Eggplant is one of my must have crops. Eggplant is a cold sensitive, warm weather vegetable crop. It will produce from mid spring to first frost. It will not produce well until the onset of hot weather. It's culture is very similar to Peppers but a little larger in size. There are a dozens of varieties ranging from small to large and white to black. I have grown almost all of them with success. They are all delicious prepared in many different ways. Unlike peppers they do not tolerate low temperatures. Do not set out too early as they could be damaged by an unseasonable cold front. Eggplant can even be successfully grown in containers.

Growing
Start your Eggplant crop with large vigorous health seedlings 6 to 8 weeks old, grown in 4" or larger growing pots. Growing your own seedlings insure quality and varieties not commercially available. Eggplants seedling are commonly found commercially if you prefer just buying your seedlings. The seeds should be started about 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date in your zone, Make sure the seed starting mix is a light sterile soil mix with a liberal portion of Perlite or Vermiculite to maintain moisture. Sow 2 seeds per 4"pot about ¼" deep in pre-moistened growing mix. During the day, keep the seedling next to a sunny window after they have germinated. Move to top of the water heater or refrigerator at night if you do not have a greenhouse. A heated greenhouse will produce ideal, controllable growing conditions. I also use supplemental overhead florescent lighting when needed. Never allow your lights to burn more than 16 hours per day. A cheap electrical timer is the key to success here. Seedlings must be allowed to have a period of rest from light to grow properly. Hang your lights 1½ inches above the tops of the seedlings. This will prevent the seedling from becoming leggy. Raise the lights suspended by a chain as the plants grow. Do not allow the soil to dry out. I feed my newly emerged seedling every other watering cycle. I prefer feeding my young seedlings with Fish Emulsion or liquid seaweed. After they have grown 2 true leaves use a fertilizer high in phosphorus. Fertilize every two weeks until transplant time. Four weeks after seedlings have emerged clip off at the soil line the smallest of the 2 seedlings with scissors.

Planting
Transplant after all danger of frost has passed. Water seedlings well 1 hour before transplanting Water the plants well during transplanting using about 1 pint of starter solution on each transplant, or use commercially prepared starter solution according to manufacturer's instructions. This can be a weak solution of 20-20-20 general plant food or commercially available root stimulator. This will encourage rapid root growth & produce fruit of acceptable quality.  Plant 2 rows of seedlings spaced about 18" apart in the center of the outside 1/3's of the 36" wide beds. Plants can be set slightly deeper when transplanting. Cover the entire 36" wide bed including the trench between the rows with leaves or straw mulch. The mulch will retain moisture, attract worms, and reduce the growth of weeds in the beds. Any weeds that do germinate are easily removed by hand or light cultivation. Side-dress plants with 1 tablespoon of 13-13-13 fertilizer in the trench between rows when the plants show first sign of blooming and again immediately after harvest of the first fruits. When it is time to water your plants simply apply a moderate amount of water into the trench between the row you formed earlier. Do not apply water to quickly as you may wash out soil holding the water. The water will slowly soak deeply onto the root zone. Using this method your plants will always have adequate moisture to perform well. It is of great importance that the soil be kept moist and weed free.

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