Eggplant Advice

[downinmyback]

The last date of Frost for mine zone is April 21 and i have forgotten if eggplant can stand the cool soil or should i wait til it warms up some.

[johno]

Wait until it warms up.

My brother discovered something by accident last year... Usually, Eggplant leaves are chewed to lace here by flea beetles. This happens right away, soon after they are transplanted. Last year, he planted his about a month late, and skipped the bug damage. He had the best crop of eggplant I've ever seen. I'll be doing the same this year... It might be just as much that the soil was warmer at transplant that promoted success.

[bluelacedredhead]

So what would the day temperatures be in AR if he had planted a month late?? Just trying to compare to this area?? I might not be planting Eggplant until July if you tell me temps were in the 80's or 90's

[johno]

I couldn't say I remember, exactly, but we've already had temps in the 80s this year. I'm quite sure it was at least in the 80s or 90s at the time... It's a long season plant, generally. Even with 2-3 month old transplants, you'll need that long again to get much fruit.

[bluelacedredhead]

Well it won't be today. It's snowing again. They'll be about 3 or 4 months old by the time it warms up here at this rate. I'll probably get them transplanted and a Freak Snowstorm will hit, haha

[ohiorganic]

I plant eggplant and peppers when the soil temp is a least 70˚F (feels warm to your bare feet).

For flea beetles (that is what makes lace outta baby eggplant leaves) I row cover on #9 fence wire hoops and put out sticky traps made from water filled 16oz bottles covered with Tanglefoot every 3 feet. This has worked like a charm for me for the past 10 years.

[bluelacedredhead]

I have row cover hoops, but I've never used anything on them except plastic for extending the season. Guess I had better order the summer cover if I think I'm going to be successful with the Eggplant plants. I've got a tub of Tanglefoot around here somewhere as well. I used to use it on Apple Traps in my old apple trees when we first moved here in the early 90's.

Thanks for the info

[downinmyback]

I noticed that my eggplants are blooming again after the recent rains. Maybe i will get more eggplant before frost.

[bluelacedredhead]

My Diamond plant produced only one fruit until we got rain last week. Didn't matter that I watered it faithfully every night. It just wasn't enough I guess?
My PingTung Long has one good sized fruit and lots of little ones now. As does my Black Beauty plant.
A lot of rain, and a few days of hot weather was all it took here to improve the crop.

[westbygoddess]

greetings, i'm new.
another flea beetle battle option practiced here in west virginia - that i can attest to - is using wood ash from the fireplace, sprinkled on the leaves and around the base of the plant. i guess flea beetles aren't fond of a mouthful of ash nor living in it. worked for me this year.

[johno]

That's a good idea. I used DE this year (couldn't wait for my own advice...) and it wasn't entirely successful. That really surprised me - the theory seems solid as rock.

[bluelacedredhead]

Read something yesterday. Seems that radishes are susceptible only to root maggots and flea beetles.
Therefore, wouldn't it make sense to use radishes as a trap crop around eggplant?
I already use them extensively around vine crops as they repel cucumber beetles.
Might as well just make mass plantings of them

Actually, I believe this same book mentioned that any member of the mustard family can be used in the same way. Just I hate to think of using the more attractive mustards that are so tasty in stirfries. They look so much better with their leaves in tact.