Do you Prune your Eggplants?

[luigiwu]

I saw a youtube suggesting that if you prune the suckers on your eggplants to 3 main stem, you'll get better quality eggplants. This is my first year growing eggplants and I'm growing Petch Siam and Ping Tung Long. So... what say you, to prune or not to prune?

[JJJessee]

I haven't been, but would like to know myself what the eggplant masters do.
This is the first year I've had an eggplant get big enough to prune.
Flea Beetles.

[Father'sDaughter]

I've never pruned anything other than the leaves that are too close to the soil. It never occurred to me to do much more than that since dad never pruned them in his garden. It'll be interesting to see what others do.

[luigiwu]

No eggplant masters around here?
Father'sDaughter, how do you support your eggplants - if you do?

[Father'sDaughter]

I usually stick a small stake in next to each plant and wait to see if the plant needs any support as it grows. If one of the stems gets too tall or has heavy fruit set, then I'll tie it to the stake as needed. I do the same with my in-ground sweet pepper plants.

[clkeiper]

Interesting. I never thought of it. I have quite a few growing this year. I will have to try some of them both ways.

[Worth1]

A sucker comes from around the stump not higher up.
Are you talking about them or natural branch growth on the plant?

I think a healthy plant is better than a pruned one with many of the branches cut off.
If you want bigger eggplant then leave the branches and just pinch some of the smaller fruit like they thin out fruit trees.
Wait till the fruit is set to do this.


Worth

[peebee]

I only prune when the plant stops producing, and then I prune quite drastically as I saw once on a Japanese TV program. I grow Japanese eggplants to I figured why not try it, they look to be at the end of their growing season anyways. I literally cut the main stem in half, and all the stems and suckers underneath. You must fertilize heavily and water it all in. The farmer poked 4 holes around the plant (it was growing in a large pot), and poured granular fertilizer in each hole. You could of course use liquid fert if preferred. After a while you should see new growth from the base of the plant and you can get another good harvest.

[Sojourner]

I never prune, and I never used to stake them either. Though I never grew the big bulky European types until last year when I had one plant.

Now I use the "tomato towers" - which are no good for tomatoes (I use t-posts these days) - for supports for eggplant, just because I have them. They do take up less space when they're not all sprawl-y.

Since I no longer have a lot of space for the garden anymore, I'll continue to stake them, but I've never seen any need to prune.

[Tracydr]

I pruned my plants that were over -2 months old. As annuals, I wouldn't prune. No need.
I get huge production on them. Just let them wait until it's really warm before planting out. Fish emulsion, kelp,tomato tone as needed. DE or organic spray for flea beetles. I ignore the beetles and any other pest unless it seems to be affecting the growth. I've only had a tomato bug once or twice, spider mites and maybe a few aphids. Fles beetles, they seem to be able to grow out of.
I usually stake or use a small tomato cage.
I had some 4-5 year olds in AZ. They produced like crazy, except in the middle of 115 degree days.

[ScottinAtlanta]

I don't prune, either, and don't know why I ever would.

[dokutaaguriin]

I prune to two, three or four leaders depending on space.

Jeff