How to Grow Aubergines Alias Eggplants

Eggplants or aubergines as they are called are becoming better known in the western world. Other names they are known by are eggfruit, brinjal and guinea squash. Eggplants originate from the Middle East and Asia, and instantly recognizable by their shiny purple skins. Eggplants are from the same family as the tomato and potato, as the scientific name of Solanum melongena esculentum suggests. There are many varieties, coming loosely under three types. The multi colored, small and the familiar egg shaped fruit. The purple/deep red color predominates; the multicolored variety has shades of cream through to pink.

Growing eggplants from seed starts a few weeks before spring arrives. Choose a variety that suits your situation, whether it is an early variety or a main crop. The eggplants require a long warm growing season so a head start in growing seedlings is necessary. Allow at least 14-16 weeks. The fruit itself takes anywhere from 60-80 days to mature.

Where you are in the world obviously dictates when your best sowing dates are.

Grow the seeds in trays or punnets until the seeds reach 3-4 inches in height. When transplanting them into their final position handle carefully, avoid holding them by their stems.

Plant the seedling into a container at least 40 cm in width with reasonable depth. The height the plants grow is dependent on the variety used, with the taller varieties needing to be staked and protection from the wind.

The plants will need manure or compost added to their pot. Do not overdo the manure as you may end up with lots of leaves! Grow them in a sunny open area on a deck or patio where you can water them frequently and notice their overall health.

Feed your plants with a water-based fertilizer according to the instructions of the brand you are using. This can vary from fortnightly to monthly, this is important from flowering onward and during the fruiting season.

You may prefer to limit the number of fruit of your plant, to maintain quality fruit but that is a personal preference. Once the fruit has reached maturity usually in the late summer, the skins will be well colored and shiny. This is the premium time to harvest, because once the skin starts wrinkling, the fruit is past its best for eating. Always use secateurs for cutting your fruit off the plants, as pulling them can damage the plant. It is very frustrating when you do it and it breaks the plant completely!

As they belong to the tomato family, eggplants are susceptible to fruit fly infestations. There are sprays available to limit the damage they cause, applied weekly the chemicals break down and are non-harmful if you time your harvesting accordingly. Another is verticillium wilt; unfortunately, the only cure for this fungal disease is removal. Do not use the same pot again for growing aubergines.

The Author:

Maman Wilson —  In my sixties, having been privileged to have had a full and interesting life with husband and four children. Career changes have included,nursing,farming,business,real estate, office work and sundry other careers. Now on my own it is time to do something new!!

Photo. Piotr Eliasz

Source: EA

📜 From the Pioneer’s Garden: A Historical Perspective

by pioneerthinking.com

While Maman Wilson’s contemporary methods provide the perfect foundation for today’s gardener, the homesteaders and settlers of the 19th century—who knew this fruit as the “Guinea Squash”—relied on their own ingenuity to coax a harvest from shorter, cooler growing seasons. For those interested in traditional self-sufficiency, here is how a pioneer would have managed the eggplant from seed to cellar.

Starting in the “Hotbed”

In an era before heated greenhouses or electric grow lights, pioneers used hotbeds to give eggplants the 14–16 week head start they require. They would build a wooden frame over a pit filled with two feet of fresh horse manure. As the manure decomposed, it generated steady “bottom heat,” warming the soil enough to sprout seeds even while the ground outside was still frozen.

Natural Fertilizers and “Teas”

Without store-bought fertilizers, pioneers relied on what was available on the farm:

• Compost Tea: Soaking a burlap bag of aged manure in a barrel of water created a nutrient-rich liquid for fortnightly feedings once the plants were established.

• Wood Ash: A light dusting of cooled wood ash from the hearth provided potassium, essential for strong stems and heavy fruit development.

The “Mock Oyster” and Pioneer Kitchens

Because the eggplant was a rarity in many regions, it was treated as a culinary delicacy. The most famous pioneer preparation was the “Mock Oyster” fry. Slices were peeled, salted to “sweat” out any bitterness, dipped in egg and cornmeal, and fried in lard. To a settler living far from the coast, the texture and flavor were a prized stand-in for fried seafood.

Survival Storage: Beyond the Garden

Since eggplants do not keep as well as root crops, pioneers used creative methods to extend the harvest:

• The Sand Box: Unbruised fruit was sometimes buried in boxes of dry, clean sand and kept in a cool, dark cellar to stay firm for several extra weeks.

• Drying: Similar to “leather britches” (dried green beans), eggplants were sliced thin and hung on strings near the rafters or hearth to dry. These were later rehydrated in winter stews to add heartiness.

• Brining: Slices were often preserved in stone crocks with vinegar, salt, and wild herbs to create a savory winter pickle.

An Old-Fashioned Tip: The “Dust” Defense

To protect young, tender plants from the tiny “shotholes” caused by flea beetles, pioneers would head into the garden in the early morning while the dew was still on the leaves. They would lightly dust the plants with fine flour or dry wood ash. This created a gritty barrier that discouraged the beetles from feeding, helping the plant reach maturity without modern chemicals.

Note: If you are growing these today, remember that the “shiny skin” rule is the most important. A dull eggplant is a seedy, bitter eggplant!