (lovely black purple version). The normal Casper has a pure green stem; I noticed in my seedling set that 1 or 2 had purplish stems - and this is what arose!

All four went in to our first Ratatouille of the year (yum!). They were tender and mild - the flesh color of the Casper Cross was very pale green, and the other three had very white flesh.

[mdvpc]

My applegreen is from sse, and I assume its not a hybrid. Craig, where did you get your seed from? Or are you saying you have crossed seed from your garden-and I know you like those accidental crosses?