Quote:
Originally Posted by ac21686
I think I will try Xi'an this upcoming season. I bought seeds for a new arrival at Baker Creek called Shiromaru, another green one (just in time, they closed down again temporarily). Sometimes their write ups are a little too much for me (seemingly everything is 1st place in their trials  ) , but any eggplant I've bought from them matches the descriptions. |
I don't think you will be disappointed in Shiromaru. I wanted that thing for a few years now due to a japanese guy I saw on youtube, what luck that they bring it after I already basically have it (Xi'an green and this are similar in more than just fruit color).
@MrBig46, you need warm soil for eggplant unfortunately, that is crucial, especially at night. I talked about my eggplant experiments in the cold garden in this thread, and the conclusions were as follows:
- black or (even better) transparent mulch over the raised bad made a difference.
- variety matters. Until now Xi'an green has been the only one that made full sized fruit (didn't try any hybrids). I saw in Russian youtube that Bibo F1 seems to do well with cold (I think this one should be easily found in stores, they are popular in all eastern Europe), or maybe Epic F1, an inexpensive common hybrid.
- and then there is the verticilium problem. One might not think they have it but eggplant is so sensitive that you suddenly realize you have it everywhere. If the plant wilts in hot days, fruit is kinda wrinkled, sections of the lower leaves become yellow and die, than it's clear.
-the other point would be grafting on tomato rootstock which should give a lot more tolerance to cold soil and verticilium. This I try this year, I will try on some good op tomato as well as solanum torvum.