Mark said:


We live near Vancouver, BC and have been trying to grow eggplants for the
last two summers. First year nothing and last year we had one eggplant on
five plants.

Does anybody know of a good variety to grow in a Northern climate? I'm
ready to order seeds and want to try something new. We're hoping for a
warmer summer this year (the last two were milder than normal) so that
might help.

My best guess would be that you should try one of the small-fruited
varieties. "Fairy Tale" Hybrid is an All-America Selection, which means
it has been tested in a wide variety of growing locations. I prefer it
to "Hansel," another more recent AAS. "Twinkle" is another small
fruited variety, not as productive as "Fairy Tale" but a better texture.

My favorite eggplant is "Neon" but it has not been available through
my usual sources the last couple of years. It is an early and prolific
variety.

Any hints on growing them would be appreciated also. The wife read a lot
about them last year and we tried some different methods of growing - but
to no luck (well, maybe a little luck - the one edible eggplant gave me
hope for this year!).

Tuck it up against a south- or south-west facing wall. Use a container to
follow the sun around or to allow you to get it up against a wall.
For instance, the warmest growing area in my yard would be along the
driveway right next to the house, where only potted plants could be
located. (BTW, "Fairy Tale" variety is well-suited to growing in containers.)

A small greenhouse or large cold-frame could also be used to grow
eggplants, so long as you have good temperature control.

The eggplant flowers in my garden are usually worked over by bumblebees.
They latch on to the flowers and give them a vigorous buzz to shake out
the pollen. In the absence of bumblebees, you would probably need to
act as a pollinator for your eggplants. (If you grow them under glass,
that's an absolute neccessity.)


--
Pat in Plymouth MI

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