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Choose the site. Japanese eggplants prefer full sun and lots of warmth, so choose a planting area in your garden that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Prepare the soil. Japanese eggplants prefer loamy, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 to 6.5.
How big should a Japanese eggplant grow?
A healthy and mature Japanese eggplant plant will take up about 3 feet of space in the garden for its canopy to expand and will grow about 4 feet tall. Space the plants a minimum of 24 inches apart so that the leaves and fruit aren’t crowded.
How much fruit does a Japanese eggplant produce?
The long, slender Japanese eggplant has a thinner skin and more delicate flavor. ‘Ichiban’: 10- to 12-inch, slim, purple/black fruit; bears until frost. Expect a dozen or more fruit from one plant. ‘Little Fingers’: finger-sized purple/black fruit; good for containers.
Does Japanese eggplant need to be staked?
Staking or caging the seedlings can help keep the plants secure when they start growing heavy fruits (since Japanese eggplants are smaller than globe eggplants, supports aren’t necessary but can still be helpful).
Should you stake Japanese eggplant?
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. Staking also makes harvesting easier.
How many eggplants should I plant for a family of 4?
Planting a vegetable garden for a family Crop (number of plants per ft. of row) Number of plants per person Corn (1 plant/ft. of row) 10-15 plants Eggplant (1 plant/2 ft. of row) 2-3 plants Kale (10/10 ft. of row) 2-7 plants Leaf lettuce (Thin to 3 plants/ft. of row) 24 plants.
How long do Japanese eggplants grow?
Add a cage to your eggplant to help support stems when heavy with fruit. Place in full sun, and feed regularly. Matures in 50 to 60 days.
How long does it take eggplant to 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.
Do eggplants climb?
Does eggplant grow upright or is it supposed to fall into a vine and grow on the ground? It grows upright on a shrubby plant, but the fruit can get so heavy that it pulls the plant down. Use a plant stake or cage to hold the plants upright.
Can eggplant and tomatoes be planted together?
Tomatoes are often used as eggplant companions. Again, be sure not to shade the eggplant. Potatoes and spinach are also said to make great companion plantings too.
Can you use tomato cages for eggplant?
Use garden twine, old laces, or pantyhose looped around the plant and the stake to support it. You could also use a tomato cage, of which there are several types. You can still stake the plants; you just need to be a bit more careful. In this case, the stake should be about 6 feet (1.8 m.)Oct 25, 2020.
Are Japanese eggplants self pollinating?
The answer is that the eggplant is self-pollinating due to its “perfect” or “complete” flowers. Perfect flowers contain both anthers (which produce pollen) and pistils (which receive the pollen). Whichever method you choose, it’s best to hand-pollinate eggplant in the morning, when the flowers are fully open.
How do you grow eggplant in a raised bed?
Try growing eggplants in raised beds, which heat up quickly in spring. Plants given plenty of room are healthier and more productive, so space them 2½ to 3 feet apart in all directions. Water well, pour 1 to 2 cups of compost around each plant, and firm the soil gently.
What is Japanese eggplant called?
Japanese eggplants, botanically classified as Solanum melongena, are slender, purple-hued varieties belonging to the Solanaceae, or nightshade family. The name Japanese eggplant is used as a general descriptor for many different varieties of eggplants grown in Japan.
How many Japanese eggplants grow?
Asian varieties are somewhat smaller plants, however, usually growing only to about 18 inches tall, while the larger-fruited plants can reach 2 to 3 feet. If you want larger fruits from your Japanese eggplants, remove some so that you have perhaps five or six fruits per plant.
How much space does an eggplant plant need?
Space eggplants 18 inches apart, in rows 30 to 36 inches apart.
Is Ichiban eggplant perennial?
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 a lot of water?
Watering. Eggplant also needs consistent water, at least 1 inch per week. It is better to give one thorough soaking than several frequent, short waterings, because frequent watering promotes shallow roots.
How do you fertilize Japanese eggplant?
Fertilizer. ‘Ichiban’ eggplant is a heavy feeder, needing fertilizer on a regular basis. Before planting, mix 2 to 3 pounds of a granular, 15-5-10 formula into the soil for each 100 square feet of planting area. Then feed the plants with more fertilizer monthly, starting one month after planting.
How deep do eggplant roots go?
Eggplants roots reach about 2 feet deep and plants should not be subjected to water stress. Stress during the bloom can cause substantial reduction in fruit set. Keep adequate moisture in the deeper soil layers even when plants are small.
