Description

Eggplants are great for growing in containers and they yield a very large harvest. They are easy to grow but do take a while to mature. To make the maturing process faster you can buy transplants from a nursery in late spring or early summer.

How do I Grow Eggplants?

To start your eggplant from seed, plant them inside in a seedling tray. Choose a larger seedling tray to allow ample room to grow while the plant is inside, before being transplanted. Sow one seed per cell on your seedling tray and cover it with a light layer of soil and water. Keep the tray in a place that gets a lot of sunlight (6-8hours) and is a constant 70F. 

To help keep your seeds warm, while they are growing indoors, invest in a heat mat. Continue to grow your seedlings in 4 inch pots before moving them into the garden. When you’re getting ready to transplant your seedlings, warm the soil a few days beforehand by covering it with black plastic.  Move your plants into the garden once the weather is consistently above 10 C (50 F) at night.

If the weather is still cold, cover your eggplants to protect them from the cool weather. If you are not prepared to start eggplants from seed indoors, look for transplants at your local nursery, and plant in early summer. 

Companion Plants

Beans, cilantro, cucumber, marigold, pepper, potato

Nutrition

1 cup: Folate (5%), Vitamin B6 (3%), Vitamin K (4%), Thiamin (2%), Manganese (10%), Potassium (5%)

Harvesting

Harvest your eggplant with scissors to avoid damaging the plant. Pick some fruits that are half the size of mature fruit because it will stimulate the plant to keep producing.  Another sign that your eggplant is ready to harvest is when they look dark and glossy. 

Preparing and using

Store your eggplant on the kitchen table if you’re not going to use them right away, but don’t store them in your refrigerator.  Be mindful when handling your eggplant as they can bruise easily.  Eggplants are great to use in famous dishes such as eggplant parmesan, moussaka and ratatouille, or fry them up in a stirfry. They are also great if you're looking to reduce your meat consumption as they are very hearty. 

Helpful Tips and Tricks

Try pruning off some of the flowers to keep energy focused on existing fruit.