You sure can! It’s called overwintering. And, if your climate is warm enough (or you can keep the plant warm enough) you can keep your same eggplant plant alive for years to come.
Does eggplant come back every year?
Although eggplant is a perennial, it is more commonly grown as an annual.
How cold is too cold for eggplants?
Things to consider when growing Eggplant: Eggplant temperature requirements are high. They need temperatures from 20°C to 30°C (70°F – 85°F) and plenty of sunlight in order to thrive. Frost or temperature above 35°C (95°F) may cause a delay in flowering and serious damage to tissues and flowers.
How do you prune an eggplant for the winter?
Prune to the lowest growth before winter to keep it as a perennial. In the fall before temperatures drop and the first frost forms, prune your plant back to the lowest point of new growth. New growth should still be green on the outside and inside. This will require you to harvest any remaining fruit.
What is the life cycle of eggplant?
Adult Plants – It takes eggplant 70 to 120 days to reach maturity, depending on the variety. When mature, they have a main stem and several stems that branch out. The stems grow large, leathery leaves that are oval shaped. Some varieties of eggplant leaves can be spiny or hairy.
Should I prune my eggplant?
ANSWER: Eggplants, like fellow nightshade family member tomatoes benefit from staking and pruning. In fact, eggplant actually produces more fruit when pruned. Pruning eggplant can also improve the fruit quality of the plant, and decrease the plant’s susceptibility to disease.
How do I revive eggplant?
Spread black plastic over the bare soil around plants, avoiding plant stems, to warm the soil, and cover plants with either floating spun fabric or large, clear soda or water bottles with their bases cut off.
Do eggplant plants keep producing?
Eggplant tastes best when harvested young. Then, the plant’s energy will go into producing new fruit. If you harvest early and often, the plant will be quite prolific.
Which veggies are perennials?
Perennial Vegetables
- Artichoke (Try Jerusalem, also known as Sunchokes.)
- Asparagus (Keep the bed weed-free, and they’ll produce for 20 years or more.
- Broccoli (Not all varieties are perennial.
- Radicchio.
- Rhubarb.
- Spinach (Not all varieties are perennial.
- Sweet Potato.
- Tree cabbages/tree collards.
Will eggplant survive a frost?
In general, a frost (31-33 degrees F.) will kill beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peas, pepper, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and watermelon.
How do you protect eggplant from frost?
Protect Eggplants
For large eggplant plants, as well as tomatoes, get a few sturdy wooden garden stakes. Pound them in the soil around the plant. Then wrap your bubble wrap around the stakes and over the top to protect your plant.
Should eggplants touch the ground?
Yes, it’s wise to create a support for eggplants. Staking eggplant keeps the fruit from touching the ground, which in turn, reduces the risk of disease and fosters fruit shape, especially for elongated eggplant varieties.
Should you pick the flowers off of eggplant?
Pruning eggplants during planting
Pruning your eggplant when transplanting out your seedlings into the garden bed is definitely necessary and just a matter of pinching off ALL of the flowers. This will encourage the plant to produce roots and leaves instead of fruit at this very early stage.
How do you prune an old eggplant?
When pruning eggplant, the traditional shape to go for has three stems. You should leave the first main division, where the first two stems diverge from the base, as well as one other strong stem. Remove all others.
How long do eggplant plants produce?
Eggplants usually grow for only a single year before dying. This member of the nightshade family is one of the shorter-lived fruit plants. If you live in a tropical climate, the eggplant may produce fruit for 2–3 years. These purple fruits will ripen July through October.
How big do eggplants get before you pick them?
You can harvest eggplants any time that you see it, starting when it’s only an inch or two long.
What is the best month to plant eggplant?
4. How to grow eggplant? Plant eggplant at the correct time
- Start seeds indoors: December 15 – January and May 1 – June.
- Plant transplants outside: March and July 15 – August 15.
What should you not plant next to eggplant?
What Not To Plant With Eggplant. Do not plant fennel near your eggplant. Fennel inhibits growth in many plants, including eggplant. Geraniums can host diseases that also affect eggplant such as leaf blight and root rot, so it is best to avoid planting them with eggplant.
Why do eggplant leaves turn yellow?
Yellowing of leaves is often caused by care problems like irregular watering or a lack of nitrogen in the soil. Plants that aren’t getting enough water may initially wilt during midday, yellowing as the water stress increases.
Are eggplant leaves edible?
Eggplant is another member of that infamous nightshade family. Sometimes people are under the impression that eating raw eggplant is poisonous, which isn’t true. However, the leaves and flowers of eggplants will probably make you sick, as that’s where most of the toxic solanine is concentrated.
How do you take care of an outdoor eggplant?
Eggplants do best when the soil is consistent soil moisture. Water regularly, especially when the plants are young so that they develop deep roots. Avoid overhead watering to prevent disease, but consider using mulch to keep soil moist, warm, and to keep weeds down.