gardenbean
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Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:47 pm
Location: Westminster Colorado

Anyone for Eggplant?

Finally got my "tenders" outside about to 2 weeks ago and so far so good. At first I saw signs of something beginning to nibble on their leafs so I sprinkled some caynnee pepper on this early one morning and haven't had a problem with those pesky bugs since.

First time growing them so I am excited that I have come this far with them and they haven't died on me!! :P From I can see they sure do love the sun and as long as I keep their roots wet not soggy they seem to be thriving right along.........

Oh yea, I am growing Black Beauty, I didn't realize there were other types :roll:

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digitS'
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Location: ID/WA! border

I'm for Eggplant, Gardenbean!

This may be a challenging year for eggplant here but, at least, I'm armed against the potato bugs this time around! I figger I've got the beetles beat! Now, if our spring weather will just warm up . . .

Probably the first mistake new gardeners make with eggplants is to not realize how tender they are. It looks like you had the right plan for your garden!

Other types? Yep! I have only 2 varieties this year - both Asian, 1 long green and 1 long lavender. Because eggplant makes awfully good casseroles, usually, Dusky has a place in my garden. That is an Italian bell that I can trust to mature. It isn't very large but has the right shape for what we might expect for an eggplant casserole.

Since the green varieties seem so unlikely to be bitter, I've also grown AppleGreen. It is almost round and about the size of a softball!

I really messed up not ordering seed for Dusky & AppleGreen this year! But, 2010 was the most difficult year ever for potato beetles in the eggplant. However, both the garden center guy and Cornell University have assured me that spinosad is effective against the dang beetles. They'd just better watch out if'n they think they are going to dine on my eggplants this year!

Steve :wink:

pepper4
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Location: Ohio

I love eggplant but I never grew it myself. I found a good recipe for eggplant parmesean one of the fellow gardeners shared. It was really good. You might want to check it out. :)

gumbo2176
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Location: New Orleans

I currently have 3 different types growing. I have Black Beauty, Ichiban and a smaller variety whose name escapes that are similar to Ichiban only smaller. Between them and the Ichiban, I have enough for grilling almost on a weekly basis. The Black Beauty are used for casseroles, frying and Eggplant Parmesan.


I can't imagine a summer garden without eggplants.

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

My three varieties are: Rosa Bianca, Ping Tung Long, and Early Black Japanese. 8)

AppleGreen sounds interesting in terms of shape and color. is that a hybrid or heirloom?

gardenvt
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I'm growing Beatrice, Nadia and Rosa Bianca. There are tiny fruits on several of the plants.

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gixxerific
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Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

Last year was a bust for me. I had Rosa Bianca and Listada de gandia (SP).

Applegreen looked interesting to me but I just can't trust anything with the word apple in it. :wink: :P

nosta
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Location: Upstate South Carolina

I'm not a big eggplant fan, but my wife absolutely loves it. I always do 2 plants for her in the garden. This year both are Black Beauty. Her favorite dish is fried eggplant drizzled with fresh homemade jalapeno hot sauce. I prefer the jalapeno hot sauce on my fried green tomatoes.
:)

gardenvt
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Eggplant gratin.

BrianIllinois
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Location: Southern Illinois

I've got four black beauties and two nadias growing. They've got multiple flowers, but no fruits yet.
Here's a word of caution to other eggplant growers: I saw my first japanese beetle today, near the eggplants. Those worthless bugs seem to absolutely love the eggplants. They really munched on my leaves last year.

BrianIllinois
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:55 am
Location: Southern Illinois

I've got four black beauties and two nadias growing. They've got multiple flowers, but no fruits yet.
Here's a word of caution to other eggplant growers: I saw my first japanese beetle today, near the eggplants. Those worthless bugs seem to absolutely love the eggplants. They really munched on my leaves last year.

csvd87
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Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:12 pm
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada

I have 7 varieties growing, Black Beauty, Thai Yellow, Thai White Ribbed, Turkish Orange, Listada de Gandia, Gretel (transplanted from my Hydro), and Kazakhstan. All different shapes and sizes, Hope they do well, so far June has been June, and not the June-uary we had last year. They seem to be growing, even with the cool nights.

Jeffross1968
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Location: Western NC Zone 6b

I have four black beauties growing...well, kinda. They were hit pretty hard by flea beetles. Hopefully with that beat things can progress. They plants seem to be growing, but no flowers yet...

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

@gixx -- I'm not going to comment or people might think I'm paranoid.... :>

garden5
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Location: ohio

I tried to grow eggplant once. I got some seed, planted them indoors and as they grew, they looked like tomato seedlings. They even smelled like tomato seedlings.

I planted them in the garden and they grew to resemble tomato plants. They are in the same family, so I figured that was the reason why.

Well, they eventually fruited and I got several dozen medium-sized tomatoes :lol:.

gardenvt
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I also found my first Japanese beetle on the eggplants yesterday morning (then a gross worm eating my shallots and leeks last night). I squished the bugger. The Japanese beetles will eat anything green.

I am going to keep squishing them and maybe get some traps.

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

(1) Fleabeetles are turning mine into lace.
(2) I just discovered 2 more eggplant starts in my dappled shade nursery corner. :o
These look well with no fleabeetle damage -- go figure. :roll:
(3) Overnight temp dipped to 54ºF this morning. :shock:

gardenbean
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Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:47 pm
Location: Westminster Colorado

After reading the previous posts I ran outside to check up on my "tenders" Still there and no bugs. :shock: I didn't realize how much work these plants need. :lol:

johnny123
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Eggplant parm tonight!!!



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