eggplant recommendations
- SQWIB
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Re: eggplant recommendations
My favorites in order
Black Beauty
Tossup between Rosita and Rosa Bianca
Rosita
Rosa Bianca
Listada di Gandia Left
Purple Stripe? (right)
Last year was OK for eggplant 2019 was horrible and 2018 was my best year ever for eggplant.
2019
Rosita, Rosa Bianca and BB starts
I plant BB every year and try to plant one new variety with the BB's. This year I will just be planting the BB's and Rosita's
I have not noticed any taste difference in any of them, but did notice the Rosita plants were very Robust.
Black Beauty
Tossup between Rosita and Rosa Bianca
Rosita
Rosa Bianca
Listada di Gandia Left
Purple Stripe? (right)
Last year was OK for eggplant 2019 was horrible and 2018 was my best year ever for eggplant.
2019
Rosita, Rosa Bianca and BB starts
I plant BB every year and try to plant one new variety with the BB's. This year I will just be planting the BB's and Rosita's
I have not noticed any taste difference in any of them, but did notice the Rosita plants were very Robust.
- pepperhead212
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Re: eggplant recommendations
[mention]SQWIB[/mention] Long time no see! I had a disease problem with both Rosita and Rosa Bianca last - nothing with the other 3 varieties, which were my standards every season: Hari, Neon, and Ichiban, the latter being my earliest every season, and the most productive, until heat stops it. This season, I'm not trying new ones.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Where do you get your seeds for Neon and Ichiban? Love them both, but impossible to find seeds. I've been growing Orient Express or Millionaire because I can't find Ichiban, and last year I tried Rosita because for the first time my local farm didn't have any Neon starts and I can't find seeds anywhere.pepperhead212 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:44 pm @SQWIB Long time no see! I had a disease problem with both Rosita and Rosa Bianca last - nothing with the other 3 varieties, which were my standards every season: Hari, Neon, and Ichiban, the latter being my earliest every season, and the most productive, until heat stops it. This season, I'm not trying new ones.
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Ichiban is long discontinued, a few good years. They say plants are still available from old seed stock. Maybe they are just f2s, who can say. Maybe also some selections are floating around with the same name.
- SQWIB
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Was it Physiological or was it an actual disease?pepperhead212 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:44 pm @SQWIB Long time no see! I had a disease problem with both Rosita and Rosa Bianca last - nothing with the other 3 varieties, which were my standards every season: Hari, Neon, and Ichiban, the latter being my earliest every season, and the most productive, until heat stops it. This season, I'm not trying new ones.
I may try some Ichiban if I can find seeds. I had Hari on my list but never got around to trying them.
I think half of the eggplants out there are being sold under multiple names.
- pepperhead212
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Here is my source (though I've seen it, elsewhere, and in nurseries as plants), and they are fresh seeds (eggplant seeds get "old" much faster than tomato or pepper seeds, in my experience). I see that the price has gone up, and higher than some of the others, so maybe they are getting harder to find. https://www.seedman.com/eggplant.htm
Many years ago, they discontinued Ichiban, for about 5 years, and I tried many similar looking varieties (just growing one ichiban per season, until the seeds were gone), but not one was as early, or had the same production, despite the catalogs saying "Replacement for Ichiban", or something similar. Strange thing was, the first place I found it when it came back was on an ebay site, and I was skeptical, but it was the real Ichiban! Same thing happened with Neon, which also came back, eventually, though the neon has been discontinued again. I am growing saved seeds from Neon, and last season, the one I grew was almost the same, but somebody here, that I shared some seeds with, got both a lavender, like the original, and nearly black one, so it is definitely a hybrid. I'll see what happens this season.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Thank you! I really wish they would bring back Neon.pepperhead212 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 12, 2021 11:42 amHere is my source (though I've seen it, elsewhere, and in nurseries as plants), and they are fresh seeds (eggplant seeds get "old" much faster than tomato or pepper seeds, in my experience). I see that the price has gone up, and higher than some of the others, so maybe they are getting harder to find. https://www.seedman.com/eggplant.htm
Many years ago, they discontinued Ichiban, for about 5 years, and I tried many similar looking varieties (just growing one ichiban per season, until the seeds were gone), but not one was as early, or had the same production, despite the catalogs saying "Replacement for Ichiban", or something similar. Strange thing was, the first place I found it when it came back was on an ebay site, and I was skeptical, but it was the real Ichiban! Same thing happened with Neon, which also came back, eventually, though the neon has been discontinued again. I am growing saved seeds from Neon, and last season, the one I grew was almost the same, but somebody here, that I shared some seeds with, got both a lavender, like the original, and nearly black one, so it is definitely a hybrid. I'll see what happens this season.
- pepperhead212
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Hopefully, it will be temporary, as before, though some simply don't come back! I've had this happen with a few things, though none that I grew as much of as these! A few things have come back with the name, but not the same.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b
- Ginger2778
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Re: eggplant recommendations
A fabulous eggplant page with literally everything you would ever want to learn about eggplants, plus descriptions, and where seeds are available.
http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/ne ... intro.html
http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/ne ... intro.html
- Marsha
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Any idea what parents contributed to Neon? I grow other wonderful eggplants (Kamo, Mitoyo, Oriental Express, Malaysian Red) but Ichiban and Neon were my first loves. Neon is just so beautiful, and I love the shape. Flavor and texture extraordinaire, too. The last time I grew them in ground, the plants were easily 4+feet tall, and just beautiful, with those gorgeous fruits. One year someone stole 6 or 8 of my Neons right off the vine in the community garden. I couldn't believe it, but ... who could resist? Wish I'd saved some seeds.pepperhead212 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 12:50 amHopefully, it will be temporary, as before, though some simply don't come back! I've had this happen with a few things, though none that I grew as much of as these! A few things have come back with the name, but not the same.
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Most probably not the original Ichiban. The name is different first of all. A selection or most likely another similar hybrid, not saying it can't be good.pepperhead212 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 12, 2021 11:42 am
Here is my source (though I've seen it, elsewhere, and in nurseries as plants), and they are fresh seeds (eggplant seeds get "old" much faster than tomato or pepper seeds, in my experience). I see that the price has gone up, and higher than some of the others, so maybe they are getting harder to find. https://www.seedman.com/eggplant.htm
Many years ago, they discontinued Ichiban, for about 5 years, and I tried many similar looking varieties (just growing one ichiban per season, until the seeds were gone), but not one was as early, or had the same production, despite the catalogs saying "Replacement for Ichiban", or something similar. Strange thing was, the first place I found it when it came back was on an ebay site, and I was skeptical, but it was the real Ichiban!
- Ginger2778
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Re: eggplant recommendations
Check out this Matrosik I just picked. And the flesh inside is so firm and white.
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- Marsha