What varieties are you growing this year?

[Alan]

Eggplant is not real high on my list of veggies but I do grow it for market (although it never sells very well for some reason, sometimes I think people just don't know what to do with them). Last year I grew Florida High Bush, Black Beauty, and applegreen. Applegreen was a pretty little eggplant but just didn't produce. Florida High Bush was great, but the seed for this was just far to expensive for our production practices, so I have settled on the old op black beauty. Anybody have any suggestions for trials this year? Also, how do I save eggplant seeds?

[lavandulagirl]

I collect eggplant seed from over ripe, shrivelly fruit much like a collect from tomato. Rinse the flesh from the seeds as much as possible, and then stand them in water. The floaters are the immature seeds. I have found that I don't need to let the "stew" ferment, like tomatoes. The bad seeds are generally evident pretty quickly. This year I'm growing Round Mauve and Listada de Gandia. Only half our household eats eggplant, so I buy most of what we eat at the market, but I can't resist growing some myself.

[mbrown]

Eggplant is not one of my favorite vegetables. However, I really like eggplant parmesian. Can eggplant be frozen.

Any suggestions on varieties for Central Oklahoma.

Mike

[lavandulagirl]

Everything I've read says if you freeze eggplant, the structure of the food changes. Here's what the book Putting Food By says:

"Choose glossy, rather small fruits whose seeds are tender. Because most people are watching their sodium intake, we opt for steam-blanching without any salting to draw out the juice (blanching also reduces oxidation). Very young eggplant need not be peeled. If to be fried, cut in 3/4 inch slices; for casseroles or in mixed vegetables, dice or cut in strips. Steam-blanch 2 minutes for small dice/thin slices, up to 5 minutes for thick slices. Chill in cold water to which 4 tsp of lemon juice have been added to each gallon of water. Drain, pat dry. Pack leaving 1/2 inch of headroom. Seal; freeze."

[daylilydude]

I'm growing 4 each of :
White Melanzana
Long Purple
Black Beauty

I love eggplant right off the grill.

[mbrown]

Thanks for the information. Think I will try to grow some this year.

Is Black Beauty an heirloon variety. That may be what my Mother grew in the 1950's.

Mike

[johno]

The seedlings I'm raising presently are:

Florida Market
Thai Green Pea
Cambodian Green Giant
and Listada Di Gandia

Anybody know if Florida Market and Florida High Bush are one in the same?

[Alan]

I'm pretty sure Black Beauty existed back then, It's not an heirloom but an old Open Pollinated seed catalouge introduction. It was definetly around in the 50's.

As far as florida High bush and Florida Markett, I'm not sure but I will see what I can find out.
-Alan

[downinmyback]

I will be growing a Oriental purple eggplant that i dont know the name but i like the taste better because they are not bitter like normal eggplant.

[ohiorganic]

I plan on growing nadia (big black bell type), Diamond (polish heirloom, on the small side) fairytale-(small purple with white stripes, grows in clusters like a cherry tomato) and a couple of heirlooms I got from Seed savers But I would have to run to the barn to see what they are. I was tempted to buy some nipplefruit seeds from SSE. Nipplefruit is an ornamental aubergine, not edible that grows up to 7' high and has strange looking organish nipply fruits.

Eggplant is not our best seller at market, though people love the fairytale eggplants and will buy a lot of them.

[lavandulagirl]

I had a friend who actually sold more eggplant at market as an ornamental than as food. She wanted to have the plant to keep diversity in her offerings, but wasn't selling very many. Then she started putting out a decorative basket of veg and flowers, like a centerpiece. All the Martha Stewart types started buying the pretty, odd eggplants, like Listada de Gandia, to add to their arrangements for parties and stuff. One even used it in her wedding centerpieces. because it matched her bridesmaid's dresses, and it was cheaper than whatever the florist had in that color.

[gardenbumpkin]

We love eggplants so we are going to extend our list this year with:
Florida Market
Diamond
Green Thai Long
Black Beauty
Ping Tung

Ooops, I forgot Bianca Sfmuata de Rossa ;D

[jaliranchr]

I have never grown eggplant before so I'm doing this cautiously and trying a hybrid called Calliope. I'll have to pay attention because flea beetles are abundant around here but I'm pretty good with the dry sprayer and DE.

[Alan]

The flea beetles here are particularly vicious and I've got to keep a close eye on eggplant at least twice a day and keep them sprayed down with pepper soap or there end's up being no foliage left! Mean little things!

I have to admit it.......I spent $1.50 and bought that darn burpee eggplant mix out of curiousity Just to compare and contrast, maybe I'll find something else I like to grow along with black beauty in the production fields next year! Any suggestions?

[althea]

Lucy, we grew nipplefruit last year and will plant some again this year. The fruit isn't so great, but the leaves are incredible. They are serrated, very fuzzy and have lots of spines. Very striking as an ornamental.

I planted seeds for:
Rosa Bianca
Black Beauty
Diamond
Ping Tong Long
Udumdalpet
Rosita

We love eggplant, esp. when it's made into moussaka.