Eggplant

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I have never grown eggplant in Idaho before. It has been years since I have even grown eggplant. I have a lot of blossoms, but no eggplant yet. I am not sure what is wrong. I have a lot of bees in the garden, but really I have not noticed any around the eggplant. Would it be more likely lack of pollination or something else?

 

[digitS']

I don't know their schedule and where they should be when, GwR.

Eggplant has always been a minor crop for me altho' one might not believe it with the time invested in about a dozen plants each year. If the truth be known, I'm getting a poor return.

Much time has been spent exploring varieties and trying one or another. Dusky (now known & sold as Epic) might have been the 1st U of New Hampshire release that convinced me to pay more attention to that school and its horticulturalists. I wanted an Italian bell but couldn't seem to get the others of that group to do well. I can't say that Dusky does famously. It just gives me an Italian bell. That may be what I have got so far -- an Italian bell. One. That's all I've noticed to date . . .

There are Asian long eggplants out there and they should do a little better but I haven't noticed what is developing. Mostly, I've gotten in this habit of ignoring the eggplants except to look at their leaves to see if the perennial plagues of aphids, flea beetles or potato bugs have attacked them. So far, so good !! Oh yeah, I've sprayed them - several times this year.

The leaves look pretty good right now! The plants have finally begun to grow. THAT is why I've been closing my eyes when I walk past. Eggplant just doesn't like our typical June weather. If I didn't get so discouraged by their "frozen" existence :/, maybe I could comment more than to say "finally, they have begun to grow!"

My best idea is that you should give them about 3 or 4 more weeks before you do much more than try to protect them from bugs. Maybe you will notice some flowers and fruit forming over that time. Hopefully, there will be some to harvest before the weather once again goes back to conditions that they just don't tolerate well.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

Eggplant is another one of those that doesn't really need pollinators, just something to shake the pollen loose, like maybe the wind. They are self-pollinating, though I'm sure insects could transfer pollen, like beans, tomatoes, and peppers.

There are a warm weather plant too, doing better if it is warm. Im not sure what your weather is like up in Idaho. Sounds like Steve may have some challenges with them, maybe because of weather. Here, they are prolific.

Maybe you could try shaking the flowers or plants to help them pollinate? Theres probably some way to hand pollinate them too.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

Monty said his eggplant didn't produce at all. He said he would get blooms, but they would just fall off the plant. He pulled the eggplant the other day.

 

[bj taylor]

I think eggplant needs 'hot' days & nights. I don't know how humidity plays a role - or if it does. my one plant just keeps cranking them out. the hotter it gets, the more it makes. too bad we don't like it more.

 

[catjac1975]

They like it really hot. They have a long season to ripening so may just not be ready. Try hand pollination.

I have never grown eggplant in Idaho before. It has been years since I have even grown eggplant. I have a lot of blossoms, but no eggplant yet. I am not sure what is wrong. I have a lot of bees in the garden, but really I have not noticed any around the eggplant. Would it be more likely lack of pollination or something else?

 

[catjac1975]

No, no ,no,! Too impatient!

Monty said his eggplant didn't produce at all. He said he would get blooms, but they would just fall off the plant. He pulled the eggplant the other day.

 

[seedcorn]

Mine do ok but a lot of blossoms do abort.

I learned, the earlier you pick them, the sweeter they are.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I started 2 different kinds from seed. The black beauty and some kind of long purple one. The plants were so small and I put them out when it was cold. I thought I killed them, so I bought 3 different kinds from the Farmer's market. One is white, another light purple and I don't remember what the other one was. I kept the weeds away and kind of did what you said, did not look at them. I was getting so tired of them not growing that I did not want to look or I might yank them out, but on the next row over I was more mad at the pepper plants. They are finally growing. Seemed to have gone through a lot of stress this year, even back in the greenhouse I was having trouble with the pepper plants. The eggplant have healthy leaves so far. I am going to go give them a good shaking. Maybe it is the 50 some degrees at night, but I think they would at least have something there and just grow slow like tomatoes do.

 

[catjac1975]

The trick with eggplant is to put out a substantial sized plant. Same with peppers. The largest number of fruit that I have had on an eggplant were from potted eggplant of all things. I believe that is because the soil gets extra hot in a pot.

I started 2 different kinds from seed. The black beauty and some kind of long purple one. The plants were so small and I put them out when it was cold. I thought I killed them, so I bought 3 different kinds from the Farmer's market. One is white, another light purple and I don't remember what the other one was. I kept the weeds away and kind of did what you said, did not look at them. I was getting so tired of them not growing that I did not want to look or I might yank them out, but on the next row over I was more mad at the pepper plants. They are finally growing. Seemed to have gone through a lot of stress this year, even back in the greenhouse I was having trouble with the pepper plants. The eggplant have healthy leaves so far. I am going to go give them a good shaking. Maybe it is the 50 some degrees at night, but I think they would at least have something there and just grow slow like tomatoes do.