Eggplants can yield 500 to 700 bushels (33 pounds per bushel) per acre. Eggplants are tender and should be handled carefully. Eggplants can be stored for up to one week at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 to 95 percent relative humidity.
What is the yield of eggplant per hectare?
Commercial growers after years of practice collect 12-15 full size eggplants for every healthy plant, but this also depends on variety and desired size of the harvested fruit. A good yield after years of practice is 25 to 40 tons per hectare.
How much do eggplants yield?
The standard eggplant produces egg-shaped, glossy, purple-black fruit. ‘Black Beauty’ is the traditional eggplant size. One plant produces 4 to 6 large rounded fruit.
What is the maturity index of eggplant?
Maturity Indices
Eggplant fruit are harvested at a range of developmental stages. Depending on cultivar and temperature, the time from flowering to harvest may be 10 to 40 days. Generally fruit are harvested immature before seeds begin to significantly enlarge and harden.
How many eggplants can you plant per acre?
Well-drained sandy loam and clay loam with rich organic matter and slightly acidic level (pH 6.0-6.5) are considered the best soils for its growth. Considering plant to plant spacing of 24-30 inch and row to row spacing of 42-48 inch, total seedlings required for an acre land would be 6000-7000.
How long do eggplant plants live?
Most eggplant cultivars are grown as annuals and thus live for only a single year. In such cases, the plants die immediately after harvesting the eggplant fruits. Eggplant can be grown as a perennial, in which case it will live for about 3 years but this is uncommon.
Can you plant 2 eggplants together?
apart is fine, although 2 ½ feet (76 cm.) apart will keep you from accidentally breaking branches as you are harvesting your eggplant fruits. If you are planting lots of eggplant and need rows, leave an area 30-36 inches (76-91.5 cm.)
What is best fertilizer for eggplant?
A balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) is often recommended for eggplant. Feeding too much nitrogen at this point can result in large, leafy plants that fail to produce fruit.
How long does it take for eggplant to grow after flowering?
Depending on the variety and the region in which you are gardening, different cultivars of eggplant will develop mature fruit within 50 to 80 days after flowering.
Do you need 2 eggplants to produce fruit?
The answer is that the eggplant is self-pollinating due to its “perfect” or “complete” flowers. Perfect flowers contain both anthers (which produce pollen) and pistils (which receive the pollen).
Do you need more than one eggplant to produce fruit?
Eggplant seedlings can be kept warm by covering the garden with floating row cover, like Reemay. The cover can stay up until the summer heat sets in, but be sure to adjust it as the plants grow taller. Eggplants are self-pollinating, so there is no need to remove the cover to give pollinating insects access.
What is the best month to plant eggplant?
Eggplants can only grow in warm soil—50 degrees Fahrenheit or above. The best time to plant eggplant is in late spring after the last threat of frost. Eggplants have a long growing season, so you’ll need to start them indoors around eight weeks before your region’s last frost date.
What is harvest maturity?
Harvest Maturity
It may be defined in terms of Physiological maturity and horticultural maturity, it is a stage, which will allow fruits / vegetables at its peak condition when it reaches to the consumers and develop acceptable flavour or appearance and having adequate shelf life.
What is maturity index?
The maturity index for a commodity is a. measurement or measurements that can be. used to determine whether a particular example of the commodity is mature. These indices are important to the trade in fresh fruits and vegetables for several reasons. Trade regulations.
What is maturity in post harvest?
Maturity is a stage of full development of the tissues of the fruit only after which it will ripen. Ripening stage comes only after maturity. Maturation: is the stage of development leading the attainment of physiological or horticultural maturity.
What is the spacing for eggplant?
Choose a location in your garden where you have not grown tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatillos for the past three or four years. Practice crop rotation. Space eggplants 18 inches apart, in rows 30 to 36 inches apart.
What is the land preparation for eggplant?
Land Preparation
Prepare land by plowing ones and harrowing twice. Make furrows 1.0 m apart. Spread manure along rows or hills at 1-2 handful per hill. Apply complete fertilizer (14-14-14) at 10-15 g/hill and cover lightly with soil.
Where is most eggplant grown?
New Jersey leads the nation in acres of eggplant harvested with 849 acres of harvested eggplant in 2019, ahead of California’s 705, Florida’s 685 and Georgia’s 624. During peak season, farmers can harvest 900 or more bushels of eggplant per day. No other state harvested more than 500 acres.
How often should eggplant be watered?
Eggplant also needs consistent water, at least 1 inch per week. It is better to give one thorough soaking than several frequent, short waterings, because frequent watering promotes shallow roots. Weather and soil type, of course, will affect water demand.
How long does it take for eggplant to produce fruit?
Eggplants are ready to harvest as soon as 70 days after sowing the seeds. Harvest fruits with skin that is glossy and thin. Eggplants can be harvested when they are small, though growing them longer allows for a larger harvest. Harvestable fruits should be firm and inside seeds should not be visible once cut open.
Do eggplants need full sun?
As a basic rule of thumb, vegetables grown for their fruit or roots—such as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, potatoes, or carrots—require full sun, which is defined as a garden location that receives at least six hours of direct sun each day.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.