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Post by lavandulagirl on Jan 7, 2009 9:46:37 GMT -5
So... I'm going through my seeds, thinking I have some eggplant choices, and I discover that I don't! Huh. I guess I gave away more than I thought I did! 
Anyway, I want some suggestions. What's you're favorite, and why?
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Post by ottawagardener on Jan 7, 2009 18:26:43 GMT -5
For me it's all about short season combined with taste. I like applegreen and lots of the long asian varieties. The big purple kind laugh when I try to grow them.
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Post by lavandulagirl on Jan 7, 2009 19:13:19 GMT -5
I grew Rosa Bianca a couple years ago. Actually, scratch that... I started them. The flea beetles ate them before they came to fruition.
(BlueLacedRedHead and Flowerpower may remember the story of the flea beetles and the Tanglefoot adventure.  )
Most likely I'll grow Japanese variety of some sort... that's really the only kind the males in the house will eat. My daughter and I, on the other hand, have an affection for stuffed eggplant and eggplant parmesan, so I'm looking for a big kind too, I think.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Jan 7, 2009 19:45:43 GMT -5
Lav,
I don't honestly recall that episode? What did you do, put Yellow cards out with Tanglefoot to attract flea beetles away?? It's great stuff if you never touch it...blech (I use it on fruit tree traps I just can't stand cleaning the traps after the season is over)
Didn't someone have a really great Companion Planting chart online with suggestions for Trap Plants for Flea Beetles? It's prolly Eggplant, LOL
Okay, MY fave is Diamond. It's small and slim, very early (quite suited for Zone 5 I must say), but it's not AS slim as the Asians. For two seasons now, I've grown Diamond, Thai Long Purple, Black Beauty and in 2008, Thai Long Green in Containers. The Diamond has been consistently early and heavy bearing if you can call 3 fruits per 2 gallon container a heavy bearer...Black Beauty came in second believe it or not, Thai Long Purple grew a few and the greens? Well, let's just say I'm still waiting to try one of them.
Granted, you live in a warmer climate than I, so you will have greater success I'm sure.
As well, I keep going back to T-Ville to view the Eggplant threads on White varieties. I'm going to give one of the varieties suggested over there a try in 2009.
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Post by lavandulagirl on Jan 7, 2009 19:54:25 GMT -5
I ended up tanglefooting myself as well as the water jars I was applying it to. Um... yeah. It was an adventure, and it involved both my jeans And some of my hair. Apparently, the flea beetles watched as I trapped myself, and recognized that they should stay away from the tanglefoot. The ate all the eggplants.
I never go to T'ville anymore. I was blocked out somehow for awhile, and I didn't miss it, so there you go, right?
So, do you think you could stuff Diamond, or make a parmesan with it?
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Post by houseodessey on Jan 7, 2009 20:24:45 GMT -5
I'll second the skinny asian ones. They are never bitter and the only eggplant I've ever liked. As a hater of eggplant, that says a lot. I couldn't advise as to stuffers but I have a couple of different types and I'll post what I have tomorrow. If either strike your fancy, I'll send you the seeds.
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Post by giardiniere on Jan 7, 2009 21:48:59 GMT -5
Last year's eggplants were a bit of a disappointment, so I'll use what I grew two years ago.
Diamond was a fairly productive slender eggplant, with good mild flavor.
Listata di Gandia is a beautifully striped eggplant with no bitterness. I will probably continue to grow this variety every year.
Pingtung Long is a slender purple Asian variety. Production was very high, and flavor was good.
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Post by lavandulagirl on Jan 7, 2009 21:53:12 GMT -5
Ooh! Listada de Gandia! I'd forgotten about those. They were great. Thanks for jogging my memory, Giardiniere! I suppose they'll do as well or better for me here in CA, as they did pretty well in VA. I think I'm in a better growing climate for eggplants, tomatoes, etc, as it isn't as humid.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Jan 7, 2009 22:52:21 GMT -5
PIngtung Long...That's the other one! But it's a skinny type so no stuffing. Lav I don't think you could stuff a Diamond. I would compare it to stuffing a young zucchini instead of waiting until the thing had achieved hubbard size  Lots of Diamond might make a Parmesan though. The White ones that I'm all charged up about trying are Cloud Nine (hybrid) and Casper (OP). I will see when the time comes, which varieties are available locally as started plants. |
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Post by grunt on Jan 8, 2009 1:07:21 GMT -5
Any Chinese cabbage or radish makes a good trap crop for flea beetles (and slugs and snails). Also summer turnips (white globe purple top). Just don't count on any harvest from the trap crop.
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Post by houseodessey on Jan 8, 2009 16:26:16 GMT -5
Lav:
I have ping tung and a hybrid "aubergine giant enorma" that would do for a stuffer. Let me know if you want any of either or both varieties.
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Post by raymondo on Jan 8, 2009 19:40:33 GMT -5
My favourites are the skinny asian types though I do like Listada di Gandia as well. It's a good looker and a nice mild taste. In the garden this season I have de Barbentane, Louisiana Long Green, Ping Tung Long, Snowy and Violetta lunga all of which are new to me.
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Post by johno on Jan 9, 2009 1:09:58 GMT -5
I'll second (I mean fourth) Listada de Gandia. It was reliable for me as well as being mild and beautiful.
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Post by lavandulagirl on Jan 9, 2009 8:44:51 GMT -5
Johno - I think we may both have gotten seed from the same source on those, about 3 years ago. Did you save seed from yours?
HouseO... I'd be interested in either or both, thanks! I have some Tahitian Squash or some Musquee de Provence seeds I can trade, although the Musquees are saved from last year, I did just do a germination test and they did well (above 95%). I also have some Yellow Collards (these are the ones CFF distributed last year - he sent me a bazillion seeds). PM me if there's something else you're searching for... I have quite a bit of seed, but some of it is more than 2 years old, so I'd want to germtest it before I traded it.
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Post by johno on Jan 9, 2009 14:24:30 GMT -5
Yeah, I saved seeds from Listada de Gandia, but I didn't isolate from other eggplants. Haven't grown them yet to see if they remained pure, but you're welcome to seed if you like. I can't remember what other varieties were growing at that time... but I seem to remember that Listada was the only one I got any fruits from.
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