the brave little eggplant

[Naughty]

So this spring I was buying some herb plants from walmart... it was near end of the time they sell em and pickins were slim.
I bought a japanese eggplant cause it was the last one so why not. Eggplants have never grown in my garden plot so I just put it
In a pot on the front porch .... with my lil container garden of herbs and greens...
This summer has been heck on our garden due to drought. I kept my garden watered but sometimes let the containers go a day or two... most of my herbs survived... but the poor eggplant drooped... thought it was a goner a few times but it kept bouncing back.

I kept watering it... and it is still here but no fruit... I just would feel too bad to pull it after its worked so hard ... lol

Soooo now I am a crazy plant lady... greeting my eggplant every day as I come home and giving it a pep talk... so now it has flowers...

Hoping there's a chance of an actual harvest before winter... I actually have some portable green houses I hope to put him in..along with few tomato plants and my herbs....

So how many of you talk to your plants and who thinks it might work?

 

[journey11]

I don't talk to mine (other than to apologize to my houseplants for the sad treatment they get ), but I do know your little eggplant will soon bear fruit. It doesn't take long once it flowers.

 

[baymule]

In a hot drought, the plants expend their energy trying to stay alive. When the weather cools a bit, they flower and fruit. But I am sure your encouraging words and support for your brave little eggplant are what caused this particular ressurection!

 

[897tgigvib]

I talk to my frogs and Lizards. Some of them have names. On occasion I say good plant, or something like, look what you are doing! or maybe you've been hiding those from me.

I talk to myself too, but only when I need an expert opinion! <<<

self: will that fresno pepper bloom again?
self: i don't know but we can find out.
self: What'll we do to help it along?
self: well, it's among the fallroot crops
self: ok. it'll get a lot of water and tons of drainage
self: don't forget it's top amended with heavy on the diatomaceous earth
self: that part's no nevermind
self: be nice
self: aaah don't worry so much
self: k, but it'll still be given a few doses of the liquid kelp mix
self: that oughta work

 

[Smiles Jr.]

I talk to my bees all the time. But all I get in reply are stinging comments.

 

[baymule]

I talk to my bees all the time. But all I get in reply are stinging comments.

 

[OldGuy43]

I kept watering it... and it is still here but no fruit... I just would feel too bad to pull it after its worked so hard ... lol

Soooo now I am a crazy plant lady... greeting my eggplant every day as I come home and giving it a pep talk... so now it has flowers...

I have a name for that... I call it "The Charlie Brown Syndrome." I suffer from it as well. I'm the guy who drives by the Christmas tree lots on the day after Christmas and feels sorry for the trees that didn't get picked.

Best thoughts to you and your little eggplant.

 

[catjac1975]

I have grown eggplant in pots and at the same time eggplant in the garden. The potted plants were meant to go in the greenhouse in the fall.What I found was the potted plants had fruit ready sooner and had great abundance of fruit. I think eggplant like heat so the potted plants would certainly heat the soil to greater temperatures. Keeping the plants moist is often difficult. WHat you can do is use a gallon milk jug with a pin hole in the bottom so it gets watered slowly.Potted plants need added nutrients throughout the growing season. Try a liquid organic fertilizer. Perhaps there is still time for a luscious eggplant.

I don't talk to mine (other than to apologize to my houseplants for the sad treatment they get ), but I do know your little eggplant will soon bear fruit. It doesn't take long once it flowers.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i've noticed that once the weather starts to cool off the eggplants start blooming like crazy and will keep trying to produce even after a few light frosts.

 

[grow_my_own]

I planted Ichiban eggplant this year (Japanese variety). The fruits did not get very long, maybe 6 to 8 inches, but they were delicious & the plants were PROLIFIC! My 2 highest yield plants this past summer have been tomatillos (still producing like crazy) and Ichiban eggplant. Nothing else did all that well here, but this was my first year having a garden at this house & it kinda gives me an idea of what I need to do differently with my soil.