My first ever hand-sown eggplant !
 

Well everyone ??? This is ground breaking -
I've finally successfully germinated my own eggplant...
Its called Antigua, and I'm real excited about it !

~ Tom

ps. sometimes in gardening, its the "little things" !

Congratulations, Tom! :D

Tom-- I just planted my first hand sown eggplant a few days ago--have always bought them. You inspire me! Hope mine come up too!

Tom-I grew Antigua last year-you will like it-dont let it get too big-at least where I am growing, Antigua was much better a little early than a little late.

yup, its all about the little things. i start eggplant every year. my problem is colorado potato beetles. they love eggplant even more than potatos. if i don't keep the little blankety blanks under control i don't get eggplants. i have diamond, ukrainian beauty, pingtung long, and some unknown to me variety i got from an iranian lady my wife was tutoring in english.
have fun.

keith

[quote=rxkeith;94725] my problem is colorado potato beetles. they love eggplant even more than potatos. keith[/quote]

We have those little buggers in BG. Have to do a daily patrol and pick them off, destroy the eggs. Tried an insecticide but it didn't work well enough for me.

Thanks everyone!

I'm also trying these as well:
Casper
Violetta Lunga

Very excited and "ground breaking" ~ lol

~ Tom

Casper is about my favorite white eggplant. Applegreen is a great eggplant that does well for me. Violetta Lunga did poorly for me.

Mike -

Did you grow these things in pots?

~ Tom

Tom-I grow everything in pots! I live on a mountain in the desert and our soil is about 2 inches thick. I have great luck with eggplant, but not with the Italian ones-Casper, Applegreen, Black Beauty, etc all do great. I am growing 3 varieties from Andrey this year-or 2 I cant remember exactly. I have grown them in 5 gallon grow bags in the summer here and they did great. I have about 16 plants this year.

Good to know Mike !

I still haven't decided if I'm gonna plant them out in the main garden or plant them out in my earth-box on the patio.

Still waiting for the other 2 varieties to pop out!

~ Tom

My eggplants dont like wet feet, would they be too wet in an earth-box?

good question - may have to see whats what - earth-box website says "grow for it" ... huh ...

~ Tom

My first ever hand-sown eggplant
 

Congradulations Tom on your 1st eggplant. I too am growing them for the first time this year. I started 2 types, Diamond and Early Black Egg and so far only the EBE has germinated with one sprout. I planted on March 19th. I will grow them in the 5 gal. growbags. This is a big experiment for Alaska's short growing season. Folks with "real" greenhouses probably do okay with growing eggplants up here.
Sue

Thanks Sue!

I just ordered my "earth-box" and thats where they'll be planted on our patio!
Stoked for sure ...

~ Tom