Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Grow a Miniature Eggplant
How to Grow a Miniature Eggplant. Miniature eggplants grow the same way as regular eggplants are grown, but they produce much smaller fruits. Varieties such as Little Fingers, L'il Darling, Thai and Bambino, are not only smaller, but have distinctive flavors. Miniature eggplants usually have thinner skins, are more tender and sweeter than regular...
Miniature eggplants grow the same way as regular eggplants are grown, but they produce much smaller fruits. Varieties such as Little Fingers, L'il Darling, Thai and Bambino, are not only smaller, but have distinctive flavors. Miniature eggplants usually have thinner skins, are more tender and sweeter than regular varieties. The fruits also mature faster, making them good for areas with shorter growing seasons.
Things You'll Need
Compost or composted manure
Turning fork or tiller
Trowel
Aluminum foil
Black plastic mulch (optional)
Fertilizer
Organic pesticide
Bacillus thuringiensis
Gloves
Choose a planting site for miniature eggplants in full sun. Add 6 inches of compost or composted manure to the soil and work it into the top 12 inches.
Plant eggplant starter plants after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are consistently above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Space the plants 18 to 24 inches apart. Place an aluminum foil collar around the stems' bottoms protecting them from cutworms. Black plastic mulch speeds early growth in cooler climates.
Water as needed, but do not overwater. Eggplants are relatively drought tolerant, but are prone to root rot.
Fertilize miniature eggplants monthly with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, such as 5-10-10. High-nitrogen fertilizers produce too much foliage and too little fruit.
Check frequently for aphids, whiteflies, potato beetles, tomato hornworm, cucumber beetle, spider mites, flea beetle and leafhoppers. Treat infestations with organic pesticides.
Check for bacterial and viral wilts. Pulling and destroying affected plants keeps the disease from spreading to other plants.
Harvesting miniature eggplant fruits when the skin is still shiny avoids tough, bitter fruit. Store the fruit at temperatures above 45 F and use as soon as possible for the best flavor.
Tips & Warnings
Tomato hornworms can strip a plant bare of foliage overnight, so check the bottoms and tops of plants for them daily. Pick off any you see and apply Bacillus thuringiensis to kill those remaining.
Eggplants have stickers on the green fruit caps, so wear gloves when harvesting.
The hairs on the plants' leaves and stem can irritate the skin of sensitive persons.
