peapod
gardener
Zone 4, acidic soil, and sandy loam that I have worked on for 4 years. Fixing the bad stuff.
Posts: 175
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Post by peapod on Dec 13, 2009 21:23:55 GMT -5
First of all I just could not stand looking at the late blight thread any longer so I decided to see what you all do as far as eggplants in containers.
I did 5 plants in a rather large container this past summer and to my surprise they did the best of all eggplants. Especially because of all the odd weather I think we all experienced.
have any of you done this before, eggplants in containers?
The best were some kind of purple and white eggplant. A cross from 2008's plants
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Post by flowerpower on Dec 14, 2009 5:42:32 GMT -5
I really suck at growing eggplant. Whether I start seed or buy plants, I never even get flowers. I bought a big pack of seed for 2010. lol And the only plants you can get here are Black Beauty. Not my idea of a great looking fruit. I want eggplant to be long & skinny, not fat at the end. I bought the Franchi "Violina Lunga" seeds.
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Post by ottawagardener on Dec 14, 2009 7:20:51 GMT -5
No luck with containers the only time I tried it but maybe my container was too small. They did best in sandy soil in full sun or with clear plastic mulch. So far, I prefer the long asian varieties but Applegreen was great too.
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peapod
gardener
Zone 4, acidic soil, and sandy loam that I have worked on for 4 years. Fixing the bad stuff.
Posts: 175
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Post by peapod on Dec 14, 2009 12:01:39 GMT -5
Flower do you want any eggplant seeds. I have quite a few varieties. Some skinny some fat.
Let me know or PM me if you're thinking of it.
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Post by darwinslair on Dec 19, 2009 8:51:37 GMT -5
The only eggplants that set fruit for me this last cold crappy summer were those in containers. And only one or two each.
Tom
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Post by bunkie on Dec 19, 2009 14:18:17 GMT -5
a couple years ago i dug up a couple eggplants and put them in containers to see if they's carry on through the winter months. they bloomed again in January! was pleasantly surprized!
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Post by ottawagardener on Dec 19, 2009 14:23:06 GMT -5
I am going to do that! I overwinter peppers and was thinking of trying eggplants. Tomatoes, I'm not sure but I was thinking of trying cuttings. I worry about foliar disease as these latter seem the worst affected.
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peapod
gardener
Zone 4, acidic soil, and sandy loam that I have worked on for 4 years. Fixing the bad stuff.
Posts: 175
|
Post by peapod on Dec 29, 2009 11:17:21 GMT -5
Darwinslair, The same thing happend with me. The bummer about the whole eggplant thing is that I only planted 5 plants in containers. Not enough for the CSA and that was a huge disappointment to me.
Guess what I will do this summer... Plant more in containers.
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Post by Jim on Dec 29, 2009 13:17:00 GMT -5
I bought a japanese long and skinny type plant at Lowes and neglected it and it did well..at first the bugs loved it and then I got lots of fruits....I never ate them though.
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peapod
gardener
Zone 4, acidic soil, and sandy loam that I have worked on for 4 years. Fixing the bad stuff.
Posts: 175
|
Post by peapod on Dec 30, 2009 15:42:01 GMT -5
Thats hillarious that you didnt eat your eggplants.
When I plant my eggplants I find the worst soil have and hope that there are quite a few rocks and tons of sand in that area. Plant the eggplants and watch them produce like mad.
Ottawa and bunkie what are you refering to with overwintering eggplants. If you keep them in containers bring them in before a frost... cut them back to the base of the plant, over winter in a dark or light place or have them grow all over again in doors for the winter?
I never have time during harvest to do such things but maybe if it were easy enough I'd give it a whirly twirl.
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Post by flowerpower on Dec 31, 2009 6:33:05 GMT -5
Thats hillarious that you didnt eat your eggplants. When I plant my eggplants I find the worst soil have and hope that there are quite a few rocks and tons of sand in that area. Plant the eggplants and watch them produce like mad This is why I suck at growing eggplants? My soil is too "good"? lol I'll try it this yr. I have plenty of crappy soil.
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Post by canadamike on Dec 31, 2009 7:20:33 GMT -5
I suspect the texture of Michelle's soil might be crappy but not the soil itself Last year was a bad eggplant year for most, and certainly for me, out of a double 200 feet row ( that's 400 feet) I got one small fruit, and it was on an eggplant created by Tim Peters. I have a few hundreds of extra early from Grin and elsewhere to trial next summer, they arrived too late last year...hope I will find good ones in the lot...if so you will get seeds folks...
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Post by darwinslair on Dec 31, 2009 8:16:01 GMT -5
Darwinslair, The same thing happend with me. The bummer about the whole eggplant thing is that I only planted 5 plants in containers. Not enough for the CSA and that was a huge disappointment to me. Guess what I will do this summer... Plant more in containers. The 5 gal plus black ones from nurseries worked best for me. I think the black color soaks up more sunshine and keeps the roots warmer. Friend of mine did well with them planted in windowboxes he has screwed to the railing of his deck. Maybe they dont need so much soil as tomatoes and peppers. I dont know. He picks his smaller. I was trying to grow out for seed. Maybe they set more if you keep them picked. I dont know. I am new to the eggplants. Shady Acres Herb Farm had plants 2 years ago that were 5' tall and just loaded with Rosa Biancas. Not sure what I would have to do to get mine to that kind of growth. Tom
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peapod
gardener
Zone 4, acidic soil, and sandy loam that I have worked on for 4 years. Fixing the bad stuff.
Posts: 175
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Post by peapod on Jan 1, 2010 22:56:22 GMT -5
Tom, I put black plastic around the white conatiners I planted the eggplants in for the reason you mention.
I have never seen an eggplant that's 5' tall. I'd go beserk with envy.
Do you want to grow eggplants. I have some seeds I can send you not enough for a huge trade with lots of folks though.
I'm expecting some in a trade here pretty soon, quite a few asian seeds if your interested. I have no idea of the names or anything. Shorter growing season or not. Wanna take a crack at a few?
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