How to Grow Eggplant
Homegrown Eggplant by Abigal Gordon
Online Fact Sheet
Eggplants were once considered a Sexy Fruit. They were called "apples of love" by the Portuguese and Spanish . Medieval Europeans believed that eggplant was an aphrodisiac. Botanists once classified them as " Mala insana," -"mad apple,"- there was a belief that consuming Eggplant would cause insanity.
In modern times they serve as an excellent meal, and are quite frequently used as a meat substitute. They are a favorite of many North American Gardner's
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Eggplant grows best in a well-drained sandy loam or loam soil, fairly high in organic matter.
Start early indoors in peat potsor cell packs
Rows should be 3 to 5 ft. apart. Plants should be 2 to 3 ft. apart
Transplants should be 8 to 10 wks old and slightly hardened, grown in 2 inch. or larger pots.
The outdoor environment can be very harsh for a transplant. So, harden the transplants before planting outdoors to increase their survival rate. Place them outdoors in their original containers where they will receive direct sunlight and some wind for a few hours each day for a week, possibly more.. Gradually lengthen the amount of time outside each day. Move the plants inside at night .
Climatic Requirements for Eggplant
The eggplant is a very tender plant that requires a long, warm season for successful production. The plants are killed by light frost and are injured by long periods of chilly, frostless weather. Plants should not be set out until all danger of frost has passed, and should be hardened first [See Above paragraph]
Set plants in the field when frost danger has passed, when the soil has warmed, and when the average daily temperature reaches 65°F. [See USDA Zone Map]
Common Varieties of Eggplant
As with any popular plant there are dozens of Hybrid Garden varieties and a healthy handful of heirlooms on the Market. Eggplants come in numerous shapes and colors.
The following are my personal favorites, you of course may prefer to scan any of the many online nurseries and seed catalogs.
Black Beauty Eggplant
Popular variety yields 5-7" fruits per plant. 1-3 pound purplish-black, glossy fruits have great flavor and hold up well after being picked. Rounded oval fruits are smooth to slightly pleated. Best started indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost date and transplanted into rows 18-30 in. apart in the garden when the soil is warm. Needs warm conditions day and night to germinate
Snowy White Eggplant
Native to India with small, white, smooth-skinned is one of many domesticated eggplants. Has an Italian-style shape and creamy texture. Planting Depth: 1/4" Soil Temp. for Germ.: 75-90°F
Italian Long Eggplant
A/K/A 'Melanzana Viserba Lunga' Cylindrical, glossy purple skinned fruits with bitter free flesh.
Toga Striped Eggplant
Stunning striped fruits are 1" wide by 3" long. The fruits turn from two-toned green to two toned orange. Holds very well in fresh or dried arrangements or good to eat. Strong flavored fruits, but not bitter.
Companion Planting and Crop Rotation in Eggplants
Three - Four-year rotations with non-related crops and using plants grown from disease-free seeds will help control most diseases.
Avoid Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, okra, raspberries, or strawberries in rotation with Eggplant.
Try planting Fennell, Basil, and Lettuce (Not Cabbage) in proximity to Eggplant...also lots of Marigolds.
See : Companion Planting
or cell packs
Popular variety
yields 5-7" fruits per plant. 1-3
pound purplish-black, glossy fruits
have great flavor and hold up well
after being picked. Rounded oval
fruits are smooth to slightly
pleated. Best started indoors 4-6
weeks before the last frost date and
transplanted into rows 18-30 in.
apart in the garden when the soil is
warm. Needs warm conditions day and
night to germinate
Native to India with
small, white, smooth-skinned is one
of many domesticated eggplants. Has
an Italian-style shape and creamy
texture. Planting Depth: 1/4" Soil
Temp. for Germ.: 75-90°F
A/K/A 'Melanzana Viserba
Lunga' Cylindrical, glossy purple
skinned fruits with bitter free
flesh. 
Stunning striped
fruits are 1" wide by 3" long. The
fruits turn from two-toned green to
two toned orange. Holds very well in
fresh or dried arrangements or good
to eat. Strong flavored fruits, but
not bitter.
Water eggplant sufficiently to moisten the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. The critical period for moisture is during fruit set and fruit development. Mulching can help to provide uniform moisture, conserve water and reduce weeds. Eggplants should receive slightly more than an inch of water weekly slightly more in sandy soils. Inexpensive Water timer systems
Fertilizer & Soil Requirements
Soil pH range 5.5 - 6.0 See Soil Ph for more extensive data.
Lime and fertilizer applications are best based on a soil test. In general, two pounds each of actual nitrogen, phosphorus (P2O5), and potash (K2O) per 1,000 square feet of garden space is adequate. An additional application of one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. after the fruit has set may be helpful to maintain plant development.
Garden SolutionsŪ Vegetable Food All-natural plant food promotes vigorous, healthy growth of peas, and other vegetables. Releases nutrients gradually, as plants need them. Mix into soil after seeds have sprouted, again in mid-season.
Pests
Aphids are Yellowish-pink to pale green plant lice that suck ......plant juices. They are a soft-bodied, oval/pear shaped insect and are commonly found on nearly all varieties of plants, vegetables, field crops, and fruit trees. [Images] Hot Pepper Wax
Beetles Colorado Potato Beetle, Flea beetle
Mites Tomato Russet Mite, Spider Mites
Root Knot Nematodes are microscopic worms that infect plants and cause swelling on the roots and stems, and small knots on the roots [Images]. When infected, the plants will wilt. Garlic as a companion not only repels vampires and the opposite sex but is said to repel nematodes as well. Crop rotation is also vital in avoiding nematodes. Once infested Predator Nematodes
will control the populations of parasitic nematodes.
Pepper Maggot Infestations can be patchy and sporadic even in locations where there is a history of such infestations. To reduce populations, sanitation and crop rotation is helpful. Pick up any fallen peppers and destroy them. Destroy any horse-nettles [Images] in the vicinity as they are also host plants to the Pepper maggot..
Preventive Maintenance / Effective methods to avoid and control disease in your Garden
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Verticillium wilt starts
with a general or blotchy yellowing of the lower
leaves and a wilting of youngest shoots in
direct sunlight. At first, the wilted shoots may
recover over night. The leaf veins turn brown,
followed by shoots browning and lower leaf drop.
Leaves higher up on the plant turn dull green in
color and the edges curl upwards. Plants are
stunted and defoliated with only the growing
tips remaining green. The fruits are small and
may sunscald. The branches tend to be less erect
than those of healthy plants, giving
Verticillium-infected plants a prostrate
appearance. When the stem is cut open, the the
water conductive plant tissues may be brownish
near the soil line. |
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Recommended treatment Blossom-End Rot Control 
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Written by experts in the field, Quick Easy Guides share
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