After planting, water well. Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Eggplant will fall over once loaded with fruit! Be sure to stake tall plants or use a cage to keep the plants upright. If growing eggplant in containers, stake the stems before the fruit forms. For bigger fruits, restrict to five or six per plant.
Eggplant grows best in a well-drained sandy loam or loam soil, fairly high in organic matter., soil p H should be between 5.8 and 6.5 for best growth. Use a covering of black plastic mulch to warm soils before setting out transplants. Eggplant requires moderate amounts of fertilizer.
This begs the question “What do eggplants need to grow?”
One way to think about this is because eggplant really needs warm soil to grow well, gardeners in cool climates often do best growing the plants in large, dark-colored containers. On a sunny day, soil temperatures inside black pots may be 10 degrees or more higher than in-ground soil temperatures.
Some sources claimed do not let the eggplants hang on the plant once they are mature, because their quality will decline. Pick when the skins are still shiny and the fruit is firm. Later in the season, cold nights will injure fruit left on the plant. Cover the plants if there are low temperatures in the forecast.
A question we ran across in our research was “Are eggplants annuals or perennials?”.
One source stated that eggplants, like tomatoes and peppers, are actually tropical perennials plants in the wild. Gardeners in temperate areas tend to grow them as annuals, since they do not tolerate cold temperatures. However, if you’ve got a warm greenhouse where they can spend the winter, you can certainly treat your eggplants much like you would your peppers!
How much space does eggplant need to grow in a container?
Growing eggplant in containers requires 12 to 14 inches (31-35 cm.) of space per plant or three plants can be placed in a 20 inch (50 cm.) container. Unglazed pots dry out more quickly than glazed pots, but they also allow the evaporation of excess moisture.
One source proposed some garden vegetables, like peas and beans, need fewer added nutrients. Others, like eggplants, are considered heavy feeders. Eggplants grow best in a compost-rich, fertile soil under full sun. Feeding eggplants during their growing and fruiting stages improves the overall health of the plant.
Because they need warm soil, eggplants are usually purchased as transplants (or, started indoors about two months in advance). Raised beds enriched with composted manure are an ideal growing place for eggplants because the soil warms more quickly.
Can you grow eggplant in cold weather?
Eggplant grown in temperate climates fares better when transplanted into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Eggplant prefers hot weather, and when grown in cold climates or in areas with low humidity, the plants languish or fail to set and produce mature fruit.
Do eggplants need high temperatures?
Rate this Article: Given their tropical and subtropical heritage, eggplants do require relatively high temperatures , similar to tomatoes and peppers (which are also in the nightshade family of vegetables). Like tomatoes, eggplants grow hanging from the vines of a plant that grows several feet in height.
What are the characteristics of an egg plant?
Eggplants are delicious stuffed and hold up well on the grill. Eggplants are bushy plants with large leaves borne on woody stems . Some varieties can attain heights of up to 4 ½ feet (1.3 m.). Fruit varies in size with large fruited cultivars over a pound (453 gr.) in weight while the smaller varieties tend to be especially heavy bearers.