Credits: Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company and Smart Gardener 75 –85 days Plants are 24–36 inches tall and produce dark purple- black fruit that is 12–15 inches in size and can weigh 3 lb. or more. Plants are heat tolerant. Fruit flesh is sweet and tender.
What is the best tasting eggplant?
Sweet, tender, flavorful and creamy, Fairy Tale are simply the best eggplants we’ve ever tasted,” says Taylor. This quick-cooking variety is so delicious that it doesn’t even need to be salted. Taylor suggests slicing them lengthwise, then tossing them into stir-fries or sautés, or skewering them on the grill.
What is an heirloom eggplant?
In order to be considered an heirloom, the eggplant variety must be true-to-type, open-pollinated, and it must be in use for at least 50 years. This means that pollination occurs by insects, birds, wind, or any other natural means, and the plants produced will be identical to the parent plant.
How big will my eggplant get?
18 to 36 inches tall
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. Keep reading to learn how to grow this summer-loving beauty for yourself.
What is the largest type of eggplant?
Globe Eggplant (a.k.a. American Eggplant)
Should we be surprised that globe eggplants, the biggest and fattest of eggplants, are also known as American eggplants? Their big, meaty texture makes them particularly well suited for slicing and grilling.
What is the easiest eggplant to grow?
Eggplant Varieties Easy to Grow include large oval eggplants, elongated eggplants, and white eggplants. Give eggplants a warm location, warm soil and keep them evenly watered and stress free and they will reward you with beauty and flavor.
Why do you have to soak eggplant in water?
Many recipes call for salting and rinsing eggplant before cooking it to draw out its bitterness. Brining can be used instead and has the added advantage of helping the eggplant keep its shape when it’s cooked, whether your recipe calls for baking, frying, or grilling.
Do heirloom vegetables taste better?
Do heirloom vegetables taste better than hybrids? On the whole, heirloom veggies do offer good flavor. “Taste is subjective, but older varieties were typically bred for local consumption and fresh eating,” says Shawn Wright, horticulture specialist at the University of Kentucky.
Are heirloom vegetables better?
First, heirlooms are generally known to produce better taste and flavor. Heirloom fruits and vegetables are also known to be more nutritious. Last but not least, they are less expensive over the long haul. Heirloom plants may require a bit more care than their counterparts but the effort you put in will be worth it!
Should you pick the flowers off of eggplant?
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. Pinch the blossom below the receptacle.
How many years do eggplants 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.
Why are my eggplants not getting big?
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.
Can eggplant grow too big?
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.
Which eggplant is the sweetest?
And their colors range from white to stripy purple or from deep purple to green. The shinier eggplants are, the fresher they are. The fresher and younger they are, the sweeter they are.
How tall should an eggplant Trellis be?
For this reason alone, providing a support for eggplants is vital. Ideally, you want to stake eggplant when it is small– at seedling stage when it has a few leaves or at transplanting time. Staking requires a support that is 3/8 to 1 inch (1-2.5 cm.) thick and 4 to 6 feet long (1-2 m.).
What is the difference between eggplant and Italian eggplant?
Italian Eggplant
Not to be confused with its doppelganger the globe eggplant, the Italian eggplant has a similar color and shape, but is slightly smaller and sweeter. Plus, it has a more tender flesh than it’s meatier American counterpart.
What is the best companion plant for eggplant?
Nightshades: Other members of the nightshade family, like tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes, make good companions for eggplants because they share similar growing requirements.
What is the best month to plant eggplant?
The best time to plant eggplant is in late spring after the last threat of frost. Eggplants have a long growing season, so you’ll need to start them indoors around eight weeks before your region’s last frost date.
What is the secret for growing eggplant?
Like fellow members of the nightshade plant family, eggplant needs full sun to develop and produce. One of the biggest secrets of all for growing eggplant with success is to give it plenty of light. Eggplant is a beautiful plant in the garden, with large foliage and colorful fruit that suspends from above.
Why do you put salt on eggplant before cooking?
Salting: Salting removes excess liquid and some of the bitterness. Today’s eggplants are bred for mildness, though, so it’s not as important as it used to be (if you are frying eggplant, salting will ensure a creamy texture and rich flavor). This method works for eggplant slices, cubes, or planks.
What happens if you don’t salt eggplant before cooking?
Despite some claims to the contrary, there was no difference in the amount of oil absorbed between salted and not-salted. Eggplant absorbs a LOT of oil either way. That difference in texture became more pronounced the longer the eggplant had been salted. Salting for 30 minutes seemed to make only a minor difference.