Solanaceae · Solanum melongena
Native to: India, Africa or South Asia
Also known as: Aubergine
Cost per seed: $0.03
Large purple fruit growing to 25cm by 8cm. Very tender. Excellent flavour. Commonly used in stews, sauces, baked, fried, stuffed and grilled.
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Eggplants need to be staked for support. Use a sturdy stake or grow plants alongside a trellis or tripod. As plants grow, tie stems gently to the support using twine or plant ties. Make sure you have the support in place when you sow seed or transplant seedlings to avoid disturbing the plant’s roots later. Picking regularly encourages more fruit.
Eggplants can be grown as annuals or short-lived perennials. In tropical and subtropical climates plants will grow and fruit year-round. In temperate and cool climates plants are usually grown as warm-season annuals. To grow plants as perennials in cool climates, grow them in a sheltered position and protect them from frost OR overwinter plants by potting them up and placing them in a sheltered position, pruning plants hard in early winter and removing any damaged foliage in spring.
Fruit is ready when it is firm and the skin is glossy. Harvest fruit by cutting with snips/secateurs, leaving about 3cm of stem on the fruit. Harvest regularly to encourage more fruit.
For short term storage, harvested fruit can be kept at room temperature. To extend the storage life, fruit can be kept in the fridge. For long term storage fruit can be grilled or baked and frozen or preserved in oil.
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