Eggplants are typically grown as annuals. It’s best to plan for your eggplant to produce fruit for one year, then die. So, you can grow them on the same cycle as squash, zucchini, and pumpkins.
Is eggplant an annual or perennial?
annual
Although eggplant is a perennial, it is more commonly grown as an annual. Eggplant flowers are star-shaped in various shades of purple and usually form on opposite leaves as either solitary blooms or grouped in clusters of two or more. They are perfect and primarily self-pollinating.
How long do eggplants keep producing?
While other vegetables struggle through the summer, eggplants will keep producing until fall. Eggplants can be started from seed, but if you are new to gardening, planting transplants is a safer bet. Plant eggplants in sandy loam soil in full-sun about two feet apart, as they can grow up to four feet tall.
How long does it take for eggplants to grow?
around 70 to 80 days
Eggplants do not mature until around the 100-day mark, but you should not wait that long to harvest because young eggplants have the best taste. Prepare to harvest eggplants around 70 to 80 days after transplanting. If your eggplant is about six to nine inches and its skin is glossy, you can begin harvesting.
How many eggplants do you get from one plant?
The standard eggplant produces egg-shaped, glossy, purple-black fruit. ‘Black Beauty’ is the traditional eggplant size. One plant produces 4 to 6 large rounded fruit.
Do eggplants grow back after winter?
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 grow all year round?
The plant is in the same Solanaceae family as tomatoes and peppers, so it may grow from year to year, depending on the climate.
How long does it take for eggplant to grow after flowering?
50 to 80 days
How long does it take for eggplant to grow after flowering? Depending on the variety and the region in which you are gardening, different cultivars of eggplant will develop mature fruit within 50 to 80 days after flowering.
How do I get my eggplant to produce more fruit?
If you have poor fruit set, hand-pollinate the flowers to help increase production. Use an electric toothbrush to vibrate to flower stems (not the flowers themselves) for a few seconds each to help the pollen move within the flowers. 9. The more frequently the fruits are harvested, the greater the fruit set.
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.
Do eggplants need a lot of water?
In hot climates, young plants need to be watered twice a week, to a depth of 12 inches. Eggplants do not like standing water, so mature plants should be watered deeply and infrequently. But do not allow the leaves to wilt during the day.
How tall does eggplant grow?
Plants can grow 2 to 4 feet tall and wide, which means they need to be staked. Eggplants also thrive in heat like their close relatives tomatoes and peppers, so they go outside until after cool spring temperatures pass.
Why are the flowers falling off my eggplant?
Eggplant Blossoms Drying Out from Lack of Water
When an eggplant plant is stressed, its blossoms will dry up and drop off without producing fruit. The most common reason a eggplant gets stressed is due to a lack of water. Your eggplant needs at least 2 inches (5 cm.) of water a week, more in very hot weather.
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.
What is the best fertilizer for eggplant?
Fertilize weekly with a soluble fertilizer. Until the plants start to flower use a balanced fertilizer with a 1-1-1 ratio such as 20-20-20 or 20-30-20. Once flowering starts switch to a high potassium blend such as 9-15-30 or any fertilizer with a 1-1.5-3 or 4 ratio.
How big should an eggplant be before you pick it?
You can harvest eggplants any time that you see it, starting when it’s only an inch or two long.
Should I trim eggplant leaves?
After the eggplant begins to flower, clip the lower leaflets from the main branch. Removing these leaves boosts air circulation and allows light to penetrate the canopy. Continue to prune away suckers throughout the entire growing season to boost plant vigor and increase food production.
Should I pinch off eggplant flowers?
As your eggplant starts to bloom, pinch the first buds you see coming through. Use your fingers to gently pinch the buds right where they meet the stem of the plant. This encourages your plant to put more energy into growing sturdy stalks and deep roots instead of producing new fruit right away.
Should I trim my eggplant plant?
With adequate protection from frost, however, eggplants will grow for several years. This means they can get very large, and sometimes more than a little leggy or worn out. To ensure a strong plant and maximum fruit production, eggplant pruning is a good idea in the long term.
Do eggplants need full sun?
S. melongena thrives in full sun, with a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day, and fertile, well draining soil with a pH between 5.5-7.2. As members of the Solanaceae family, along with peppers and tomatoes, it’s no surprise that eggplants prefer hot weather.
Do eggplant flowers become fruit?
Again, fruit cannot form without a flower, so there will be no eggplant fruit development if the flowers drop off. Eggplants can use wind pollination which means they do not rely entirely on bees or other insects to pollinate them.