• Everything other than hot peppers. Questions, discussion, and grow logs. Cannabis grow pics are only allowed when posted from a legal juridstiction.

Sorellina's Eggplants 2009

Ciao all-

Here's what's going on with my eggplants so far. I sowed my seeds on 20 Feb in pro-mix with bottom heat:

Caspers + Tigerette Cherry micro-dwarf tomatoes

CasperEggplantsTigeretteCherries032.jpg


Rosa Biancas + Red Robin & Florida Petite micro-dwarf tomatoes

RosaBiancaEggplantsFloridaPetiteRed.jpg


The Caspers always out-perform other varieties in the germination/growing/production department, but Rosa Biancas out-perform in the flavour department so I grow both.
 
That looks great Julianna!

When do you plant out?

Do you grow your eggplant under cover?

What (if anything) do you use for fertilizer?

My eggplants did so-so last year. I think because it was a bit of a wet summer with a really late cold snap but I'm always looking to learn :)
 
Ciao lostmind-

Thanks for the compliment. I normally try to plant out about a week or so after the tomatoes, so usually the last weekend in May. Eggplants are more tender than tomatoes, which for me is ok because I have my hands full usually with 70 or so tomato plants to plant out. This way I can stagger the hardening off/planting out process. I use a very basic 20:20:20 fertilizer when I pot up to the 16 oz cups. When I plant out, I switch to 10:52:10 for a boost in root growth. I don't need to grow under cover because Toronto's climate by that time isn't super rainy. I try to plant out on an overcast day or one that isn't forecast to be super hot and always at daybreak. Eggplants are a little more finicky than tomatoes and shock easily. You don't want a windy day either.

Last year's results for all of us were pretty much subpar. In a good year, I'm chasing people down with my extra eggplants, but last year I barely had enough for making caponata and a few grilled veggie sandwiches.
 
Last year I only grew the japanese long eggplants. In pots. This year I am growing the long eggplants again and fairy tale.

It's nice to see that your routine is nice and simple! Perhaps some of my problem was putting out the eggplants too early. I recall we had a cold snap after I had moved everything out. I'll try to have more patience this year...
 
Ciao all-

Here's an update on my eggplants. They're really starting to take off now. Photos taken 4 April 09:

Casper

CasperEggplantsandTigeretteCherryTo.jpg


Rosa Bianca

RosaBiancaEggplantsandRedRobinFlori.jpg
 
Hi Julianna,
Wow, you are a great eggplant grower! I sadly seem to be an eggplant killer....lol. I am on round three of a few varieties. I have only got three that are now outside growing... are eggplant fragile to grow from seed or is it just me???
 
Ciao Bren-

Eggplants respond to warm conditions and they are a bit more finicky to transplant shock than some of the other members of the nightshade family. I'm not sure where Atwood is, but unless you have consistent temps in the mid-20's Celsius or mid-70's Fahrenheit and warmish nights, it's too early for them to be in the ground or outside permanently yet. I germinate my eggplants using bottom heat like Duane does for his peppers and I also do for my tomatoes and basil. These are all Mediterranean plants and like it warm. Germination for eggplants is between that of peppers and tomatoes, typically 7-14 days. They also grow more slowly than tomatoes but faster than peppers.
 
eggplant

I live in Southern California and the temps are warm enough.... I think it must just be me...lol.
Right now I have only one turkish orange eggplant, one casper, one millionaire, and a baby fairy tale that are good sized plants outside. Inside I am still trying to get a couple other varieties going( I use the heat pad thing to get them germinated inside , etc too). I have not had problems with peppers or tomatoes... only eggplants.
 
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