Supposed to be started April 1

Black Beauty

Last year was a bit of a crazy year for seed, and gardening. I ordered eggplant in order to start it at the proper time. Unfortunately it got back ordered. From my notes, it looks like I didn’t sow it until early May. This proved to be too late.

Size: 18-24 inches high by 16 inches wide

Location: hot and sunny as you can, it needs lots of heat to mature the fruit

Matures in: 70 from transplant

Native to: Originating in China and India, the Spanish Moors introduced the eggplant into southern and Eastern Europe. From there the early explorers of the New World introduced eggplant into the Americas in the 1500s, but, believing it to be poisonous, it was not eaten. Black Beauty was developed in the early 1900s.

Why did I Choose it? I’ve never tried to grow eggplant before and it seemed like a good first choice.

Uses? We love eggplant in many dishes. Look up some recipes for eggplant and feta pizza, grilled eggplant or szechuan aubergine and your mouth will start watering.

Specifics: These plants love heat - the hotter the better. They produce glossy purple black egg shaped fruit. Plants are spineless. This heirloom variety has been grown for over 100 years and is a heavy producer with up to 12 fuits per plant.

Companion Plants:

Peas and beans help fix nitrogen and bean also help repel Colorado potato beetles.

Tarragon and oregano act as a good bug repellant and thyme helps to reduce garden moths.

Spinach is a good companion helping to retain soil moisture and also benefits from the shade that the eggplant provides.

Borage flowers attract beneficial pollinators.

Nasturtiums throughout the garden are excellent aphid traps to keep them off your crops.

Amaranth, marigolds and peppers are also good companions.

Avoid: 

Fennel

Personal Notes: Like I said at the beginning, this crop failed because I started it too late.

By the time it started flowering the summer heat was mostly over. Some of the flowers started forming into fruit but it would fall off once it got a couple inches big.

This year, if I start it early enough, hopefully I will get at leat one eggplant for pizza.

Next up seed started April 22

Broccoli