Orient Express Eggplant Info - How To Grow An Orient Express Asian Eggplant

1. How do you grow an Asian eggplant?
2. What is the best way to grow eggplant?
3. How many eggplants can you get from one plant?
4. How do you grow Japanese eggplant in pots?
5. Do eggplants like full sun?
6. Do you soak eggplant seeds before planting?
7. What should you not plant next to eggplant?
8. Is Epsom salt good for eggplants?
9. What is the best fertilizer for eggplant?
10. Do eggplants grow back every year?
11. Does eggplant need to be staked?
12. How long does it take for eggplant to grow from flower?
13. How do I get my eggplant to produce fruit?
14. What kind of eggplant is long and skinny?
15. How often should Eggplant be watered?
16. Why do my eggplant flowers keep falling off?
17. What's wrong with my eggplant?
18. Is eggplant easy to grow from seed?
19. How do you start seeds from egg cartons?

How do you grow an Asian eggplant?

Planting and Caring for Eggplants

Eggplants require a sunny location, well-drained sandy loam or loam soil, and lots of organic matter such as compost or aged manure. Aim for a soil pH of about 5.8 to 6.5 for best growth. Plant 3- or 4-inch tall seedlings 2 to 2 1/2-feet apart in rows that are 3 or 4 feet apart.

What is the best way to grow eggplant?

Eggplants grow into tall, angular plants, so they should be spaced 24 to 36 inches apart. Improve planting holes by mixing in 2 inches of compost to help hold moisture and fertilizer in the soil. Set plants at the same depth at which they are growing in their containers, and water well before spreading mulch.

How many eggplants can you get from one plant?

The standard eggplant produces egg-shaped, glossy, purple-black fruit. 'Black Beauty' is the traditional eggplant size. One plant produces 4 to 6 large rounded fruit.

How do you grow Japanese eggplant in pots?

Plant one eggplant per container, 2-gallon minimum. Fill the container with a high quality potting soil that will drain quickly. Add a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at planting and then every few weeks during the season, especially when plants start to bloom. Water deeply and consistently, but don't overwater.

Do eggplants like full sun?

Eggplants are sun lovers. Make sure they get at least six hours of unobstructed sun per day—the more sun the better. Also, eggplant, like tomatoes, are heat lovers.

Do you soak eggplant seeds before planting?

Eggplant is best started indoors (or on a patio if it's warm enough) 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting into the garden. Do not set eggplants out until daytime temperatures are in the 70° F range. I recommend soaking your seeds in water for up to 24 hours. ... Most eggplant seeds germinate in 6-12 days.

What should you not plant next to eggplant?

Eggplant – A good companion for amaranth, beans, marigolds, peas, peppers, spinach, and thyme. Do not plant eggplants near fennel. Fennel – Not a companion for any garden food plant, fennel will actually inhibit growth in bush beans, kohlrabi, tomatoes, and others.

Is Epsom salt good for eggplants?

They do well with a drip irrigation system, but many watering methods work. When the first blossoms appear, spray the plants with a seaweed extract with one teaspoon of Epsom salts dissolved per gallon. The solution improves fruit set. ... Young fruits are best; mature eggplants may be bitter.

What is the best fertilizer for eggplant?

Start by working lots of compost into the soil, plus 2 to 3 pounds of a complete fertilizer like 15-5-10 per 100 sq. ft. If you prefer, use an organic fertilizer like blood meal, well-rotted manure, cottonseed meal, or bat guano. Burpee's Big Boy Tomato Food is also super for growing eggplants.

Do eggplants grow back every year?

Eggplant is a frost tender, heat loving, branching bushy plant with thick, woody stems. ... Mature plants range from 1 to 8 feet in height. Although eggplant is a perennial, it is more commonly grown as an annual.

Does eggplant need to be staked?

Like tomatoes and peppers, eggplants should be staked for optimum growth and yield (Figure 2). Staking keeps the eggplant fruit from touching the ground, which reduces disease and improves fruit shape, particularly on elongated fruit.

How long does it take for eggplant to grow from flower?

How long does it take for eggplant to grow after flowering? Depending on the variety and the region in which you are gardening, different cultivars of eggplant will develop mature fruit within 50 to 80 days after flowering.

How do I get my eggplant to produce fruit?

Make sure your eggplants receive at least two inches of water per week. They'll need more than that when the weather is particularly hot. Eggplant blooms are pollinated by the wind. These plants don't depend on pollinating insects like bees to get the job done.

What kind of eggplant is long and skinny?

Japanese eggplant are long and thin, with a dark, almost black color and glossy appearance. They get very soft and creamy when cooked, and have an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture. These aren't your eggplant parm guys, they are better for sautéing, stir-fried, or pickled.

How often should Eggplant be watered?

Fight pests with healthy plants

In hot climates, young plants will need to be watered twice a week, to a depth of 12 inches. Eggplants do not like standing water, so mature plants should be watered deeply and infrequently. But do not allow the leaves to wilt during the day.

Why do my eggplant flowers keep falling off?

Eggplant Blossoms Drying Out from Lack of Water

When an eggplant plant is stressed, its blossoms will dry up and drop off without producing fruit. The most common reason a eggplant gets stressed is due to a lack of water. ... of water a week, more in very hot weather.

What's wrong with my eggplant?

There are several eggplant diseases that affect these crops. Some of the most common include blossom end rot, wilt diseases, and various types of blight. ... Verticillium wilt is similar to bacterial wilt but is caused by soil-borne fungal infections. Plants may become stunted, turn yellow, and wilt.

Is eggplant easy to grow from seed?

Eggplant must be started from seed indoors in most areas, 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost date. If at all possible, it's best to start with organic eggplant seeds, to ensure that you are receiving untreated seeds from plants grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

How do you start seeds from egg cartons?

An easy solution is to cut off the container lid and put it under the bottom of the carton. Poke holes in the bottom of each egg cup and any moisture will drain out and into the lid underneath. Fill each egg cup with potting soil and place seeds in to the appropriate depth.