Hi folks,
This is my first year growing eggplant from seed and I started mine in jiffy pots. Do you recommend keeping them under lights and when is the best time to plant them in the ground? Is it after last frost, or is it recommended to wait a couple more weeks after the last frost date?
Thanks for any input.
Megan
Eggplant in 5a
keep them under lights. eggplants like heat so i plant mine outdoors on june 1st even though last frost date for our zone is may 15th. what kind are you growing. i have black beauty and cloud nine this year. i'm about to repot them into 4 inch containers and put them down in my unheated basement till planting time.
Thank you herbie43. I have them under lights, I just wanted to make sure it was okay. Thanks for letting me to know to repot them. Sounds like I should harden off around mid May and plant out June 1st. Lots to learn here as this is my first year growing from seeds. I too am growing the black beauty and also green apple (also heirloom). I'll post some neat recipe ideas a little later today, but I have to get ready for doc appointment now. Thanks again.
Megan
Megan --- Do post the recipes when you have the eggplants as I will be on soft foods for a few months because of my surgery and eggplant qualifies!
Hi Tplant,
Thanks for reminding me. Actually these are some recipe ideas that I found on Burpee and I thought there were some excellent tips especially since I am new to growing and eating eggplant myself and I am looking forward to trying them out. Here you go and enjoy:
Eggplant is delicious battered and fried. Mix an egg in a half cup of milk. Dip a quarter-inch slices of eggplant in the milk then shake them in a plastic bag with Italian bread crumbs. Fry in oil until crisp, then drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a bit of Creole Seasoning or salt. Even kids will eat eggplant fixed this way if you don't tell them what they're eating. Eggplant is also great in a casserole. Cut the eggplant into half-inch chunks and steam until tender. Use any of the Italian sauces readily available in jars at the grocery store (or spend all day making mama's marinara sauce), but also cook up some fresh Italian sausage and add this to the sauce. In a casserole dish, layer the sauce, chunks of eggplant, fresh Romano and or parmesan cheeses, Italian bread crumbs, mozzarella, more sauce etc., etc. Top it off with more bread crumbs and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly. When eggplants are plentiful, make up a bunch of these casseroles in foil pans and freeze them. They taste even better when the snow is blowing outside. Today's hybrids are so sweet and flavorful that one of the best preparations is to simply place slices on the grill after brushing lightly with olive oil. Go easy on the oil, as eggplant will absorb a lot of it. Cook just until the slices have nice grill marks on both sides.