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
