I'm noticing something interesting with my eggplants this year. I purchased seeds for Italian Long Purple eggplant and grew it the last two years. Yields was probably about three or four per plant, which was plenty for the two of us. At the end of last year I decided to try saving seeds from one of the last remaining ones left hanging too long to make for good eating.
This year I wanted five plants, so I started seven of my saved seeds. Only three germinated and I was afraid I hadn't let them mature long enough before saving them last fall, so I started some of my remaining purchased seeds. In the end, I put out the three grown from saved seeds and two from purchased seeds. The three from my saved seeds are not only taller and healthier, but they are starting to load up with eggplants and continuing to pump out blossoms. The two from purchased seeds are much smaller and are just now starting to produce flowers. All five are in one spot in my raised bed so they are growing in identical conditions. I don't know if it's a fluke or some type of adaptation to my growing environment happening (???), but I'm sticking with my saved seeds from now on. If I can keep getting this level of yield from them, I can grow fewer eggplant plants and have more room for sweet peppers!
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