Eggplant Fairy Tale

Description

Days To Maturity: 65

Tender, plump and sweet, these luscious-looking mini marvels are little jewels of delicious creamy flavor. The short, slender fruits make tasty conversation pieces, with their beautifully marbled purple and white tones. In clusters of six fruits. This mini eggplants 4-5" x 1" grow on prolifically branching compact plants. Perfect for growing in containers.

Uses

Care

Eggplants require fertile, well-drained soil with a pH range of 6.2-6.8. Sow seed in flats indoors during early spring, or 6-8 weeks prior to planting outdoors. Sow 4 seeds/in., ¼" deep, and maintain soil temperature at 80-90°F (27-32°C) until emergence and 70°F (21°C) thereafter. Seed will not germinate in cool soil. After true leaves form, thin to 2-3" apart in flats or transplant into 2-3" pots or plug trays. To harden plants, reduce water and temperature to about 60°F (16°C) for about a week before planting out. Transplant outdoors late spring or early summer once the weather has thoroughly settled. Eggplants are tender, and cold weather may weaken them. Use row covers for a real boost in performance and insect control. Remove when plants reach the covers or when blossoms first appear. Space transplants 18" apart in rows 30-36" apart, or 2 rows on poly mulch, 18-24" between plants. It is important to be mindful of over-fertility. Too much nitrogen often results in large, bushy plants that produce only one small set of fruit.