Which varieties are you growing this year?
 

I'm back to growing just my two most successful varieties, Neon and Lavender Touch. They have proven to be both prolific fruiters for me, and are both beautiful and tasty. This is embarassing - they're both hybrids! Pretty unusual for an heirloom fan like me.

Last year I had a seed starting catastrophe and had to buy plants rather than raising my own. So I bought Burpee Hybrid from a local nursery and ordered Fairy Tale plants through the mail. The Burpee Hybrid was OK, but nothing spectacular. The Fairy Tales, however, were disappointing. I never felt that I had enough eggplant with the tiny fruit, although they were pretty.

I've grown Applegreen, Black Beauty, and Caspar in the past. Oh, and the one season that I tried to grow Thai Yellow Egg, it never fruited for me.

You can't go wrong with Neon and Lavendar Touch. I was delighted to find one of the plants from Lav Touch saved seed was nearly identical to the hybrid. Do try Antiguan, Green Giant (from Johnny's), Bride and Machiaw - also either Purple Rain or Zebra. Beautiful, productive and delicious! And best - Antiguan and Green Giant are OP, so seed saving will give the same result.

Has anyone grown Round Mauve? Last year only one germinated about 5 weeks after the others so I didn't grow it. This year I soaked the Round Mauve and not the others. Ukranian Beauty germinated in 4 days, and Ping Tung and Chinese Sword in 7 days....still no Round Mauve.
Ukranian Beauty beats the hybrids I have grown for hardiness and production. It is one amazing eggplant, even if just plain purple.
Neon sounds like one I should try.

Jeanne

Craig, what were your other LT seedlings like?

Maybe I should save seed from LT myself. Even if it gets cross-pollinated with Neon, that could be an interesting combination. Who knows, maybe in a few years I'll have some Neon Touch to offer.

I've grew Neon for four years. It always did well for me, even when I planted in partial sun. Smallish fruit, which I prefer and very mild flavor. Also really pretty.

I grew two of the Lavendar Touch F2. One of them is here -

[img]http://nctomatoman.topcities.com/2004_Season/eggplant/LavendarTouchF2July6_04.jpg[/img]

A bit more bulbous than the hybrid, but a similar color.

The other has the same shape, but is pure white. Both were productive and flavorful.

Ciao all,

I'm growing Violetta Lunga, an Italian variety again this year. It's wonderful grilled or marinated, or in fritti (check out Craig's recipe). I grew Bianca from Solana Seeds last year and liked it ok but it wasn't overly productive so I'm giving Casper a try this year for a white Italian-shaped. Lastly, I'm trying Antigua for some interesting colour striping. All will be grown in large 15 gal IKEA buckets with Pro-Mix and I'm thinking 5' bamboo stakes in case of thunderstorms. I tried getting some Thai Egg in whatever colour in a trade, but it didn't materialize. I think the Munchkin would really enjoy growing those. If any of you have a few seed to spare, let me know?

I'm growing Listada de Gandia. My seedlings are about 1½"-2" tall. In the past I've grown Dusky, Neon, Cloud Nine, and a few others.

Ive got seeds for Violetta lunga, Round Mauve, Rossa Bianca. ill try for 1-2 plants of each (and some for friends). I grew BlackBeauty once in a small pot and it was hard, this year they probably get beds.

I am going to be growing Mohican this year(if my seeds from Pinetree ever get here). It is a small hybrid for containers. I will be interested to see how it does in containers on the porch.

I've never grown eggplant before (or eaten it for that matter, but the recipes posted sound too good to not try, and the kids all seemed to like the grilled zuchinni I fed them last year... so maybe the eggplant will be a success too!).

I am growing black beauty and Diamond. I know nothing about either.. just crossing my fingers and planting!

Cindy :)

I'm going to try to grow Rosa Bianca here in zone 3. It was always known to me as Sicilian eggplant. I used to grow it on my farm in NJ, and it's the sweetest eggplant I know. It never did bear heavily, but I don't eat eggplant much anyway.

It'll definitely need a lot of protection, but I plan to use row covers the whole season. On top to start, then wrapped around the cage when it gets big.

I'm growing eggplant for the first time in 10+ years this year. I used to grow Rosa Bianca but I am going to try Thai Long Green from Baker Creek this time around for something different. I'd be curious if anyone had tried that one.

Scott

Growing this Spring - Amusement?
 

White Beauty
Black Beauty
Rosa Bianca
Lousiana Long Green
Italian Blush
Green Apple

Something someone sent me called "Amusement" anyone know about this? I cannot find it in the yearbook or any information about.

We'll be growing Black Beauty again this year and have ordered seeds for Diamond, Rosita and Udumalapet. I'd like to try Rosa Bianca but am afraid we're already pushing our space limitations. I'm thinking a roto-tiller may help with that problem.