They can be harvested when they are just 3-6 inches long – starting 60 days after transplanting. These tiny, slim eggplants are tender, with thin skin and few seeds.
How big is a Japanese eggplant?
about 9-10 inches long
The plants grow about 2 feet tall and wide, and produce gorgeous dark, deep purple eggplants with matching purple calyxes. These slender fruits grow about 9-10 inches long, and have a mild delicate flavor.
What is considered a small eggplant?
Description/Taste. Baby eggplants are petite with varying shapes from short and stout to slightly elongated and narrow, averaging only 5-7 centimeters in length.
What is the difference between Japanese and regular eggplant?
Characterized by their long, narrow shape, both Japanese and Chinese eggplant can be hard to differentiate. Japanese eggplant tends to have a much deeper purple color, while Chinese eggplant is usually lighter, more lavender-purple, and is sometimes even longer.
Why are my eggplants so small?
Why are my plants so small and growing slowly? Eggplants are sensitive to the cold. Either a transplant has been planted into cold soil, or a young plant has experienced cold weather, or a transplant that became root bound before being planted may be stunted for a short while or for the full growing season.
How Big Should Japanese eggplant be before picking?
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.
How do I know when my Japanese eggplant is ready to pick?
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.
What is the difference between Japanese and Italian eggplant?
The smaller version of the larger purple skinned eggplant is often called Italian or baby eggplant. These have a somewhat more intense flavor and the flesh is much more tender. The straight thin eggplants known as Japanese or Asian eggplant have thin delicate skins like Italian eggplant but the flesh is sweeter.
Are Smaller eggplants better?
Choose small eggplant for best flavor
According to SFGATE, selecting small, smooth, shiny eggplants ensures the flesh will be tender and sweet. As eggplant matures, the fruit becomes bitter, light in weight, and the skin becomes dull, wrinkled, and uneven in color.
What does Japanese eggplant taste like?
3. Flavor: Globe eggplants have a slightly bitter taste, so chefs prefer salting or seasoning them during preparation. Japanese eggplants have a milder flavor with a sweet tinge and don’t require as much salt or seasonings.
Should I peel Japanese eggplant?
Peeling is not completely necessary as the Japanese eggplant has very thin skin. But if your recipe calls for peeled eggplant, remove the skin in a strip pattern rather than removing it wholly. Leaving a bit of skin adds flavor and color to the dish.
Does Japanese eggplant taste like eggplant?
Japanese eggplants, like Chinese eggplants, have a tender skin and it has a sweet flavor as they are also seedless. A thing to note here though is that they do get a little more ‘bitter’ as they mature, so if you prefer a ‘sweeter’ taste, you may want to find a younger Japanese eggplant.
Can you eat the skin of a Japanese eggplant?
And here’s an advantage of the Japanese variety: its thin skin doesn’t need to be peeled. There are many ways to cook it — try grilling, sautéing or baking thin slices.
Can you eat small eggplants?
Baby eggplants are a delight to eat. But you can leave them too long. Eggplant should be harvested when they are one-third to two-thirds full mature size.
What kind of eggplant is long and skinny?
Japanese eggplant are long and thin, with a dark, almost black color and glossy appearance. They get very soft and creamy when cooked, and have an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture.
How long do Japanese eggplants last?
The stem end should be brightly colored. Stored unwashed, unwrapped, and uncut in the vegetable drawer of the fridge, Japanese eggplant will keep for a good three or four days.
How many eggplants do you get per 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.
Are Japanese eggplants self-pollinating?
Pollination. Eggplant is a self-pollinating plant, the flowers contain both anthers (which produce pollen) and pistils(which receive pollen).
Do Japanese eggplants need support?
Growing Japanese Eggplant in Containers
The large leaves that protect the fruit as it grows and the thick stems that hold up the weighty fruit are rather heavy. All that production happening up top needs the support of a healthy root system underground to stay strong and upright.
How do you prune Japanese eggplant?
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.
How do you grow Japanese eggplant in pots?
Plant one eggplant per container, 2-gallon minimum. Fill the container with a high quality potting soil that will drain quickly. Add a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at planting and then every few weeks during the season, especially when plants start to bloom. Water deeply and consistently, but don’t overwater.