Saturday, October 29, 2016

Eggplant Varieties 2016

Eggplants 
In late November we will have the first of our eggplants. Big surprise for me when I moved from Queensland to Hobart is how well eggplants grow in Hobart. You don't need a greenhouse as these varieties will grow outside. 

Eggplants need the same growing conditions as tomatoes. Unlike tomatoes if you have a greenhouse or very warm sunny spot indoors you may be able to turn your eggplant into a perennial plant and get fruit from it each season. 

We have 5 varieties this season all chosen for their suitability for a cooler shorter season like we have in Tasmania. However this means all our varieties produce smaller fruit rather than the really big fruit you see in the supermarket. I have chosen varieties that produce a lot of fruit.

Rosa Bianca should be the first eggplant ready and the others will follow.


Casper
  • French heirloom
  • fruit 5x15cm (though tastier when smaller)
  • quick producing
  • heavy producing 
  • very mild flavour. Not bitter.
  • European eggplants were originally white hence the name eggplant



Early Long Purple
  • fruit 25cmx8cm but better harvested when younger and smaller
  • each plant produces 8+ fruit
  • plant height 60-75cm
  • excellent flavour







Golden Egg


  • suitable for container grower and can be grown inside if there is lots of sunlight
  • beautiful decorative plant.
  • round pearl coloured changing to yellow fruit . For eating generally better when paler
  • more productive and earlier to fruit that other varieties.





Ping Tung Long
  • Asian heirloom from Taiwan
  • great choice for cooler climates with short growing seasons
  • high yielding more than 20 fruit per bush
  • sweet and tender flavour
  • plants are sturdy and disease resistant







Rosa Bianca

  • lavender and white pear shaped fruit 10-15 cm long
  • superbly flavoured creamy flesh
  • Italian heirloom
  • plant height 60-90cm

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