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momtopom03

Eggplant

momtopom03
12 years ago

I planted eggplant this spring. They grew very nicely and I got four good eggplant and two that were half eaten by something. I thought they were all done but today I went to check my butternut squash and not only have the plants grown larger, they have about six or seven flowers on each of them and two of the plants have new small eggplants. I didn't think they'd continue to grow this late in the season, here in Massachusetts. Not sure which variety they are except they're the usual purple eggplant you see in the grocery store. The eggplants are too small to pick and I don't think they'll continue maturing through the cooler temps of October.

Comments (4)

  • digdirt2
    12 years ago

    I'm not really sure what your question is so forgive me if i misunderstand. When the weather cooperates eggplant, just like indeterminate variety tomatoes, will continue to produce until a frost or a disease kills them.

    Many times in our zone I have picked eggplants well into October. But if your don't pick and use them anyway. The young small eggplants are often even better in flavor than the large ones and many prefer to pick all of them at a small young stage.

    If you are looking for ways to preserve eggplant - the focus of this forum - unfortunately there aren't many ways other than freezing in ready made dishes or pickling. But if you search egg plant here you'll find several good recipes for using them.

    If you need additional info on how to grow them then check out the Vegetable gardening forum.

    Hope this helps.

    Dave

  • pixie_lou
    12 years ago

    Your eggplants did better than mine! I'm also in Massachusetts. If the frost holds off, then I will get 2 eggplants total off 6 plants this year!

    Usually in early September, I start pulling the blossoms off my plants - with the hopes that the plant will put the energy into ripening the existing eggplants than trying to produce new eggplants that have no hopes of maturing before frost sets.

  • momtopom03
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Sorry I wasn't clear. I was just questioning why after the plants have already produced fruit during August, why they would suddenly start the cycle all over again this late. I thought once they flowered, produced fruit and the fruit was harvested, that was it. I will remove those flowers and see if that helps the new fruit. Thanks!

  • amysrq
    12 years ago

    I am also growing eggplant here in MA, but I like the Asian varieties as they size up faster and are less likely to get eaten by bugs. What I noticed this summer is that the eggplants took a break during that very hot spell we had. I'd been getting a good amount of fruits and then they quit for awhile, I think it was because pollination isn't as successful during high temps. I have 6-7 plants and picked at least 8 last week. Yesterday, I picked about 15 more and they're still coming! I do pinch off all blooms at the start of September like Pixie Lou.