How to Harvest Japanese Eggplants. 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 can you tell when eggplants are ready to pick?
Harvesting eggplants should occur when the inner flesh is cream colored, fruits are firm and before seeds are visible. Learning when to harvest eggplants may require cutting into the fruit to check the color of the flesh and the size of the seeds.
What does a ripe Japanese eggplant look like?
In addition to being plump and firm, you can also check the skin for wrinkles; a ripe Japanese eggplant is glossy and is the right beautiful purple color. That said, don’t expect it to have a near-black color, like Italian eggplants.
How long do Japanese eggplants get?
Japanese eggplants are elongated and slender, averaging 20 to 25 centimeters in length, and have an oblong to cylindrical shape, tapering slightly at the ends. The eggplants may appear curved or straight and are capped with a green or dark purple stem, depending on the variety.
How big should 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.
Will eggplant ripen after picking?
You can ripen eggplants after harvesting, but results vary, depending on the problem. Ripen them on the counter at room temperature. It helps to put the eggplants in a paper bag where they should ripen within a few days.
Can you eat Japanese eggplant skin?
The Japanese eggplant’s thinner skin may be more easily cooked and consumed than the thick skin of a normal eggplant. The skin is also full of fiber that can help keep you feeling full, regulate your digestion and even lower cholesterol.
How do you take care of Japanese eggplant?
Planting and caring for Japanese eggplants is no different from caring for other eggplant varieties. Eggplants require a sunny location, well-drained sandy loam or loam soil, and lots of organic matter such as compost or aged manure. Aim for a soil pH of about 5.8 to 6.5 for best growth.
How tall do Japanese eggplants grow?
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.
How often do you water Japanese eggplant?
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.
What does a ripe eggplant look like inside?
Eggplant flesh will have tan to brown colored spots around the seeds. If this is the color you are referring to, it is edible. If the flesh is more brown than white, the eggplant may be spoiling and should be discarded.
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 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 can you tell if an eggplant is good?
A good eggplant will have glossy, taut skin. You’ll also want to test the texture of the flesh. When buying an eggplant, the flesh should be firm but give slightly when pressed, then bounce back. If your eggplant is soft to the touch, that’s an indication that it’s beginning to spoil.
Can you eat green eggplant?
Underneath the skin, the white to ivory flesh is dense and spongy with a few edible seeds. Green eggplants must be cooked and develop a meaty, tender, and soft texture when heated. The eggplants also have a mild, sweet flavor with subtle earthy nuances and fewer bitter notes than other colored eggplant varieties.
Should you refrigerate Japanese eggplant?
The best place to store eggplant is not in the refrigerator, but at room temperature, where it’s likely to last longer. Keep eggplant in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying.
Do you have to salt Japanese eggplant before cooking?
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.
Can Japanese eggplant be eaten raw?
Like all other eggplant, Japanese eggplant is never eaten raw. But unlike larger, seedier eggplant, Japanese eggplant generally doesn’t need salting. Because of its firm texture, which turns creamy during cooking yet holds its shape, Japanese eggplant is especially good for baking, broiling, grilling, and stir-frying.
Can you freeze Japanese eggplant whole?
Yes! You can absolutely freeze eggplant. Eggplant that has been frozen and thawed will never be exactly like fresh eggplant, but there are some things you can do to preserve the texture and taste.
What’s the difference between eggplant and Japanese eggplant?
Fairytale eggplant, on the other hand, are very slender. Chinese and Japanese eggplant are similar to each other in size and shape, which is to say that they are long and slender. The difference is that Chinese are lighter purple, and Japanese are a dark purple like the American eggplant.
Can you freeze fresh Japanese eggplant?
You can typically keep Japanese eggplant in the freezer for up to one year. However, eggplant can last much longer than a year and still be safe to eat.