Harvesting: Eggplant

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Italian Eggplant - Ready to Harvest
August 9, 2020

'Not sure why, but these Long Purple Italian Eggplants seem to only put out one fruit at a time? With one small eggplant, there's not a whole lot you can cook up, but I suppose I should be thankful I can grow any eggplants at all in New England!

I grew ~2 eggplants from seeds indoors (not transplanting early enough killed off many seedlings!), and ended up planting one in the kale/beans bed, and another in the leafy greens bed (much later).

Kale & Beans & Pepper Bed
June 17, 2020
Italian Eggplant - in the Kale Bed
September 11, 2020

The flowers are surprisingly very pretty. Like purple-y, papery poppies in a way.

Italian Eggplant - Flower!

I was also surprised to find that the leaves had thorns! Not real threatening thorns, and only one or two per fuzzy leaf, but they're there!

Italian Eggplant - Thorns!

They're also a little tricky to know when to harvest. Before their skin gets dull, but how soon is too soon?! AAAAAHHHHHH

Long Purple Italian Eggplant - Harvested!
August 30, 2020

No real pests this year on these, maybe a little negligible flea beetle damage? What doesn't have flea beetle damage this year?!
I just wish I could figure out why the eggplants are under-producing. Maybe more nutrients are needed?

Italian Eggplant - Baby!

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