scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on Mar 1, 2023 19:40:11 GMT -5
So rather than plant one of those little fairy eggplants, I decided to go right to a full size black beauty! Here's my eggplant at 36 days. That's a bounty buried underneath it. Every time I look at it, I think I've been transported back to the atomic gardening era of the 1950's!
I can't say enough about the aerogarden 45W LED light panel. I've had good luck with everything I've grown under it. If you have a chance to pick one up on sale, I recommend it.
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maskedsonnet
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Post by maskedsonnet on Mar 1, 2023 20:18:14 GMT -5
That's a really beautiful plant!!
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Shawn
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Post by Shawn on Mar 2, 2023 3:34:26 GMT -5
OMG HUGE and beautiful
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Post by lynnee on Mar 2, 2023 19:42:49 GMT -5
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scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on Apr 9, 2023 12:16:25 GMT -5
SO... my giant eggplant has become a disappointment I'm afraid.
It's been blooming away for the last few weeks but not producing any fruit! The flowers just wilt and drop.
Googling leads to the suggestion that there isn't enough wind or plant movement to pollinate or, the usual suggestions of too much watering or too little watering. (which always confounds me as it's hydroponic).
I've been shaking it every day and adding cal-mag once a week. Fertilizer is a bloom mix (Ionic Bloom) and I supplement with KoolBloom (0-10-10) which should provide it with plenty of potassium and phosphorus.
It does get rather warm in that corner as diffused sun comes in the window. It can hit 90F from time to time. The water in the bowl runs about 80 and I've started adding an ice cube daily.
ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE?
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Post by lynnee on Apr 9, 2023 22:43:37 GMT -5
scarfguy, I found out that shaking doesn't work very well for pollinating Fairy Tale eggplants. What works is buzzing the flower centers gently with a kid's toothbrush. (Colgate sells very cheap ones on Amazon.) Your flowers look just like mine did. The flowers look fragile, but they aren't, not really. Sometimes you can see the pollen released into the air, and then you know you were successful. Buzz the flowers when they first appear, and keep at it until you see a pollen release or an eggplant starting. The flowers don't fall off when buzzed unless they were past pollinating. Unpollinated flowers have a stem attached when they fall off. Pollinated flowers fall off, too, but they have a hole in the center, because the pollinated part stays on the plant. Only the petals drop. You might want to cut the plant back rather drastically--at least clear the lower leaves that aren't getting any light. My eggplants grew back multiple times after the first harvest. Here's a link to an article that includes a section on how to prune Fairy Tale eggplants. I don't see any reason not to try the method with full-size eggplants. aeroponicsvshydroponics.com/fairy-tale-eggplant/
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scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on Apr 10, 2023 9:12:27 GMT -5
Thanks lynnee. That kinda makes sense. I've always been successful pollinating tomatoes and peppers by just shaking the flowers a bit from time to time. I assumed that since the eggplant is of the same family, the same method would work. Apparently, you need to buzz more like a bee to pollinate an eggplant. I have an old sonic care toothbrush I can use. That ought to do the trick! |
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airscapes
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Post by airscapes on Apr 10, 2023 10:39:57 GMT -5
Last year I had issues with flowers dropping on my eggplant outside. I blamed the heat, it got very hot when it should still have been cool.. once the weather cooled off (below 90) the flowers became fruit. I suppose it could have been lack of pollinators as well.. Plant looks great, you may want to start pinching it off as well, I have had them grow to almost 6ft in the past (outside).. :-)
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scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on Apr 17, 2023 16:26:41 GMT -5
I just want to thank you again for the suggestion of buzzing my eggplant flowers. I used my sonic toothbrush and my wife brought home a "vege-bee" from her greenhouse. I now have at least 3 budding eggplant fruits! Shaking the branches just doesn't work for eggplant but works fine for tomatoes and peppers.
You are a wealth of knowledge and I am so grateful that you are willing to share.  |
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Post by lynnee on Apr 18, 2023 21:48:05 GMT -5
You're welcome, scarfguy! That's a tip I got from here--from former moderator Sher.  |
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scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on Apr 27, 2023 9:52:35 GMT -5
UPDATE: Here they come! I have, so far, at least 8 fruit developing on my giant eggplant... Wish I actually liked the taste of eggplant! One meal of eggplant parmesan and I'm good for a year. My relatives are gonna love them, though 
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Post by lynnee on Apr 27, 2023 20:13:24 GMT -5
How fabulous, scarfguy! Keep us posted, because it will be fun to watch your full-size eggplants grow.  |
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scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on May 6, 2023 16:56:31 GMT -5
My giant black beauty eggplant is doing fine. I have 8 fruit that I can find, maybe 9, I can't see the backside of the plant, though.
I HAVE A QUESTION:
The way that the plant has grown up into the light, there isn't much light getting to the lower branches. They do get a fair amount of sunlight but it's, of course, inconsistent.
I was thinking about adding another light hanging on the side of the frame. The light would come from the side not above.
Does light coming from other than above, confuse a plant?
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Post by lynnee on May 7, 2023 11:15:09 GMT -5
Plants take light wherever they can find it, I think. So if you don't want to prune those lower leaves, adding a light at the side shouldn't bother the plant. |
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scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on May 21, 2023 7:04:16 GMT -5
TERMINATED! my giant eggplant. Had eggplant parmesan for dinner last night and leftovers tonight.
Since I really don't like eggplant, I gave the rest away. There were 9 good size eggplants.
All-in-all, I consider this experiment a success!
YES! You can grow a full-size black beauty eggplant in a bounty.
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scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on May 21, 2023 11:47:17 GMT -5
ADDENDUM!
While trashing my eggplant, I discovered that it is really a tough woody shrub!
The stump had grown bigger than the pod hole. It was actually constricted by the pod hole and was slightly larger than the hole on both the inside and outside. It was solidly stuck in the deck. I had to use a hacksaw to dislodge it!
The good news is that aerogarden makes a high-quality, very strong deck so it didn't crack the plastic!
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maskedsonnet
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Post by maskedsonnet on May 21, 2023 16:55:28 GMT -5
Now that’s a ROOT!!!
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Shawn
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Post by Shawn on May 21, 2023 17:34:38 GMT -5
The eggplant parm looks amazing!
As for the root or thick bark.. I have had that happen to me too. I had a panic attack when I saw it but did get it cut out.
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Post by lynnee on May 22, 2023 13:39:41 GMT -5
A highly successful full-size eggplant experiment, scarfguy! Perhaps if you'd started manual pollinating earlier, the plant wouldn't have gotten so woody? We'll never know, given that you don't like eggplant. That eggplant parmesan looks wonderful! |
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scarfguy
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Post by scarfguy on May 22, 2023 17:00:59 GMT -5
A highly successful full-size eggplant experiment, scarfguy ! Perhaps if you'd started manual pollinating earlier, the plant wouldn't have gotten so woody? We'll never know, given that you don't like eggplant. That eggplant parmesan looks wonderful!
Good point, lynnee! If I knew what I was doing, I'd be dangerous. 
My next eggplant will be one of those little fairy things you like!
Next up in the eggplant location is gonna be a golden roma tomato followed by a BUSH BEAN!
TOO MANY SPECIES, TOO LITTLE TIME!
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