How to Grow Eggplants
By Faith Wright-Draper aka byfaithonly
Eggplants are one of those vegetables that you
either love it or you can leave it. I for example
have every year planted at least 1 or 2
eggplants; I eat one and give the rest away. I
don’t love them but just feel the garden
isn’t complete without one. This year I
planted 4 – bought a package of 4 and
wouldn’t you know all four survived 2 frosts
and a hail storm. I have an abundance of eggplant
on hand now.
Growing eggplant is really simple for the most
part. If you live in a warmer climate where you
have a long growing season you can plant seeds
but us northerners normally put out plants that
were started indoors or in greenhouses.
The growing period from seed to maturity can be
100-150 days depending on your growing conditions
so you will need to judge from your location
whether you will plant seeds or transplants. The
plants prefer temperatures in the 80-90s.
Soil for Your Eggplant
Eggplants prefer loamy fertile soil so if you
don’t have that you may want to add some
manure or better yet start a compost pile and add
compost through the season. Some people get all
technical when it comes to soil ph and such but
in all honesty I have never tested my soil and
have always gotten at least one or two eggplant
for the table.
Another important consideration is the soil
temperature – eggplants like their feet warm
all the time and will not do well if the soil
temperature drops below around 65 degrees. A way
to avoid this is once the plants are in the soil
cover the ground around the plant with black
plastic; I use black garbage bags for all my warm
footed plants.
A little extra heat helper is using a few rocks
to hold the plastic in place. During the day when
the sun is shining the rocks warm up and will act
as heaters during the night releasing heat to the
plants.
An added advantage to using black plastic is the
black attracts heat and the plastic helps to keep
weeds from growing up around your plants.
Spacing your plants is important also. Most
directions I’ve read say to plant them 18-24
inches apart but I have never planted them more
than a foot apart and they have done just fine.
You can also grow eggplants in 12 inch pots so go
ahead and put one on your patio or deck they are
an attractive plant and a great conversation
piece when they start to bare fruit.
Starting from Seeds
If you are going to start your eggplant from seed
it’s a good idea to soak them in water
overnight to help the germination process then
plant them about ½ inch deep. You will need to
keep the soil moist. Germination takes 7-10 days
but if the temperatures are cooler it may take
longer.
If you are planting your seeds directly outside I
suggest a light watering and then place a plastic
‘mini-greenhouse’ over the spot. I make
my greenhouses out of empty milk and juice jugs.
To make a ‘mini-greenhouse’ remove the
cap from the jug and throw it away, with a sharp
knife cut the bottom off the jug. When you place
it over your young plant or seed stand it up with
the small opening at the top – this gives a
place for heat to escape so you don’t cook
your plants but the greenhouse helps keep the
soil moisture in, pests and critters out, and
reminds you where you planted your seeds.
You can now place your black plastic around the
area outside the jug if you’d like to keep
the soil warm and weeds down.
If you want to try starting your own seeds
indoors it’s best to plant your seeds in
organic pots which can later be planted directly
in the ground but I have started them in small
plastic pots and transplanted with no problem.
Remember you will need to put your seed pots in a
warm location, provide plenty of light, and keep
the soil moist but not wet. Before placing your
plants outside you will want to adjust them to
outdoor living. The best way to do this is to
place your plants outside during the day and
bring them in at night. Starting with putting
them in a shaded protected spot will insure they
don’t get sunburned the first day out.
Once the danger of frost has passed you can
transplant your seedlings to the garden following
the directions above. I like to leave the
‘greenhouses’ on my plants until they
are 3-6 inches tall.
Keeping them Growing
Eggplants are fairly drought resistant and
don’t like to be wet all the time. Using
mulch or plastic around the plants will help keep
the soil moist and less frequent watering. Even
in the hottest points of the summer with no water
for weeks I only water every 3-4 days.
Your average eggplant will grow to about 3 feet
tall but I have had plants that never made it
past 2 feet and others as much as 4, they all
produced fine. Some fresh fertilizer, compost, or
mulch once they start to bloom helps to produce
more blooms.
According to the experts eggplants are prone to a
number of pests such as potato beetles and aphids
but I have never had any problems at all.
Reaping the Benefits
Although the original eggplants were a creamy
white color, where they got their name, most
varieties today are a deep purple. You will know
they are mature when the skin is a glossy dark
color. If the skin turns dull you waited too long
and the eggplant will have a bitter taste.
You can also test the maturity by poking the skin
with your finger – gently press on it and if
you leave an imprint of your finger you know
it’s ready. DON’T pull it off the plant
– use a sharp knife or cutters and cut the
stem. This helps to encourage more growth.
Simply pick your favorite eggplant recipe or get
suggestions from friends and enjoy this fresh
vegetable you have grown yourself.
| Faith Wright-Draper (aka
byfaithonly) has been writing for over 40
years as a journalist, ghostwriting, and
freelancing. She currently writes for
several blogs, freelances, and on her own
website www.byfaithonly.com
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