![]() You will want to keep the seedlings just a few inches below the light so they don't “stretch ”and get “leggy". Using grow lights for around 14 to 16 hours a day is also ideal for the fastest growth. You can use a seedling heat mat to raise the temperature to about 80☏, but as the first leaves appear, lower the temperature a bit, to 70 to 75☏. You can use our convenient Jiffy Pots-Jiffy Pots are constructed of lightweight, biodegradable peat moss, so as the roots develop, they will grow right through the Jiffy Pot walls and into the garden soil. If you're using a potting mix, plant at a depth of 4 times the size of the seed (below a ¼ inch of soil). Park’s Bio Dome seed starter is a great way to sow your eggplant seeds, as each Bio Sponge has a pre-drilled hole into which you can just drop one seed-there's no need to thin seedlings or waste seeds! And you have a couple options, depending on how many eggplants you want to grow-our original 60-cell Bio Dome or our 18-cell Jumbo Bio Dome, which grows big, stocky seedlings ready to transplant right into your garden. They can be sown outdoors only in climates with very long growing seasons, when the soil is warm and all danger of frost is past. When to Start Eggplant SeedsĮggplants are best started inside approximately 6 weeks before the last frost or about 8 weeks before you expect the outside temperatures to remain above 60☏ at night. Its large deep purple fruit is used for stuffing, baking, sautéing, and grilling. The most common type found in North America is the Western or oval eggplant. The basic types are globe-shaped, elongated and cylindrical, and egg-shaped, with the possible colors for the fruit including white, purple, rose, green, black, yellow, orange, or red, and solid or striped. When choosing which eggplant to grow, you have a lovely variety of colors, shapes, and sizes to pick from. If you're not already a fan of the excellent, edible eggplant, you soon will be. Our wide selection is sure to provide something for everyone. When stored in these conditions, eggplant seeds will remain viable for 4-6 years.Eggplant is a versatile vegetable that's an essential ingredient in dishes from around the world! It's naturally low in calories, fat, and sodium, yet high in fiber and loads of other vitamins and nutrients, and it comes in a number of varieties that are just as beautiful as they are tasty. Store eggplant seeds in cool, dark, and dry place in an airtight container. Immediately after rinsing, seeds should be spread in a thin layer on screens or coffee filters to dry in a warm, well-ventilated space. The mature seeds that remain can then be transferred to a strainer and rinsed with a strong stream of water. Repeated decanting will remove most of the pulp and any immature seeds. Agitating the watery mash will dislodge seeds from the pulp and allow the viable seeds to settle to the bottom of the container. After blending, pour the seed slurry into a larger container and add more water. If seed damage occurs, a dough blade can be used instead of a chopping blade. Seed-mature eggplants can be extracted by cubing the fruits and processing them in a food processor with a small volume of water to make a slurry of seeds and flesh. Their flesh will soften and ripe fruits easily separate from the plant when pulled. Assessing Seed MaturityĪt seed maturity, eggplant fruits generally change color, taking on a yellow or brownish cast, and their glossy skins become dull. If you’re saving seeds for genetic preservation of a rare variety, save seeds from 50 plants or more. When maintaining a variety over many generations, save seeds from 5-20 plants. To ensure viable seeds, save seeds from at least 1 plant. StoringĮggplant fruits can be stored for about a week in the refrigerator. Its meaty texture withstands long cooking times. EatingĮggplant can be roasted, grilled, pureed into baba ghanoush, or fried up as a main course. ![]() Keep in mind that eggplant need to continue growing far past market maturity if you want to save seeds. When harvesting eggplant for fresh eating, pick fruits when they are large but not too firm to the touch. To protect against insect predation, transplants can be row covered in the spring. Common Pests and DiseasesĮggplant can suffer damage from aphids, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, anthracnose, and Tobacco Mosaic Virus. ![]() Make sure outdoor soil temperatures are at least 55-60 degrees F before transplanting eggplants. Transplant outside 4-6 weeks after the last frost into a warm and sunny location. Start eggplant inside 3-4 weeks before the last frost. It is best to sow eggplant indoors 7-10 weeks before transplanting outside. Eggplant enjoy a long growing season, but you can extend your season by starting plants indoors. Eggplant can be a beautiful addition to your garden. ![]()
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