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[NRaleighLiberal]

This message was self-deleted by its author (NRaleighLiberal) on Mon Jun 20, 2016, 01:01 AM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[NJCher]

1. Still life with eggplant

That is an art composition--you grew it, arranged it, and photographed it.

I like the way you did it like a gradient, from left to right, with the darkest purple through the violets and into the blushes until finally getting to the white eggplant.


Cher

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. thanks....I just love color - my wife is a quilter and uses me to help

with color matching/contrasts and layouts..just like I employ here taste buds when assessing tomato varieties!

[NJCher]

3. you sound like a good pair

We have something like that going here. The Resident Gourmand invents with my garden yields, coming up with all kinds of delicous meals. I like to experiment with new varieties, kind of like what you do (only I'm not as organized as you are about it).


Cher

[ginnyinWI]

4. what kind of soil do you have?

Eggplants won't grow for me. Sandy soil, glacial till.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. all in containers! They love hot roots (as do peppers), so all my eggplant and peppers -

and tomatoes too - are grown in containers of various sizes. They thrive!

[Gormy Cuss]

6. Are the whites in the lower right Caspers?

That's my favorite white variety. I made baba ganoush yesterday (Black Beauty and Prosperosa eggplants.)

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. It is Casper type fruit showing up in the F4 generation. Lots of segretation

the last one in the middle row and all of the bottom row are offspring of a Casper X ?? cross that the bees created in my garden a few years ago - one Casper seedling with a purplish stem gave a dark purple fruit - seed saved from that gave all sorts of things, including a rare purple blush over green background combo!

[ReRe]

8. Yum...

... food! I have never tried to grow eggplant. Is it a viney plant? Do you have trouble with borers? I tried to grow summer squash a couple summers ago, and borers eat them out. So the next summer, I moved them to another bed, thinking that the borers were in the soil of the previous one. Nope, no matter what I did, they kept getting to them. The borers won. Thanks for sharing a photo of your eggplants!

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. they are so easy...key factors

* start with seedlings either purchased or self started...think tomatoes for timing and technique.

* they thrive in containers in full sun. 5 gallon is perfect but even 2-3 gal. Works

* plant in a good soilless mix or compost. I use miracle Gro potting mix cut with composted cow manure.

* regular watering important...don't allow to wilt.

* Top out at 3-4 ft tall ...short cone type tomato cages work well...I just put a 4 ft stake in the pot and use twine to tie the plant to it.

* main issues are flea beetles early on and Japanese Beetles later.

Less pest and disease prone than tomatoes...similar to bell peppers in culture.

[ReRe]

10. Thanks!

What's the time span, from seedling to fruit? And I assume you are a seed propagator?
That's what I get a kick out of.

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. I plant mid Feb, transplant Mid March, plant mid April or so - delayed this year to mid May.

For the most part, seedlings that went into the containers May 21 got a first picking on July 10 or so - 45-50 days.

Yes, I am a seed saver!

[Lunabell]

12. MMMM Baba Ganoush

wish I were your neighbor, I'd crash your party,lol!

[awoke_in_2003]

14. Same here. nt

[Treant]

13. Wonderful!

I grow ornamental Easter eggplant in the garden (and pots, as you noted they like having hotfoot). While technically edible, yours look better for eating.

[awoke_in_2003]

15. As usual, looking good. nt

[Siwsan]

16. I'm ashamed to say I've never eaten egg plant!

I think it intimidates me!

I have just finished a tour of my garden - tomatoes are doing fantastic. I planted everything from Roma to Purple Cherokee, Green Striped, Pineapple, Golden, Lemon Boy and this year, BLACK tomatoes. And a few 'run of the mill' regular ones. Peppers are finally picking up steam. Cucumbers appear to be a miserable failure, this year, as are the green zucchini. Golden zucchini is doing "ok".

This is my last garden as a working stiff. Next year maybe I'll be more adventurous and venture into the egg plant arena.

[NRaleighLiberal]

17. Cherokee Purple is really one of the first "black" tomatoes

which are those that retain some chlorophyll upon ripening - Purple Calabash seems to have appeared in the 1950s, then Black Krim - I named Cherokee Purple in 1990 - and after that, the floodgates opened and loads appeared, many from the former Soviet Union (Black from Tula, Black Sea Man, Southern Night, Black Plum)....Cherokee Chocolate popped up as a mutation of Cherokee Purple in my garden in 1995. Clear skinned dark flesh are purple, yellow skinned dark flesh are brown or chocolate - both are "black"s.

Eggplant are wonderful if you do the right things preparing them - and eat them freshly grown.

[Siwsan]

19. My friends think I've turned into a crazy tomato lady

I love looking for something new, every year. This year it's the pineapple and the 'black'. And your knowledge is so wonderful and much appreciated!

I also grown my own garlic, basil and oregano. I make and freeze pasta sauce, stewed tomatoes, and my own version of an egg plant free ratatioulle. Nothing tastes better during a long, cold Michigan winter.

[NRaleighLiberal]

20. Well, I've got a huge seed collection - just let me know if you want to try

different and obscure tomatoes, peppers or eggplant! I send seed out early spring.

[Siwsan]

21. I will absolutely keep that in mind!

I started some of my plants from seed, this year, but should have started them sooner.

I'm leaving the corporate word behind, in the Spring, so I'm going to have lots of time to do early prep and work on the more important things, in life, like spending time with family, gardening and RELAXING!!

[NRaleighLiberal]

18. Thanks, Skinner - delighted that my eggplant are "cool"!

[canoeist52]

22. That pic reminds me of trying to arrange my pastels by color and shade in the box.

Mentally exhausting and sometimes futile. Beautiful fruits!

[CrispyQ]

23. Kick for the clever title & gorgeous veggies!