The most popular variety of eggplant that people will recognize
immediately is the black beauty. It is that dark purple colored eggplant
that is about ten to twelve inches long and an oblong shape. However
there are more than a dozen varieties available.
Eggplants like it
warm. In fact they like the ground to be hot. This does not mean if the
ground is a bit cooler they won't grow. What it means is to have your
eggplants excel in growth and produce faster the temperature of the soil
should be around eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit (twenty-nine Celsius).
The
best way to keep that temperature up there is by placing grass
clippings around the base of the plant. When the grass clippings begin
to decompose heat is generated and that heat transfers to the soil
giving your eggplant the optimal growing temperature.
Because
eggplants like it warm, I recommend that you start your seeds indoors.
You can buy a portable mini greenhouse for less than five bucks at home
and garden centers. Place them on your window sill where the sun hits
first thing in the morning and in a few days your eggplant seeds will
have germinated. Once there is no fear of frost outdoors and your
eggplants are at least three inches tall you can them move them to the
outdoors.
Once you have planted them in the ground, keep in mind
that eggplants require lots of water and full sun. Without one, the
other or both, it will take longer for them to produce their fruit, if
at all. So make sure you pick a spot in the garden that receives sun all
day and give them a heavy watering every couple of days or so.
For
you advanced gardeners or those of you that want to take your vegetable
gardening to a whole new level, planting beans, peas, peppers and/or
potatoes alongside your eggplant all make for great companions to the
eggplant. Although companion planting goes beyond the scope of this
article, it is the process of planting different vegetables together in
the same area because they compliment each other for a number of
reasons. You can learn more about companion planting at our website.
Another
advanced technique is monitoring the pH level of your soil. Soil test
kits are available at your home or garden center for a couple of dollars
and you can obtain this reading in just a few minutes. Eggplants like
the soil to be a bit more acidic. Optimally the soil pH level should be
in the 5.5 to 7.0 range for best results. Again, you can find more
information about pH levels at our website.
Eggplant is best
harvested when it reaches maturity, which is about ten to twelve inches
in length for most varieties. Letting it go longer could result in
flavor loss and too soon makes for a less tasty and harder fruit. When
picking the eggplant I recommend that you use shears or garden scissors
and cut the eggplant from the plant at the stem leaving half of the stem
connected to the plant and half connected to the fruit.
Home Vegetable Gardening - Tips For Growing Eggplant
Reviewed by Samuel
Published :
Rating : 4.5
Published :
Rating : 4.5
