Eggplants: Ancient Treasures For Your Modern Garden

by: Liz Roberts

Eggplants are a delicious addition to any plate as well as any garden. Once harvested you can prepare them in a variety of different ways. They are great as the spicy Middle Eastern dip, baba ganoush to breaded Italian style slices. Grow eggplants to add color to your dining room table or backyard plot.

Eggplants are one of the oldest known vegetables. The Indians and Chinese have been eating them since 400 BC. During the fourth century AD they found their way into Arab gardens. From there, they spread throughout the Mediterranean and became a staple in many cuisines. Italian, Spanish and Greek immigrants then brought them over to America where they flourished in summer and warmer climate yards. Now the classic purple oval or the tear dropped shape are as American as the apple.

There are several different kinds of eggplant you can cultivate. Before you plant decide what you want. Do you want a plant that will give you a high yield or one that will simply look decorative? Some varieties such as the Black Bill will yield only eight to ten eggplants depending upon where you live (climate is a big factor in harvests). If you want a bigger crop the go with the Asian varieties such as the Ping Tung Long or the smaller Bambino. These can yield between anywhere from twelve to twenty-four fruits per plant. They are great for grilling, stir fries, and kabobs. Most eggplants taste about the same except for the white skinned kind. Their flavor is somewhat milder and less bitter tasting.

Remember that eggplant seeds grow their best in warm environments. Place indoors for eight to ten weeks before the last frost occurs. Space them about ½ inch apart in a flat filled with a commercial seed medium and cover with a ¼ inch of soil. Keep room temps at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can buy a heating mat for better results. Heating mats are trays that speed up plant germination. If you buy one, make sure you also buy the accompanying thermostat. Together, they should cost anywhere from between $50 to $100 dollars depending on the mat’s size. The usual price is around $75 for an average size one. Keep the flats moist, remembering that additional heat will cause them to quickly dry out. Shut your head mat off during the day (the temperature should drop 10 degrees) for best germination results. Eggplant seeds don’t normally germinate all at once. They can take anywhere from seven to fifteen days to emerge.

You'll have to thin out seedlings when they start sprouting or showing what’s known as their true leaves. Thin out so that there’s a two inch distance between them. If your plants start getting large enough that their leaves begin touching adjacent plants, then it’s time to transplant them to five inch pots. One week before transplanting begins conditioning plants to the outdoors. Take them out for a few hours during the first day. Increase the amount of time outdoors as the week progresses. The young eggplants should then be able to tolerate an entire day in the sun. Keep in mind that they are also considered tropical plants. Don’t rush them too quickly into the spring air .Many gardeners wait one or two weeks after they've planted their peppers and tomatoes to transplant their eggplants. If you have a cool spring climate, then lay black plastic over the beds for two weeks prior to preheat the soil. You can also plant your eggplants near any heat absorbing stone, brick or rock wall. This will keep them warm on chilly nights. Space your plants 15 inches apart in rows and then cover them if overnight temps dip below 60 degrees F. A good blanket is a simple polypropylene cover that you can buy at your local nursery (usually for under $20 for a 25 foot sheet). Don’t worry about leaving it on the plants the next morning. It will let in 85 % sunlight if you leave it on during the day as well as keeping out any pests.

Eggplants thrive in deep, fertile soil with plenty of sunlight and surrounding warmth. Before you transplant them, work about six cubits of compost into the soil’s top six inches of a 100 square foot bed.(roughly enough compost for ten plants).

Once planted, your eggplants will need uniform moisture, warmth and fertility to produce good harvests. Remember that any stress (including transplant shock) will reduce yields and also increase the chance of them getting verticillium wilt. This is a common eggplant disease that can either kill them or stunt their growth. Also be on the lookout for Colorado potato beetles that eat small holes in the eggplant’s leaves. These can defoliate any plant in no time. Water your eggplants on a weekly basis if there is no rain. Feed them every two weeks with a fish emulsion(at half the amount recommended for monthly use). Alternate with one application of 15 to 20 lbs. of composted manure or 2 ½ lbs. of a low nitrogen fertilizer such as a 5-20-20. Too much nitrogen , however , will produce a plant with lush foliage but little fruit.

Your plants will probably grow 3 to 4 feet tall. Stake them to keep the fruit from touching the ground. To stake your bed of eggplants, drive 3 ft stakes into the ground after every third plant, around the area’s perimeter. When your plants reach 10 to 12 inches tall, tie sisal twine around the first stake. Now string it around each stake until all of your stakes are connected. Then tie the twine around the bed at 10 to 12 inches from the ground. As the plants grow, do another tying when they reach 18 to 20 inches. This will keep the plants straight and the fruit from falling over.

Be wise when it comes to harvest time. Most gardeners make the typical mistake of picking the fruit too late. DON’T! The sooner you pick them, the better they'll taste. Pick when the skin has a glossy, shiny look. Once eggplants appear dull, it means they’re over ripe. Begin to harvest when they are also 1/3 of their maximum size. Use a sharp knife to cut them off the parent plant, leaving one inch of the green stem or calyx. Store your eggplants in a 45 to 50 degree room with high humidity to preserve both their texture and flavor.

Eggplants are a great addition to your garden and your tables. These ancient treasures are perfect for any backyard as well as for any meal. Plant them for their beauty and bounty just as the Indians and Chinese did many centuries ago.

Breaded Eggplants

by: Liz Roberts

• 1 eggplant, medium sized, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
• 1 egg well beaten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Let slices stand one hour on paper towels to get rid of any moisture.

Dip into beaten egg and then dredge in breadcrumbs. Make sure slices are evenly coated.

Fry until golden. Serve with a spritz of fresh lemon.