Unbeatable eggplant

The plots of standard, open-pollinated vegetables in my grandparents' garden were, year to year, as predictable as sunrise and sunset. Tradition has its place in gardening, but there comes a time when we must be adventurous and attempt something new. (I well remember the daring sense of exoticism when my grandfather planted a hybrid dwarf watermelon, not from saved seed, but specially ordered from the Burpee catalogue.) Each year I grow at least one untried plant, which is how I came to have eggplants in my garden. Among the edibles and ornamentals, the striking colours and shapes of new eggplant cultivars have much to offer in both the garden and kitchen.

Deep purple, pink, lavender and white eggplants (Solanum melongena) are relatively recent introductions to northern vegetable gardens, but their ancestors have been growing about the back hills of Africa, India and China for centuries. And despite the mythology of their poisonous effects (see “A Shady Past”, right), eggplants, particularly their skins, contain substantial amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds, cancer-fighting elements that gobble up free-radical scavengers in the bloodstream. Thus these once feared fruits actually promote good health.

Of course gardeners need to feed their souls as well as their bodies, and the voluptuous beauty of eggplants is reason enough to include them in planting plans. Their shapes range from small grape-sized fruits to classic large globes, in colours from the familiar deep purple through mauve, pink, lime, white and striped. Despite their size, eggplants are classified as berry fruits; each one grows with a spiny cap called a calyx. All have both male and female characteristics and are self-pollinating. As well, they all have seeds that swell and darken as the fruits grow large and mature. To avoid seedy fruit, harvest them when they're smaller and slightly immature.

Eggplants like as much sun and heat as they can get and benefit from wind protection. They are sensitive to cool temperatures and shouldn't be outdoors when night temperatures fall below 12°C: cool temperatures will weaken and stunt plants, and they may not recover. Growing them along a brick wall, which provides reflected warmth and protection from cool air, is ideal. If the garden location is more exposed, consider providing a temporary stake-and-burlap wind barrier or baffle screen. Eggplants dislike heavy clay, preferring sandy loam amended with organic materials such as peat moss, compost and composted manure. Like their tomato cousins, eggplants are thirsty plants and heavy feeders, requiring consistent moisture and regular fertilizing. Surround each plant with a four-centimetre-thick mulch to help conserve moisture in its root zone. Pull back the mulch and spread a handful of granular 5-10-10 fertilizer around each plant every third week, but don't dig it in, as the roots are shallow. Feed container-grown eggplants with a water-soluble 5-10-10 fertilizer every second week; plants may need staking to carry the weight of their berries.