Eggplant Ideas, Tips & Guides

From the deep blossoms of eggplants to the surprising hue in the artichoke flowers, these vegetables with purple flowers are a must-have for a contrasting garden!

Matt Armendariz

For what seems like 8 million years, I have grown ‘Tomatoberry’. It’s a small cherry tomato variety that is not rare or superflashy, but it works well for me, so I stick with it. My gardening friends are similar: They plant the same varieties year after year because those varieties are proven performers and they don’t want to mess with what works. But when you rock the boat a bit, you occasionally stumble upon a new variety that is just as great, or perhaps even better, than the old standbys. That’s how I ended up replacing my ‘Sweet 100’s’ cherry tomatoes with ‘Tomatoberry’ many years ago. The following options may not be brand-new, but they have proven themselves to be  reliable “newer” vegetables, and they might be good additions to your garden this season.

Certain vegetables, initially firm and crisp, may turn into a gooey mess in the container while cooking. Want to know their names? Keep reading!

Rabbits have a notorious reputation for nibbling on greens, but do they fancy pepper plants? Stay tuned as we dive into all the details that will help you outsmart these fluffy intruders!

Before the garden, there was my father. And then, all of a sudden, there wasn’t: He was alive, and then he was dying and then he was dead, the cancer spreading quickly over the course of 18 months.

 Black Tulip Varieties – the dark gems that have captivated horticulturalists and flower enthusiasts alike. These enigmatic blooms defy the conventional pastel palette of spring, offering a dramatic flair that’s akin to finding a black diamond in a sea of colorful gems. If you’re yearning to add an element of surprise and sophistication to your garden or floral arrangements, look no further!

These Indoor Vegetable Garden Ideas are the best way to grow greens in a limited space. If you are someone who lives in an apartment, then these will surely come in handy!

You’ve probably heard of companion planting: Grouping different plant species near each other to the mutual or sole benefit of one or the other. Companion planting methods are used for various reasons, most commonly to repel pests. Herbs, including thyme, are often recommended companion plants. So what companion plants go well with thyme? Read on to learn about companion plants for thyme.

Explore a curated List of Man Made Vegetables, crafted through selective breeding and crossbreeding, yielding a diverse range of flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits for your culinary exploration.

Tomato plants are a staple in many gardens, but did you know that there are weeds out there that can easily be mistaken for them? From horse nettle to black nightshade, check out these Weeds that Look like Tomato Plants.

It’s the end of June, and my vegetable garden looks rough. The heat and the insects have wreaked havoc on my once beautiful Garden of Eden. This is the perfect time to rejuvenate some of the crops using a technique call ratooning.

Horsenettle is a Southeastern native, perennial weed and a member of the nightshade or Solanaceae family. The nightshade family also includes tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potato. This presents a problem for home gardeners because this weed and other nightshade weeds can serve as alternate hosts for leaf spot diseases, viruses and a host for the Colorado potato beetle. The Colorado potato beetle primarily attacks potatoes and eggplant but will occasionally feed on tomatoes and peppers.

Zack Snipes reports, “For the most part, it has been hot and dry in the Lowcountry. Things are relatively quiet. I have seen and heard reports of high whitefly numbers in various crops (melons, tomato, and blackberry). We had severe disease outbreaks a few years ago due to a few whitefly-vectored viruses. The two prominent viruses I have seen vectored by whitefly are Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus and Cucurbit Leaf Crumple Virus: See article from 2019 outbreak. If growers have not already planted their fall melons and tomatoes, it would be a good idea to investigate varieties that have resistance to tomato and melon whitefly vectored viruses. I have also seen very high numbers of melonworms as of late.

Rob Last reports, “Disease pressure is likely to continue to increase given the recent welcome rainfall. Gummy stem blight can be found in cucurbit fields along with downy mildew in cucumbers and watermelons. Maintain vigilance and regular applications to manage these diseases. Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant all look good, with evidence of sunscald in most crops. Again, bacterial spot and fungal diseases are likely to increase in these crops too.”

Justin Ballew reports, “It has gotten dry again in the Midlands. Scattered areas received some good rain over the weekend, but others missed it and remain badly in need. Over the past two weeks, I’ve heard of several heat-related issues, including poor seed germination, okra blooms aborting, and peas not filling out properly. If it stays hot, monitor irrigation schedules carefully and make sure plants are getting enough water. Unfortunately, that’s about all we can do until it cools off some. We’ve had a few fall crops planted in the past couple of weeks, including tomatoes and eggplant. Right now, we’re still harvesting some sweet corn, beans, tomatoes, and squash.”

I recently came across this caterpillar in the garden. The bright green body first attracted my attention, and then I saw the white additions to its body. This caterpillar is beautiful but doomed; it may even be dead.

Common Names: Solanum melongena, Aubergine, Brinjal, Baingan, Vankaya, Berengena, Berinjela

Eggplant, Solanum melongena, is suited to cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 10.It prefers full sun and organically-ric

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a relative of tomatoes. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and grows in various colors like deep shiny purple, green, lavender, white, and yellow, with a green cap in different sizes and shapes. It’s one of the most popular vegetables around the world, but botanically, Is Eggplant a Vegetable or Fruit? Find out in this article.

Read on to know the Best Companion Plants for Eggplants that will help you to make the best out of veggies in your garden!

There’s no greater feeling than carefully propagating your own eggplant (Solanum melongena), nurturing the seedlings, and watching the first star-shaped flowers bloom.And there’s no worse feeling than watching tho

When I hear the word eggplant (Solanum melongena), I immediately think of my all-time favorite Mediterranean dish, the smoky, garlicky baba ghanoush.The next thing I think of is eggplan

What’s round, pear-shaped, or oblong, and often a rich purple color? If you live in the United States, English-speaking Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, you know it as eggplant (Solanum melongena).Or maybe “guinea squash,” if you

If you’ve never grown eggplant before, perhaps you imagine bushy plants with enormous, dark-purple fruits hanging off them.While this is an accurate picture of w

The purple, pear-shaped fruit displayed in the produce section of the grocery store only tells a small part of the eggplant’s story.Native to Asia, where it’s still found growing wild as a perennial, eg

Japanese eggplants are known for their long, slender fruit, with thin skins and few seeds.The mild, delicately flavored flesh is l

With its smooth, purple skin and meaty flavor, eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a tasty and beautiful vegetable to grow.Well, it’s actually a fruit, botani

Eggplants, or aubergines as they are called in British English, are tropical and subtropical plants that thrive in warm temperatures. They belong to the nightshade family, along with peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes. It's not that difficult to grow eggplant in your kitchen garden.