If this is the route you wish to go, you will need a pretty large container. The flowers are gorgeous, and the eggplants look like little (or big) molded sculptures. Add a cage to your eggplant to help support stems when heavy with fruit. This eggplant variety tastes sweet and tender for all types of recipes. Matures in 80 days. may affect the efficacy of this guide. Start eggplant seeds about eight weeks before planting outside. The large fruit and early harvesting nature of the plant make it a great choice to grow at home. Harvest To Table Most white eggplant cultivars are smaller than purple eggplants. Eggplants can only grow in warm soil—50 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Rosa Bianca – a lovely Italian variety with lavender and white fruit. Cultivation methods are similar to those for pepper, but it is more heat tolerant and cold sensitive. Most people think of eggplants as large, oval fruits with a deep purple … (The color and glossiness of the eggplant determine the best time to harvest, rather than the fruit’s size.) The fruit features ivory skin, and grows to about 6-inches long. This white eggplant takes up to 65 days to mature. This will give your seedlings the best chance at survival. Eggplant provides 6 to 10 percent of daily needs of important manganese for Healthy Bones and source of B Vitamins – Herald, How to Store Harvest, Cure, and Store Winter Squash. Try them in this recipe, from North Carolina reader Allyson Meyler.It calls for conventional eggplant, but the Chinese eggplant’s inherent sweetness will be accentuated by the lime juice and sesame, letting the spices shine. Clay or plastic pot will be good choices. These eggplants are long and thin and have very dark, glossy skin. Large round to oval fruit 4 to 6 inches long, 5 inches in diameter; Elongated eggplant fruit:. Staying in Europe, but moving from France to Italy, ‘Clara’ is an Italian hybrid that produces a … If you’re undecided about which eggplant variety you should grow in your garden, consider the following conditions before choosing your eggplant seeds or seedlings: Japanese and Chinese eggplants are long and slender with thin skin and a mild flavor. The best time to plant eggplant in Florida is April. Millionaire boasts classic dark-purple fruits. Feeding eggplants during their growing and fruiting stages improves the overall health of the plant. This Asian variety takes about 70 days to mature. The many colors, sizes and shapes of eggplant varieties make it hard to decide which one is the best to grow. Eggplants grow best in a compost-rich, fertile soil under full sun. Wait to plant eggplant (either by starting seeds or seedlings) until the soil temperatures are higher than 50 degrees F (10 C), and all danger of frost has passed. Pinching the terminal buds (top-most growing tips) will cultivate a bushier form. If you have something more significant, use it. Black Beauty – this classic eggplant is grown commercially and found in grocery stores. Oriental type. Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a warm weather perennial that grows as an annual in the U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 through 10. Pick the fruit before the glossy, dark skin begins to fade. Eggplant is easy to grow, and some varieties are so beautiful they can be used as ornamentals. Casper: An ivory-skinned, slightly elongated eggplant that fruits in about 70 days, Casper’ grows well even in northern gardens. It takes from 58 to 70 days to reach maturity. Warm Areas: SeptemberTemperate Areas: Late September – October (after frost risk has passed)Cool to Cold Areas: October Each plant produces a half dozen or more fruits with a mild, non-bitter flavor and small seeds. It will grow as a perennial in growing zones 10 and 11. Grows beautifully in garden beds or containers. Soil. You can get several types of varieties of eggplant to grow in your garden. Young fruit is pure white and yellows as it matures. Gardening is unpredictable, but I have used these guidelines with success in the past few years, and I hope this helps you plan and grow the the best … To grow eggplant, start by planting your seeds 6 to 9 weeks before the last frost is expected. Traditional Oval Eggplants. The following eggplant varieties produce this traditional shaped eggplant. This popular variety matures in 70 days. The following Asian eggplant varieties are favorites for good taste and texture. Your email address will not be published. Eggplants (Solanum melongena) prefer at least six to eight hours of full sun and well-drained soil. The higher the organic matter content of the soil the better, so incorporate a 3- to 4-inch layer of compost if possible. Varieties Sicilian. Eggplant is a very tender vegetable that grows best in growing zones 5–12. What can’t you do with Chinese eggplant? Although it is quite challenging to grow eggplants from seeds, this is the common option for many home gardeners. Then, plant 1 to 2 seeds in each container and wait … Localized weather patterns, drought, excessive rain, insects, biblical plagues, raccoons, etc. Eggplant is a crop found across the globe, and in many varieties. Transplant outdoors after nighttime low temperatures have risen above 50°F. Eggplant Varieties: Best Bets and Easy-to-Grow Large oval eggplant:. A 5-gallon bucket is the minimum I would recommend for growing eggplants. Elongated Eggplant. By understanding what eggplants need to grow … “Eggplant seeds should be started indoors in mid-spring under grow lights or in a sunny window,” says Niki Jabbour, the author of “The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener.” Clara. Install plant supports at the time of planting. Listada de Gandia – attractive white and lavender striped fruit. Remove all weeds and till the soil to loosen it to a depth of 6 to 10 inches. If you buy plants from a garden center, choose sturdy plants up to a foot tall. Eggplant (family Solanaceae; Solanum melongena) is thought to have originated in Southern to Southeastern Asia. They’re the sweetest-tasting... Indian Eggplant. Most people think of eggplants as large, oval fruits with a deep purple color. Whether you’re planting in a vegetable garden, in containers or ornamental beds, choose an area that has good drainage and slightly acidic soil. Sicilian heirlooms have striped skins that can range from dark purple and white to rose and white. It produces large, meaty fruit with lavender or ivory colored skin. Purple Striped Eggplant. Learn all about growing eggplant, including the best eggplant varieties, how to prevent pests, growing eggplant in containers and simple tips for cooking baba ghanouj and caponata. The best time to plant eggplant is on a day that’s warm, cloudy, and windless. In this growing guide we will be talking all about eggplants! Growing eggplant would be ridiculously easy if not for eggplant flea … Eggplant is closely related to pepper, tomato, tobacco and potato, and shares diseases with some of these crops. Florida friendly varieties are Black Beauty, Ichiban, and Long. Eggplants have a long growing season, so you’ll need to start them indoors around eight weeks before your region’s last frost date. If planted in early spring, eggplant grows best in light sandy soils; loam is preferred for later crops. The fruit yield is four to six per plant, and continues producing all season. These include: Small Eggplant. Long slender cylindrical fruit., 7 to10 inches in... White eggplant:. It produces small, white oval fruit. Trimming Eggplant for More Fruit Production, Eggplant Height Varies Depending on the Variety, When Is the Best Time to Pick White Eggplant, A Simple Solution for White Eggplant Leaves, Garden area with full sun for six hours each day, Temperature range of 70°F (21°C) to 85°F (29°C), Well drained soil with a pH of 6.2 to 6.8, Enough space to plant seedlings 36 inches apart and rows 2 feet apart. They can be bell-shaped or round with pure white or ivory-colored skin and cream flesh. Before choosing an eggplant variety, analyze your growing conditions and eggplant shapes and sizes. On a sunny day, soil temperatures inside black pots may be 10 degrees or more higher than in-ground soil temperatures. The plant produces large, purple, oval fruit. Fairytale, Bambino, and white eggplants are all great choices for container planting too. Both the productivity and flavor of this Japanese variety are exceptional. It has a mild flavor that tastes similar to mushroom. For the best flavor, pick the fruit when it’s white. Southern slopes that warm early in the spring may yield better. There are several varieties to choose from with a range of sizes, shapes, and colors. The young eggplants are lavender, and turn purple as they grow. If the weather is not warm enough eggplant will patiently sit there until temperatures rise. It can be stressed easily just like tomatoes and peppers. Eggplant needs warm conditions, and will not thrive during a cool season. The fruit’s full size is about 5 inches. Deep, well-drained sandy loam soils are ideal for eggplant. Just to name a few. They shine in stir fries, as pickles or braised. The plant produces long, slender fruit, reaching up to 10 inches. After preparing the seeds, prepare the container that you will use. Slice Millionaires into rounds and make eggplant parmesan or baba ghanoush. For the best results, fill a seed tray with a non-soil growing medium, like vermiculite or compost. Because eggplant really needs warm soil to grow well, gardeners in cool climates often do best growing the plants in large, dark-colored containers. Large Eggplant. Eggplant prefers light, humus-rich, well-drained, warm soil. This Japanese eggplant variety is the most popular. Eggplant leaves are large and coarse, and the stem is often spiny. See to it that the seeds are disease-free. The sun-loving eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a perennial that can be grown as an annual in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 10. Choose seeds depending on the variety that you would like to plant. Also, read the instructions from the manufacturer to learn how to properly take care of the plant. Place in full sun, and feed regularly. In addition, when growing some varieties of eggplant, fertilizer may reduce bitterness caused by … The best time to plant eggplant is in late spring after the last threat of frost. 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