Day 77
UPDATE#9
Grower update
Update #9
Three small Fairy Tale eggplants are a LOT of eggplant when you are cooking for one.
GrowLog
SuccessfulCompact Fairy Tale Eggplant with Heavy Fruit Production
Grow log by Sher · Original thread
9 visual updates14 photos36 replies
View recapCrop🍆Eggplant
VarietyFairy Tale Eggplant
MethodAeroGarden hydroponics
EquipmentAeroGarden Bounty
Plants1
AudienceAdvanced
What you can learnA detailed compact eggplant success with older-seed handling, canopy pruning, intensive pollination, clustered fruiting, harvest, and culinary use.
Actions:1 Planting1 Pruning
Useful practices
- soaking older seed before planting
- using three seeds per pod
- removing large leaves
- careful flower pollination
- ending a productive crop to prioritise another project
Problems encountered
- older seed with modest expected germination
- viral-looking compact growth
- flowers requiring careful pollination
- outdoor pest pressure prompted an early switch to tomatoes
*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.
Conversation
S
How are you preparing
S
Battered and fried. It was heavenly!
Day 68
UPDATE#8
Grower update
Update #8
The plant part of this eggplant is smaller than any I have ever grown -- probably because of the virus. But it is producing like crazy.
Conversation
M
It really is putting out a lot! I like the purple with white stripes, eggplant is such a cool looking veggie
S
You ARE getting a lot of eggplants. If I remember they are on the smaller side. Not that I have grown them but from what I have seen of others,
S
Yes, if I remember correctly, they get about 6 inches or so long.
S
I ended this project today and will use the smaller and larger eggplants in different ways. The reason I ended it is hornworms devastated my outdoor tomato and I wanted to get some Veranda Red tomatoes started in that Bounty as soon as possible.
S
You may have ended it but you ended with success and eggplants! Now to a new project
M
Evil, evil hornworms. I hate the moths they turn into too. D< Hope the indoor tomatoes do amazing for you!
S
Thanks, maskedsonnet!
L
Sorry to hear that the eggplants had to go, but I'll be interested in your tomatoes. Is Veranda Red something that you will be transplanting outdoors?
S
lynnee, I have grown the Veranda Reds before. They are my favorites for AG growing. They will be living their entire lives in a Bounty,
Day 58
UPDATE#7
Grower update
Update #7
My eggplant are on a roll! There are 5 little ones in this one cluster!
Conversation
M
Amazing! And I love that color! I’m a sucker for purple
C
Sher, they are so pretty that it makes me want to grow them! I could always donate them to someone that likes eggplant! Or cook them for Mikey, as they are certainly on his hit list.
L
Those are beautiful little eggplants! I hope that mine turn out as well.
S
I grew them before and had a terrible problem with the flowers all dropping off. They are finicky to pollinate. It seems to me that the yellow tips of the flowers need to split apart and the pollen needs to reach just the right stage of maturity before it can happen.I use an electric toothbrush, and you can sometimes see yellow "fairy dust" puffing out of the flower when it is successfully pollinated.I said all that to spare you the "I am eggplant growing failure" I went through the first time I tried. I almost terminated the plant because it would produce flowers, but no eggplant.
L
Thanks very much for the eggplant tips, Sher!
Day 51
UPDATE#6
Grower update
Update #6
The eggplant is finally blooming.
Conversation
P
I didn’t have much luck with my fairy tale eggplants, but I ordered Chinese string eggplant seeds from Baker Creek and they have been going strong for months now… no need to hand pollinate. Will definitely grow them again.Attachment Deleted
L
What will you make with the eggplant, Sher? I have a box of AG pods, and want to try them when I have a tall AG free.
S
lynnee, that is great to know. I have grown eggplant outdoors before, but indoor pollination on the Fairy Tales is a chore. campingcorgis, My guilty secret is battered and fried eggplant cubes. Otherwise roasted, eggplant parmesan, and used in stews. Sometimes I get creative, but those are my old standbys. I don't know what I did to make the text in my phone so big. Feeling a little shaky today.
C
Sounds great! Although, honestly, I'm not an eggplant person,
L
Fried, battered eggplant cubes are delicious! I'd forgotten about those. H and I are fond of eggplant, but have to go easy on it. If he overindulges, he gets hives. 😟
C
Hives are no fun! The "budget" gives them to me!
L
Today I added two fairy eggplant pods to the Bounty Elite that has three AG replacement Poblano pepper pods in it. The peppers have been going for 9 days, but I've had good luck in the past with adding miscellaneous new pods during the germination period.I suppose that eggplant is "Vegetable Garden", not "Pepper Garden", but the Fairy Eggplant kit didn't specify which garden settings to use.
S
lynnee, in my experience, the settings don't make a lot of difference. I often grow my veggies under Flowers because the lights go off at a more reasonable time. I'm sure it slows them down by a few days, but that never bothered me. Be warned. Fairy Tale eggplants are big plants!
Day 32
UPDATE#5
Grower update
Update #5
Actions taken
PruningRemoved several large leaves from the single Bounty plant.
I am growing one plant in the Bounty. I have removed several of the large leaves already.
Day 18
UPDATE#4
Grower update
Update #4
Today I plan to remove the smaller plant as they get huge, do an R&R, then sit back and watch it grow.
Day 16
UPDATE#3
Grower update
Update #3
I am happy with their progress so far.
Day 9
UPDATE#2
Grower update
Update #2
Both pods are up. When they are bigger, I will have to mve one.
Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update
Update #1
Actions taken
PlantingPlaced three older Fairy Tale seeds in each of two pods.
I had these seeds left from last year from Seeds 'n Such. They only guaranteed a 75% germination rate then. To make sure I get a couple of plants, I put 3 seeds in each pod. If I get two strong plants, I plan to put one in the grow tent and leave the other in the Bounty.
Conversation
S
I soaked the seeds for 6 hours before planting them in soaked sponges. There are baby plants in both pods at 7 days! That is a lot faster than the last time I grew them!
C
Nice!
S
Great news! I can't wait to see them grow. Maybe one day I will try eggplants.