50-65 days.
They take an average of 50-65 days to mature after transplanting, depending on the variety. We sowed our eggplant seeds in late March, planted them out into the garden in late-May, and began harvesting eggplants in the third week of July.
Are Chinese eggplants easy to grow?
Eggplants from China tend to be elongated and deeply purple with glossy skin. They are excellent in stir fry and soup. They are quite easy to grow as long as they receive plenty of sun and heat.
How fast do eggplant plants 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 big do Chinese eggplants get?
Chinese eggplants are long and thin, averaging 15-20 centimeters in length and 5 centimeters in diameter. These fruits can be crooked or straight, and its thin outer skin ranges from violet to bright purple.
How long does it take for Japanese eggplant to grow?
around 70 to 80 days
Prepare to harvest Japanese eggplants around 70 to 80 days after transplanting, or when they’re about the size of a finger (for the Little Finger variety) or a hot dog (for the Ichiban variety), and the skin is glossy and wrinkle-free.
Do eggplants need a lot of water?
Water eggplant deeply and infrequently, applying 1-2 inches per week. Use drip irrigation if possible. Mulching around the plant will conserve soil moisture and reduce weed growth. Irrigate so that moisture goes deeply into the soil.
How long do eggplant plants live?
three years
How long do eggplant plants live? Eggplant plants can live up to three years in very warm climates, like zones 10-12. But in most regions they’re grown as annuals, and only live for one season.
How many eggplants will one plant produce?
Eggplants typically grow 18 to 36 inches tall with a spread of 24 to 36 inches. Each plant bears between two to 12 fruits, although this number varies based on the variety and growing conditions.
How do you grow Chinese eggplant?
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost, and plant outside well after the last frost has passed. In a seed tray with peat-free potting soil or garden compost, sow seeds ¼ inch (0.6cm) deep. Water the seed tray well, and place on a heated mat. Eggplant seeds need warm soil (80-90°F) to germinate.
Can you plant two eggplants together?
Two feet (61 cm.) apart is fine, although 2 ½ feet (76 cm.) apart will keep you from accidentally breaking branches as you are harvesting your eggplant fruits. If you are planting lots of eggplant and need rows, leave an area 30-36 inches (76-91.5 cm.)
When should I harvest Chinese eggplant?
Depending on the cultivar, Asian eggplants are ready to pick as early as 50 days after sowing outdoors, although most varieties take around 60 days. Using gardening scissors, cut the fruit off the vine, half an inch from the top’s green part (the calyx).
How long does Chinese eggplant last?
about 5 days
If delivered fresh and properly stored, Chinese eggplants will last up to about 5 days. Some food experts recommend storing eggplants outside the refrigerator, away from direct sunlight. Storing Chinese eggplants with other types of fresh produce may cause them to spoil more quickly.
How do you know when Chinese eggplant is ripe?
To know for sure your eggplant is ready, harvest one and cut it open. The skin should be tender and delicate, the flesh firm, and the seeds should be small, pale and tightly packed. In an overripe eggplant, the seeds will be darker, and the flesh around the mature seeds may be looser.
How many Japanese eggplants does one plant produce?
The long, slender Japanese eggplant has a thinner skin and more delicate flavor. ‘Ichiban’: 10- to 12-inch, slim, purple/black fruit; bears until frost. Expect a dozen or more fruit from one plant.
How do you make eggplant grow faster?
Eggplants prefer warm soil. You can speed up their growth, by laying black plastic over your garden soil a few weeks before planting or mulching the plants with dark compost. 8. The first few flowers may drop off of each plant and fail to produce, but the remaining flowers will each yield a single fruit.
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 long does it take for an eggplant to bear fruit?
Eggplants are ready to harvest as soon as 70 days after sowing the seeds. Harvest fruits with skin that is glossy and thin. Eggplants can be harvested when they are small, though growing them longer allows for a larger harvest.
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.
Is it difficult to grow eggplant?
Whether you call it eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal, Solanum melongena is interesting to grow and great fun to eat. Ben Vanheems has covered growing eggplant in cooler climates, but even if you have plenty of heat, eggplant can be a tricky crop.
Should I pinch off eggplant flowers?
Pinch all new blossoms 4 weeks before the first frost.
Pinching new blossoms before the winter encourages the plant to ripen existing fruit instead of putting energy into new growth. You can manually pinch off new blossoms or use garden shears to cut below the base of the blossom.