Picked eggplant this morning, collecting all fruit that was low on the plants, especially those with tips resting on the ground. Didn’t want insects tasting them and I didn’t want them to be temped to rot. The harvest has been underway for the last 10 days or so, but the pace is accelerating now.
These are all long Asian-style eggplants. Ping tung mostly (from Taiwan) and Thai Long Green. A few plants of Sicilian Long Purple. All are delicious. Tender skin, don’t need to be peeled, firm flesh, no bitterness. I mainly cut them into coarse chunks and stir fry them quickly. Dress with a vinaigrette. Later today, however, I’m planning to roast a batch for Baba Ghanoush. This weekend, I hope to make a big Caponata Salad. What a versatile vegetable!
This year I have 10 eggplants. All the plants are thriving. Started from seeds late February, planted out mid-April.
Enough fruit for two vegetable-loving people and a few for friends and neighbors. Grow them in 10-gallon fabric grow bags. NE Texas, 8a. It’s an easy vegetable for a warm climate. Easy to grow, easy to cook, easy to love.
by NPKzone8a
12 Comments
Looks like the second photo did not attach above in the original post. It was just a shot of a couple of the plants. They are bushy and about 2 feet tall. Plenty of purple flowers. I support them with a stake and ties. Water and fertilize them the same days that I do my tomatoes. Their needs are similar. Most of my eggplants this year are in a place where they get full sun most of the day. Some years I have trouble with aphids, but this year, knock on wood, they have not yet found their way to my my eggplant patch.
https://preview.redd.it/gut3tcy1yh7f1.jpeg?width=686&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a41de76b83c433c30b13a6383b5ffafe51afe359
They’re so beautiful! I have a couple of the Japanese ones in my beds, they’re about 5″ and leaves like confetti from flea beetle. Maybe I’ll mix it up with the green ones next year, so pretty!
These are beautiful. They looks great. I planted a couple Asian eggplants and patio. Those are what I’m most excited for. The flowers just started. I can’t wait to find new recipes.
What a lovely harvest. I’ve grown Ping Tung a bunch of times, and it is in my rotation. It is always polific for me. Great flavor and I love to slice in half and grill them. My eggplants are sulking right now in our cool rainy spring weather. Can’t wait for them to take off and start making some eggs!
My first eggplant blossom opened today. I’m so excited and appreciate this post! Mine should be the small Japanese style and I look forward to stir frying them!
One of my favorite vegetables to plant..can’t wait to harvest mine.
10 eggplant for 2 people?!? I had 2 plants last year for a family of 4 vegetarians and I was still handing out eggplant to anyone and everyone lol. I was about to put a little stand out in front of my house with free eggplant. This year I am only doing 1 plant and it is a ping tung variety. I”m looking forward to trying it.
Beautiful! I’m growing eggplant for the first time this year and they are haaaating the cool rainy weather here lol. There’s some sun and heat brewing in the forecast so hopefully they’ll perk up.
Someone asked about how to prepare them. I replied that I like to stir fry them after doing a coarse “roll cut.” I promised to return with a video link explaining “roll cut.” I cannot find one in English. Maybe it is not a western cutting style, or at least not one which is usually employed with eggplant.
Here it is in Chinese from my favorite Sichuan chef, Wang Gang 王刚厨师。It’s the second cutting technique that he demonstrates, about 1.5 minutes in, from the start of the video.
[https://haokan.baidu.com/v?pd=wisenatural&vid=11004231023425203446](https://haokan.baidu.com/v?pd=wisenatural&vid=11004231023425203446)
Nice!!
That is a stunning plant! This is my second year with these, and I’ve never had them get that big!!!
Huh. You’re tempting me to grow them next time.