In case you’ve had bother with eggplant previously, attempt ‘Jewel Amethyst’ eggplant this yr. This small container-lover gives plentiful harvests in a really small footprint. Its skill to be grown in a container permits gardeners to regulate to indoor or out of doors situations when mandatory.
Yearly, my eggplants take off simply as fall arrives. That is the time when temperate climate and moisture make them happiest. But it surely additionally occurs to be proper on the sting of my first freeze, which eggplants don’t recognize. The ensuing harvest is often not so tasty.
To treatment that this yr, I’m going for a smaller selection. ‘Jewel Amethyst’ eggplant provides me a neater mode of rising among the finest crops on the market. It will get me nearer to the plant, and helps me management the various pests and ailments that typically make eggplant-growing tough. You possibly can attempt it out too!
Jewel Amethyst Eggplant Seeds
Jewel Amethyst Eggplant Seeds
Jewel Amethyst’ is ideal for containers, with a tidy behavior that makes harvesting a breeze. Shiny, oval, purple fruits are greatest harvested when about 3”–4 ½” lengthy. Harvest often from this prolific plant and hold eggplant on the desk all through the season.
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‘Jewel Amethyst’ Eggplant Overview
What Is It?
Like different eggplants, ‘Jewel Amethyst’ comes from the nightshade household, together with tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. These have origins within the temperate zone and thrive in comparable situations. Jewel is a particular selection, bred to have a smaller behavior and way more plentiful mini harvests.
Traits
This principally annual veggie has mild inexperienced, barely fuzzy leaves with wavy edges. In mid-summer, purple flowers with pronounced yellow stamens emerge. When efficiently pollinated, the flowers kind three to four-inch eggplants.
This plant stands out due to its small footprint. Reaching not more than two ft tall and 18 inches extensive, it suits into most rising areas. Growers who have a tendency patio gardens and bigger gardens alike have sufficient area for this dwarf.
Native Space
Eggplants originate in India and varied areas of Southeast Asia. Within the tropical and subtropical climates of those areas, eggplants are perennial, rising yr after yr. Exterior their native vary, and people with comparable situations, eggplants are annual and die when the primary frost arrives.
‘Jewel Amethyst’ eggplant has its origins within the backyard. Different purple eggplant varieties had been crossbred to supply a plant with a shorter stature and smaller fruit.
Planting
Eggplants are simple to develop from seed and by way of transplants, so long as you time your plantings appropriately. Clear a small area or seize a container, and let’s get planting.
Transplanting
Anticipate one to 2 weeks after your final frost, when soil and nighttime temperatures are at the very least 60°F (16°C). To transplant your ‘Jewel Amethyst’ eggplant, fill a container with wealthy, well-draining soil. Amend in-ground beds with loads of compost, and add grit to heavier soils. Then dig a gap twice as extensive and as deep as the basis system of your younger eggplant.
Take away your eggplant from its cell tray or starter pot, and gently loosen the basis system together with your fingers. Then plop it down within the gap, and fill within the sides. Press across the base of the transplant to make sure the basis system makes contact with the soil. Present a stake to help the plant via its progress cycle.
Rising from Seed
Whereas you can begin your eggplant seeds open air two to 4 weeks after your final frost, it’s beneficial to develop them indoors 10 to 12 weeks earlier than as an alternative. Sow them at ¼ inch deep. Present a warmth mat in your seedlings to take care of a soil temperature of at the very least 70°F (21°C). By the point they emerge, they want a develop mild as nicely.
Eggplants take some time to sprout, so be affected person. Anticipate your seedlings to emerge inside 10 to twenty days. In case you’re rising in a container, select one that’s at the very least 24 inches deep and 18 inches throughout. When transplanting a number of crops, hold them at the very least 18 inches aside.
The best way to Develop
‘Jewel Amethyst’ is simple to develop when you get it going. In extremely popular areas, present a little bit of mulch and a few dappled daylight within the afternoon, and your harvest will probably be scrumptious and plentiful.
Mild
Present six to eight hours of daylight per day. In case you reside someplace that will get scorching in summer season, present a bit shade from the tough afternoon solar. In cooler areas, full solar is important. In case you’re rising totally indoors, use a develop mild. Maintain it round two ft above your maturing plant.
Water
Eggplant soil ought to stay moist, however shouldn’t veer into waterlogged territory. In scorching areas, each day and as much as twice each day watering could also be mandatory. If there’s enough rain, test the soil earlier than including extra water.
Present at the very least one inch of water per week, and as much as two inches. Each containers and in-ground beds profit from drip irrigation or soaker hoses, which water slowly and deeply on the root zone, quite than overhead. Overhead watering can enhance the possibilities of illness.
Soil
Each container and in-ground eggplants want a wealthy, well-draining soil. A superb bagged backyard soil enriched with well-rotted compost is an effective possibility. Maintain the soil pH between 5.5 and seven.5. Most simple formulated soils already sit inside this vary.
In heavy soils, amend with agricultural grit or perlite. Make sure the combination drains rapidly by including water throughout the preparation course of.
Temperature and Humidity
Like different solanaceous crops, eggplant thrives in average temperatures between 75 and 85°F (24 to 29°C). When temperatures rise above 85°F (29°C), flowering will gradual, and present flowers might drop. On this time, shelter your eggplant from the warmth by way of a shade fabric, or deliver containers indoors.
Beneath 60°F (16°C), eggplants start to say no. Right now, deliver yours in, or permit it to die again for the yr. Then sow extra seeds subsequent yr. In case you’re anticipating a cool snap, cowl the plant with a light-weight fabric or wrap containers with burlap.
Excessive humidity isn’t an enormous concern for eggplants, however in extremely humid areas, look out for foliage ailments.
Fertilizing
Eggplants don’t want a ton of fertilizer. Keep away from nitrogen fertilizers, as an excessive amount of can result in extreme foliage that delays flowering and fruiting.
A bit enhance to potassium and phosphorus within the planting course of is sufficient. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of natural, powdered fertilizer into your soil combine earlier than planting. If mandatory, facet costume with compost as soon as throughout the rising season.
Upkeep
If any broken or diseased leaves crop up via the rising season, use sterilized, sharp pruners to snip them off. Take away any decrease leaves that contact the soil to restrict soilborne ailments. Weed constantly, and mulch round your crops to lock in soil moisture and shield crops from the warmth.
Harvesting and Storage
When your ‘Jewel Amethyst’ eggplant produces fruit that’s three to 4 inches in diameter and nonetheless shiny, it’s time to reap. Any which have a uninteresting pores and skin needs to be eliminated and used for seed or composted, as they’re overripe. Normally, overripe eggplants flip from their supposed shade to golden, so look out for the fitting deep purple coloring as nicely.
Use a clear, sharp pair of pruners or snips, and lower an inch above the highest of your eggplant to depart a little bit of stem on. Then use them as rapidly as attainable, as they don’t prefer to be saved within the fridge. This damages the feel and taste of your harvest.
If it’s a must to retailer them, place them within the fridge in plastic wrap for as much as two days. Eat them solely when the stem remains to be brilliant inexperienced.
Frequent Issues
As I discussed within the intro, cool temperatures can change the flavour and consistency of your eggplants. Excessive warmth causes flowering and fruiting to stop till extra optimum temperatures (75-85°F or 24-29°C) resume. Use the suggestions within the temperature and humidity part to remediate any of those situations.
When you’re caring in your ‘Jewel Amethyst’ eggplant, scout often for pests and ailments. Begin with built-in and cultural approaches when coping with pests and ailments. Then use chemical compounds as a final resort. Plant numerous flowering crops round your backyard to draw useful bugs that hold most pests in test.
Pests
A number of pests have an effect on eggplants, and it’s a good suggestion to scout for them often on crops grown open air and in greenhouses. Most pests are manageable, nevertheless it’s vital to maintain a very good eye in your crops when you reside someplace pests are typically excessive in numbers.
| Pest | Description | Remedy |
| Aphids | Tiny, pear-shaped bugs that congregate in giant numbers on leaf undersides; they go away behind sticky secretions that trigger sooty mildew | Blast them off the plant with a powerful stream of water from a hose. Prune away closely infested leaves and people with sooty mildew. Comply with up with neem or insecticidal cleaning soap if mandatory |
| Whiteflies | Tiny, white, mothlike flies that emerge from the plant when it’s brushed; these additionally go away behind sticky secretions that trigger sooty mildew | Hand-pick them, and relocate to wild nightshades to help your native pollinators |
| Flea beetles | Tiny, shiny black beetles that feed on leaves, inflicting shot holes, and leap when susceptible | Use floating row covers early within the season to stop beetle feeding. For infested crops, use insecticidal cleaning soap |
| Colorado potato beetle | Small orange larvae or stripey orange and black beetles that feed on leaves, inflicting holes | Hand-pick larvae and adults. Encourage their major predator, woman beetles, with yarrow, candy alyssum, and dill |
| Hornworms | Small to giant inexperienced caterpillars with a horn protruding from their again facet; larval stage of sphinx moth | Hand decide them, and relocate to wild nightshades to help your native pollinators |
| Stink bugs and leaf-footed bugs | Giant beetle-like bugs with leaf-like legs that feed on fruit and leaves, inflicting giant lesions the place ailments can enter | Hand-pick them as you see them |
| Spider mites | Tiny mites that congregate on leaves, inflicting dust-like movie, mild stippling, and ultimately weaving dense webs round foliage | Prune away broken leaves. Blast them with a powerful stream of water from a hose. In excessive infestations, use insecticidal cleaning soap |
Ailments
Phytophthora, southern blight, and Phomopsis all trigger blight in eggplants. Phytophthora assaults all components of the plant, with attribute darkish streaking on the higher branches. Southern blight causes darkening of the stem base and subsequent fungal physique progress. Phomopsis often impacts fruit, inflicting multi-ringed lesions.
Bacterial wilt causes sudden wilting. All of those ailments are greatest managed via crop rotation and correct watering. Keep away from planting solanaceous crops in the identical space, and wait three years earlier than planting in the identical spot once more. Prune away broken leaves and plant components as wanted. Throw away broken fruit.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
These tiny fruits attain as much as 4 inches in diameter. Any bigger than that and also you’ve received overripe eggplants.
We’re keen on this one! ‘Jewel Amethyst’ is a scrumptious possibility for growers throughout.
Maintain your eggplant separate from different solanaceous crops, like potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers.