Growing eggplant is a great way to add variety and nutrition to your diet, especially in warmer climates. Those in colder climates will most likely need to grow them in containers. Eggplants need full sun and fertile, well-drained soil in order to flourish.
Eggplant is part of the nightshade family, which means it's a relative to the potato and tomato, though its flavor and uses are quite different. Eggplant has been a staple in the Mediterranean diet for many years, but has recently become quite popular in other parts of the world.
In addition to being a delicious and nutritious vegetable that can be prepared in many ways, eggplant is also a very ornamental plant. For gardeners that lack space, eggplant is easily grown in a container, as well.
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Eggplant is extremely sensitive to cold. For best results, start them indoors six to nine weeks before the last frost if you wish to grow them from seed. You can also choose seedlings from the garden center if you don’t want to start them from seed.
Soak seeds overnight before starting, and give them heat from below, such as from a heat mat, to encourage germination. If you have a heat lamp, now’s the time to use it.
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When you transplant your seedlings to the garden or container, or when your eggplants sown from seed become at least 3 inches tall, they should be mulched. It's also a good idea to interplant an early crop – such as lettuce - between the eggplants.
When you see blooms, apply liquid organic garden fertilizer for vegetables. It should be reapplied monthly until harvest and plants should receive about 1 to 1 ½ inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) of water each week.
Eggplant should be harvested when fruits are 6 to 8 inches long and the skin has a high gloss. Use a sharp knife to cut the fruits from the plant.
When the fruits become dull or brown, they are too mature for use. Three weeks before the first expected frost, start pinching back any blooms that appear. Since the fruits from those blooms would not have time to mature anyway, it's better for the plant to expend its energy on maturing existing fruits.
Eggplant can be stored in the warmest part of the refrigerator for about a week. Unfortunately, they do not store well long term.
The following pests and diseases have been known to affect the success of growing Eggplant. For more information about preventing and controlling them, see Organic Garden Pest Control.
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