EGGPLANT Ping Tung Long 4″sq
$6.00
Easy-to-grow Asian eggplants are long and slender with tender magenta skin. Productive plants yield up to 20 fruits each and are vigorous and stress tolerant. Slim fruits average 1-2″ wide; plants should be staked for straight fruit. No peeling required!
Compact habit
Excellent for containers
12-14″ fruit
$6.00
$6.00
Eggplant Growing Tips
When one thinks about eggplant, often the classic dish eggplant parmesan is the first to come to mind, but there are other great uses for eggplant in the kitchen. There are also a range of different eggplant varieties available, besides the classic purple Italian type, that will accommodate different recipes and taste buds. Use in ratatouille or moussaka, or roast, stuff or combine them with other fresh ingredients to make dips. There are lots of exciting recipes to try!
Planting
- Eggplants are a warm season crop and are sensitive to cold air and soil temperatures, so make sure to wait to plant until the night time temperatures are above 55 and 60 degrees, usually after Memorial Day.
- Eggplants grow best in a soil with good drainage and a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Prior to planting, prepare the soil by incorporating a good quality compost and a balanced fertilizer.
- Eggplants should be spaced 18” apart in rows 24” or more apart.
- Patio Eggplants:
- Our patio eggplants are sold in 12” pots. ‘Patio Baby’ is a compact plant which is intended to be grown in containers, so there is no need to transplant it into the ground unless you would like to. If keeping it in the container, make sure to water and fertilize regularly.
- Watering too much or too little can affect the overall health of the plant. To check if your container plant needs water, you can poke a finger deep into the soil to see if it is dry or you can check the weight of the container. Don’t decide to water just because the soil surface looks dry because plenty of water may still be present lower down in the pot. If the container feels very light, it’s time to water. It is far better to water deeply and less often than to water frequently and shallowly. Roots need access to oxygen in the soil in order for the plant to grow well. If water is filling up all the pore space then there will be no space left for oxygen.
- If you are using Pro-Grow 5-4-3, apply 1 tbsp of fertilizer (for the 12” pot) every 5 weeks during the growing season.
Watering
- Eggplants need to receive about 1” of water per week in order to produce the best fruit. Inconsistent moisture can lead to reduced yields and bitterness. Drip irrigation is an effective and efficient way to irrigate vegetable crops because the water is delivered directly to the soil where it will be taken up by the roots. Drip irrigation also keeps water off of the foliage which will reduce the risk of disease development.
Maintenance
Keep the planting well weeded. Using mulch, such as cocoa mulch, straw, untreated dry grass clippings or shredded leaves will suppress weed growth and help retain soil moisture.
Harvesting
- Once the eggplants have reached a mature size they may be harvested by using a pair of pruners to snip them off from the plant. Don’t try to pull them off.
- Eggplants are ready to harvest when they are firm and the skin is glossy. If left on the plant too long the quality will decline. The skin on over-mature eggplants will be dull.
- It’s best to use eggplant as soon as possible after harvesting because they don’t store well.
- For longer storage, it is possible to blanche and freeze sliced eggplant. There are no research-based safe recipes for canning eggplant.
