Beginner Gardening: how do you tell...., 1 by Farmerdill

Farmerdill wrote:
Unripe eggplants are the only ones you eat. A ripe eggplant is tough, seedy, and inedible. You can pick them anytime, they are large enough for you. On the purple cultivars, they rapidly deteriorate in quality as the sheen wears off. Pick them well before they become dull in color. As long as they are shiny , you are ok. Whites and greens are not as obvious in color change, but the same principle applies. Eggplant comes in many shapes and sizes from the tiny Slim Jim to long skinny ones ( Longship) to Big teardrops (Black Beauty types)

Slim Jim