I'm giving up on eggplant growing

[Greatgardens]

Black Beauty has done well for me in the past, but I gave up on OP eggplant. Low yields, generally ugly fruit (for me). You don't say anything about disease, but if Verticillium wilt is killing your plants before they can really deliver, then you need to consider growing them in a container. When growing them in-ground, in a good year, I might get a modest harvest. In a poor year, the plants would load up and I might get one or two fruit before Verticillium took its toll. So now I grow them in an EarthBox and have more than we can eat -- every year!

Recommended varieties: Dancer (Johnny's), Early Midnight (Burpee), Nadia (Tomato Growers), White Star (Harris), Classic (Harris). I've grown all these very successfully in the EB, using a 4-ft. tomato cage to support the plants. Be aware, these are heavy feeders, so must be fertilized accordingly. This year, I will be trying "the snack" as a supplement. I believe that the lighter-skinned eggplants stay bitter-free than the dark purple ones. But no evidence of that that I know if.
-GG

[barkeater]

GG,

Try Rosa Bianca, an italian heirloom, before writing off OP eggplants. I even got a couple RB's here in zone 3 outside one year!

[Greatgardens]

Tried Rosa Bianca a couple of years ago. Had poor production with "interesting" shaped fruit -- mostly "double lobed" and smallish. Also tried a similar hybrid, Beatrice, from Johnny's with somewhat better results, but not "a keeper" for me.

Diamond? Never heard of it. I'll look into that. I've seen Casper advertised for several years, but never tried. it.

Thanks for the suggestions.

-GG

[Andrey_BY]

My aubergines are used to be eaten by local hungry Colorado beetles. It seems to me they like aubergines much more that potatoes ;-)

Best and most prolific aubergine varieties I grow:
Almaz (translated as "Diamond" in English) - 60-75 days, a compact and standard variety here. Ukrainian/USSR CV.
Little Fingers - 70 days, I like multi-clusters.
Patsekha ("Fun" in English) - 55-70 days,earlier than Black Beauty, Belarusian CV.
Lebedinyi ("Swan" in English) - 55-70 days, white skin, bitter-free, Russian CV.
Kashalot (=Cachalot in English) - 50-60 days, the most vigorous and prolific Russian aubergine. See it on the picture below:


I have trialed many aubergine varieties, but don't think it is a good idea to grow them in Zone 4a even in greenhouse. Beetles, low production and luck of space say it all.

[Zeedman]

Andrey, does Lebedinyi have the same elongated fruit as Casper? And does it have thorns? I am wondering how closely they might be related.

Kashalot looks interesting. I'm assuming that the crop in the photo is being grown for seed?

[Andrey_BY]

Zeedman,

I don't trial Casper so I can't compare them.
Lebedinyi ("Swan"): 110-120 days from germination, h 60-80 cm, white elongated 200-250 g bombs, mushroom flavor, bitter-free, no thorns, good keeper, Russian CV. This is it:


Kashalot photo was from Russian seed vendor.

Originally Posted by Zeedman

Andrey, does Lebedinyi have the same elongated fruit as Casper? And does it have thorns? I am wondering how closely they might be related.

Kashalot looks interesting. I'm assuming that the crop in the photo is being grown for seed?

[fantoma]

I never had much success with eggplants either.

[Anthony_Toronto]

I had pretty much the same results as Durgan, with 7 or 8 of the large solid purple pear shaped per plant, and 2 or 3 of the large roundish pink and white striped variety, with pretty much no care other than staking and occasional watering/splash of fertilizer.

[Redbaron]

You guys are all lucky. Last year I got my first eggplants ever. But this year? All my white eggplants are already dead. I have 1 Japanese eggplant hanging on by a thread and probably won't make it. And my black beauty's are looking VERY sad indeed. Not looking good for a repeat at all.

[PNW_D]

was checking out the seedling offers in a local big box yesterday and came across a nice healthy eggplant start - had no idea what Gretel F1 was like but it seems to get really good write ups from various sources - will keep you posted on how it does up here in PNW ...........

http://parkseed.com/gretel-hybrid-eg...p/05225-PK-P1/

[JJJessee]

I almost gave up too.

It was the flea beetle that turned the young leaves into a pall of lace that nearly drove me to eggplant despair.

But this year I set out healthier, larger, plants than I've ever had and that has been part of the solution. I'm growing Black Beauty and Wiamanola(long skinny black one), I had a little success with the Wiamanola last year in a container.

This year I waited until the weather the days and night s were warm( May 29) I put black plastic down as this also helps deter the FB, and put them under light row cover. I've had next to zero FB though I have had a few small grasshoppers, but so far, their damage seems survivable. I've also set planted a couple in 5gal Sub-Irrigated Planters (SIP buckets) these seem to be growing faster. They aren't covered but are sitting on a pallet somewhat away from the garden in a grassy area. I like the asphalt idea. Last year I almost had success with Diamond, but didn't have any seeds leftover. A variety that I wanted to try this year was Ratna -a round, black variety from India. I bought 17 lbs last year at our FM, roasted, peeled and froze them. I couldn't find seeds this year though. The farmer told me they were very productive.

Next year I want to trial several different varieties. Y'all have given me several good ideas.

[Ken B]

Well, so far 2014's summer hasn't been as *cold* as 2013's was, but it's definitely been mild -- so once again our trials for heat-resistant eggplants haven't been useful...

[Labradors2]

Last year I had good success with Swallowtail F1 eggplant.

This year I'm growing Swallowtail again and three Black Beauty. The flea beetles were fierce, but my little seedlings survived and are flowering and fruiting, but two of the Swallowtails have been stricken with what looks like Verticillium Wilt .

I'm not sure what to do, so have been removing the dead leaves and hoping that they will recover. I just hope it doesn't spread to my tomatoes!

Linda

[Cole_Robbie]

Flea beetles eat up my eggplant seedlings if I don't use Sevin. I would like to be able to grow them organically. From what I read, rotenone is effective and classified as organic. I might try that next year.

Other advice is to plant "trap crops" like mustard and radish, but it seems like that would be a double-edged sword. It might just draw more of them to the general area.

[saltmarsh]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Flea beetles eat up my eggplant seedlings if I don't use Sevin. I would like to be able to grow them organically. From what I read, rotenone is effective and classified as organic. I might try that next year.

Other advice is to plant "trap crops" like mustard and radish, but it seems like that would be a double-edged sword. It might just draw more of them to the general area.

Lima beans will repel both Flea beetles and Colorado Potato beetles if interplanted on the same row or on the next row intercropped (protection is good for about 6 feet from the limas).

But the protection won't start until the Lima vines are about 8 inches tall.

But a tea made from fresh Lima bean hulls and leaves will provide the same protection. Make the tea when you have the hulls and leaves available and store it until transplant time.

My recipe for the tea.
1 gallon (packed) fresh Lima bean hulls or leaves
3/4 cup Rosemary leaves (fresh or dried)
3 gallons hot tap water

Place everything in a large stock pot and bring to a boil (covered). Boil for 15 minutes. Allow to cool overnight. Strain and store in 2 or 3 litre plastic bottles out of direct sunlight until needed. Requires no refrigeration and will last for over a year. Be sure to label it so you or your heirs will know what's in the bottles. Makes 3 gallons of tea.

To use, for each gallon of tea, add 1 teaspoon of table molasses and 1 teaspoon Palmolive Orange dishwashing liquid. Shake well to dissolve the molasses. Spray on plants to point of runoff including top and underside of leaves. For transplants, dip the entire plant into the tea before planting then spray the ground around the plant after they are planted. Spray every 10 days to protect new growth until the Lima beans are big enough to provide protection. Claud

Note: If you don't want to grow the Limas, but want to try the tea. A local farm supply shells peas and Limas for $3.00 per bushel and if one in your area offers this service, you can probably get the hulls for the asking, but make sure to use Lima hulls as the pea hulls will attract the beetles instead of repelling them.

Lima beans intercropped with tomatoes, peppers and eggplant and Lima beans interplanted with eggplant.