Fairytale Eggplants

[golddustpeak]

I'm thinking about starting a Fairytale Eggplant again in one of my bounties.

I'm open to doing two plants but I'd rather have something else with it.

Who knows what would do well with it?

I also have bounties with lettuce and tomatoes  on the counter.

[lynnee]

golddustpeak, one Fairy Tale Eggplant to a Bounty is plenty. The leaves are so big, it's pushing it to grow two FTEs in a Farm.

This is what two mature FTEs in a Farm look like.

aerogardenaddicts.com/post/54199/thread

You might want to start something in the Bounty along with the FTE (which I think will take about 60 days to produce an eggplant), and move the second plant somewhere else later.

[golddustpeak]

Sounds like way beyond my ability.......

I guess it's one FTE for me and my bounty :-)

[golddustpeak]

But is the harvest worth dedicating a Bounty to one FTE???

[lynnee]

Jun 29, 2022 19:06:20 GMT -5 golddustpeak said:

But is the harvest worth dedicating a Bounty to one FTE???

Yes, it is. One plant will produce about the same total as two plants. For a while I had three plants in two Farms, and the solo produced about the same number of eggplants as the pair.

Each harvest from a Farm was enough to make a dinner side dish for two people, and I've had many, many harvests (in 9 months or so). You can cut the plants back after each blooming period and harvest, and they will grow new leaves and blooms.

The key to a maximum harvest is to pollinate the blooms as soon as they open, and keep doing it until they fall off. I use a kid's electric toothbrush, and just place the vibrating bristles on the yellow center. The flowers are less fragile than you might think, but they hide under the leaves, and you definitely need to pollinate them.

[ctg492]

Thank you for the info, I was debating also my first attempt at these.

[lynnee]

ctg492, My two eggplants are still producing blooms and eggplants in a Farm after more than a year! I'm ready to end the project, but can't do it until I find out how long the plants will go on producing!

[golddustpeak]

I'm still waiting for thee tomatoes to give up before planting my Fairytale Eggplant.

Any suggestion as to what and how much nutrients to use?

[lynnee]

Nov 8, 2022 9:23:59 GMT -5 golddustpeak said:

I'm still waiting for thee tomatoes to give up before planting my Fairytale Eggplant.

Any suggestion as to what and how much nutrients to use?

My "Immortals" are in a Farm 12XL, which holds 2 gallons of water. Every two weeks they get a rinse and refill (siphon or Farm "drain" procedure), which leaves some water in the bottom of the bowl (not ideal).

At each R&R, they get 24ml AG nutes, 10ml CalMag+, and 8-10ml Koolbloom. These amounts are determined by following the nute label directions.

The plants are hooked up to an Aerovoir, and really seem to like having a constant supply of water that keeps the bowl at max fill.

Good luck!

[darais211]

Nov 8, 2022 17:04:25 GMT -5 lynnee said:

Nov 8, 2022 9:23:59 GMT -5 golddustpeak said:

I'm still waiting for thee tomatoes to give up before planting my Fairytale Eggplant.

Any suggestion as to what and how much nutrients to use?

My "Immortals" are in a Farm 12XL, which holds 2 gallons of water. Every two weeks they get a rinse and refill (siphon or Farm "drain" procedure), which leaves some water in the bottom of the bowl (not ideal).

At each R&R, they get 24ml AG nutes, 10ml CalMag+, and 8-10ml Koolbloom. These amounts are determined by following the nute label directions.

The plants are hooked up to an Aerovoir, and really seem to like having a constant supply of water that keeps the bowl at max fill.

Good luck!

since your leaving a little of the old water i would throw in some hydrogen peroxide or a product called Hydroguard just to help kill any bacteria that might develop

[lynnee]

Good idea, darais211! What concentration for 2 gallons of water?

I hardly ever use hydrogen peroxide, because my AGs don't produce much algae.

[darais211]

Nov 8, 2022 21:35:57 GMT -5 lynnee said:

Good idea, darais211 ! What concentration for 2 gallons of water?

I hardly ever use hydrogen peroxide, because my AGs don't produce much algae.

The recommended amount of 3% solution of peroxide per gallon of water in hydroponics is around 3ml per liter or 2-3 teaspoons per gallon of reservoir water.

[darais211]

thats using a 32% concentration to begin with....(sorry thought i should add that)

[swimmom500]

Has anyone ever tried growing the Fairytale Eggplants outside?
I started 3 seeds and all 3 germinated. I was hoping for 1. lol! Anyway I planted 2 outside in my raised bed and the 3rd is still in the Harvest where I started it. The 2 outside are doing nothing. Not dying but not growing either and it’s been several weeks. Do these not do well outdoors?

[lynnee]

May 22, 2024 12:36:16 GMT -5 swimmom500 said:

Has anyone ever tried growing the Fairytale Eggplants outside?
I started 3 seeds and all 3 germinated. I was hoping for 1. lol! Anyway I planted 2 outside in my raised bed and the 3rd is still in the Harvest where I started it. The 2 outside are doing nothing. Not dying but not growing either and it’s been several weeks. Do these not do well outdoors?

I transplanted a couple of Fairytale Eggplants outdoors, and they grew okay. I can't remember ever harvesting any eggplants, though. I didn't have much space, and I didn't want to have to pollinate the flowers by hand outdoors, so I probably just terminated them after deciding I shouldn't have bothered with transplanting. I believe that mike grew some outdoors, because he posted a photo to show me why I didn't want to try 4 plants in a Farm

Fairytale Eggplants were developed for commercial use, I think. Here is a link to growing information that I found useful.

Good on pruning for second crop:
aeroponicsvshydroponics.com/fairy-tale-eggplant/

Brief discussion on growing outdoors:
www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/eggplant/what-is-a-fairy-tale-eggplant.htm