How To Grow Eggplant In Your Vegetable Garden

The queen of the hot weather garden is the eggplant. But how do you grow eggplant? How do you cook it? Is it good for you? If we have a short growing season, can I still grow eggplant? These are some of the most asked questions about this wonderful vegetable (or is it a fruit?). Come on along and we will explore them all.

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Growing Eggplant.

Eggplants are easy to grow where the summers are long and warm. In fact here in South Florida where I live, few things grow in the summertime. We mainly grow in the fall and winter. But eggplant is one garden vegetable I can grow all summer long. However, where summers are short, eggplant is a bit more of a challenge. But not impossible. You just have to know how to trick them into thinking you have a long hot summer.

 

What Is Eggplant?

Eggplant (also known as Aubergine, or Brinjal) is in the nightshade family. That is the same family that tomatoes, peppers, and Irish potatoes are in. So when considering garden rotation remember to move the whole family together and not let them grow in the same garden spot year after year.

An Eggplant is actually a tropical perennial and will continue to grow and produce fruit if it is not stressed by the cold. Some varieties can get over four feet tall under the right conditions. However, when grown as an annual they usually reach just 24″-36″. As with tomatoes and peppers, eggplant is actually a fruit though it is eaten as a vegetable.

How did the Eggplant get its name?

It is believed that the eggplants that were first brought into Europe had small white oval fruit, very much resembling an egg. Now the most common eggplants are dark purplish-black but they can be any shade from white to pink to lavender to dark purple. They can be solid or striped. Some even produce orange or green fruit. The large dark purple “Black Beauty” is the most common variety in stores today.

Where Is Eggplant From? Varieties of Eggplant.

Though the two most prominent varieties are the European large pear-shaped fruit and the long skinny Asian eggplant, there are varieties from all over. There are eggplants in North Africa, The Middle East, India, China, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, all across Europe and the US. Many of these areas have developed unique varieties.

The European “Black Beauty” is the eggplant you will most likely encounter in the US grocery store. But which is the best?

That depends. I prefer the Asian. There are both the Chinese and the Japanese varieties each with their own but similar characteristics. The Asian eggplant has a thinner skin that is not bitter so you do not have to peel it or salt it to remove the slightly bitter taste that the European eggplant has. However, my sister prefers the wide slices of the European for grilling and stuffing. Both have their merits. I’ve never tried the Turkish eggplant that looks like something between a tomato and a small pumpkin. Maybe someday that will be my “something new”, that I talk about so often.

How And When To Plant Eggplant.

The main concern for Eggplant is heat. Eggplants like a lot of it! They do not like the cold! Not even a little bit! Eggplant seeds prefer a temperature over 75° (F) to germinate. Since most varieties need warm weather for 16 to 24 weeks to produce fruit, most gardeners will need to give their seedlings an indoor head start under pot heat and lighting for 14-16 hours a day. In a greenhouse in the north, they will probably also need supplemental light as the days are just not long enough to give eggplant a good start and keep them from getting leggy. Don’t set the plants out for 3 weeks after your frost-free date and daytime temperatures are in the ’70s (F).  Don’t forget to harden them off before putting them into the soil.

If your summers are short, consider choosing a variety that matures quickly, is small, and can be planted in a pot that can be brought inside on cold nights. A single eggplant plant can produce several fruit so you will probably only need to grow one plant for your family unless you have a long growing season and you really really like eggplant.

Soil, Planting, and Care.

Eggplant is a vigorous grower and likes a very rich soil. They want a PH between 6.3 and 6.8. As sun lovers they need all the sun and heat you can give them. Putting down black plastic or a thick mulch to retain both the heat and even moisture is important. This also helps to keep down weeds. A raised bed or garden tower is best as they do not like to stand in water. Many northern gardeners may want to grow their eggplant in black pots to warm the soil or plant towers wrapped in black plastic. This method heats the roots and keeps them out of the water. Row covers are also a good option. Just remember to let the pollinators in during the flowering season. Eggplant is a heavy feeder so don’t forget to fertilize.

Eggplant is a large plant so make sure to leave plenty of elbow room. They need 24″-36″ of space for each plant. And don’t forget to stake them. When the stems get weighed down with maturing eggplants they can break and you won’t grow any more fruit.

Pests and Diseases.

The Flea Beetle is the worst pest of the eggplant. Verticillium wilt can cause your eggplant to wilt and die. That is why it is so important to rotate your vegetable families every year. Keep the eggplant away from your tomatoes and potatoes as they share the same diseases. Don’t plant eggplant in the same area that tomatoes or potatoes grew the year before.

Eggplant Nutrition.

Remember hearing as a kid, “Make sure you eat vegetables of every color”? This is where eggplant comes in. The eggplant, especially the purple skin, has many “good for you” nutrients. The lowly eggplant is a good source of Fiber, and vitamins B1, B6, B3, & K. It has Copper, Manganese, Potassium, and Folate and is a fairly good plant source of protein. The skin has phytonutrients that protect brain cells and reduce blood cholesterol while relaxing blood vessels and increasing blood flow. These phytonutrients can also remove excess iron from the blood which can build up in some individuals. They can also help lessen joint damage.

On the downside, they do contain small amounts of oxalates. Oxalates are not a problem for most people, but if you have current kidney or gallbladder problems you may wish to avoid eggplant.

Warning:

The only part of the eggplant “plant” that is edible is the fruit. All other parts, stem, leaves, and roots are poisonous.

Harvest and Storage.

To pick an eggplant the stem must be cut with a sharp knife or pruning shears leaving a short stub. Don’t try to break it off as you will damage the plant if you succeed. They have very strong stems. The fruit is best when fully mature, neither under or overripe. They should be full sized and shiny. If you cut it open and it has hard dark seeds it is overripe. You may store your bounty in the refrigerator for a few days up to about a week. As with all produce, it is fresher and more nutritious the sooner it is used. Eggplant, like apples, will oxidize (turn brown) soon after being cut. So they should be used right away or dipped in lemon juice or vinegar to retard the darkening.

How to Cook Eggplant.

Eggplant is such a versatile vegetable. It has such a mild flavor of its own and acts like a sponge taking on the flavors of anything it is cooked with. Eggplant is wonderful grilled, fried, baked or stewed. It pairs well with summer squash, like in ratatouille, or with tomatoes, as in moussaka. You can slice it thin, dip it in bread crumbs or potato flakes, and bake it for a quick low-fat “chip”. Just remember, Eggplant acts like a sponge when cooked in oil, turning your otherwise low-calorie vegetable into a high-calorie diet buster.

Here are a few recipes to use up the wonderful bounty from that one eggplant.

Eggplant Parmesan

Ratatouille

Moussaka

Baba Ghanoush

Eggplant Pizza

Enjoy your eggplant and Have A Ducky Day!