Eggplant Blacknite
Large, richly-coloured fruit with smooth, glossy skin. A vigorous, high yielding variety. Also called Aubergine, it can be used across a wide range of culinary dishes
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This summer vegie is perfect stuffed, grilled, baked or stir-fried – all the more reason to grow and have a fresh supply on hand! They need a little bit of room to grow, but you can also grow smaller varieties to save on space.
How to grow eggplant in a garden
- Start seeds in punnets or small pots filled with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix.
- Choose a sunny spot in the garden and enrich soil with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed.
- When seedlings are 7 to 10cm tall, transplant into the garden bed, mulch with organic mulch such as pea or lucerne straw and water in well.
- Feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
- Stake as the plants grow to help support the weight of the fruit.
How to grow eggplant in a pot
Eggplants are quite happy in containers, but choose plants with smaller fruit, such as ‘White Star’ or Lebanese eggplants.
- Choose a pot at least 300mm wide and deep and position in full sun.
- Fill pot with a quality potting mix, like Yates Premium Potting Mix. Sow seeds.
- Feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
- A regular harvest promotes new growth.
Angie's Seasonal Gardening Calendar
Eggplant, also known as aubergine in the United Kingdom and brinjal in Asia and Africa, have large, richly coloured fruit with smooth glossy skin. Eggplant is a versatile vegie that can be used in a wide range of culinary styles and dishes, including moussaka and baba ghanoush as well as being delicious char grilled or oven roasted.
Yates® Eggplant Blacknite is a vigorous, high yielding variety with striking purple-black skin. It’s rich in vitamin C, thrives in hot weather and is a fantastic eggplant to grow at home.
Here’s your simple eggplant sowing and growing guide:
- Sow Yates® Eggplant Blacknite seeds direct where they are to grow, in a sunny vegie patch, into well-drained soil that’s been enriched first with some Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed. Or seedlings can be raised in punnets of Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix and transplanted when they’re around 6-8 cm high. Only transplant seedlings once the risk of frost has passed.
- Seedlings should pop up in around 10 -14 days.
- To encourage a great harvest, as soon as the seedlings are established start feeding each week with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate, which is boosted with extra potassium which promotes flowering and fruit development.
- Water plants regularly to keep the soil moist. Mulching around the root zone will help retain soil moisture. Consistent soil moisture will help reduce the chance of blossom end rot.
- Eggplant fruit can be picked starting from 14 weeks after sowing.
- For best fruit quality, harvest when the skin is smooth and shiny. Cut fruit from the plant using secateurs, leaving 2 cm of stem on the fruit to improve storage.
- Regular harvesting will promote further flowering and fruiting.
- Monitor plants for pests such as whitefly and spider mites and control with regular sprays of Yates Natures Way Vegie Insect Spray Natrasoap Ready to Use.
Eggplant 'Baby Brinjal'
Tasty & productive, this classic Indian-style brinjal has distinctive thorns on calyx, leaves and stems. A glossy smooth oval variety, with petite purple & white-striped fruits. Pairs well with aromatic spices.
Growing tips
Harvest fruit when the skin is smooth. If it starts to wrinkle, the flesh will be coarse and tough.
The fruit stalks are hard and woody, so cut them with a pair of secateurs to avoid damaging the plant.
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Recommended products
Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix
Specially formulated for trouble-free seed raising in trays (or outdoor seed sowing direclty into the ground) and propagation of cuttings.
Yates Premium Potting Mix
A premium potting mix, ideal for all potted plants and shrubs, including ornamentals, fruit trees, vegies and herbs.
Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed
A certified organic garden input boosted with NZ Seaweed to gently nourish plants, enrich the soil and encourage a strong healthy root system.
Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate
A complete plant food enriched with natural fish, seaweed, humates, molasses and more - boosted with NPK to improve plant and soil vitality.
Yates Nature's Way Vegie Insect Spray Natrasoap - Ready to Use
A fast acting broad spectrum insecticide based on natural, low toxic and organic ingredients. It controls by contact action.
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