EGGPLANT-TURKISH ORANGE
EGGPLANT-TURKISH ORANGE
A$3.50
Availability: 21 in stock
Solanum melangena
EGGPLANT-TURKISH ORANGE (aka Mock tomato, Scarlett Eggplant, Ethiopian, Gilo, and garden eggs) is said to originate from Africa but some say Turkey probably due to its popularity in Mediterranean countries. Plants can grow up to 1.2 meters and produce beautiful orange red fruit with green stripes are best eaten green or just turning orange. Their large tennis ball size and sweet fruit makes them perfect for stuffing but also good for grilling, sautéing, baking, frying, pureeing, stewing, and pickling, but will become bitter as it ages.
Sow after last frost in good draining fertile soil 6mm deep. Needs warmth to grow but cool soil to produce more fruit. Germinates 10 to 14 days and may require staking. Pick fruits when they are ready to increase production.
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Plant Height
45 - 60 cm (1.5 - 2 feet)
Season of Interest
Summer
Temperature Range
21 - 30 °C
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Annual
Frost Hardy / Tender
Frost Tender
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full Sun
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Raise seedlings , transplant after frost
Soil
Well-drained, loamy soil
pH
6.0 - 7.0
Soil Temperature
24 - 30 °C (75 - 86 °F)
Seed Preparation
Soak seeds before sowing
Sowing Depth
0.5 cm (0.2 inches)
Plant Spacing
60 cm (24 inches)
Row spacing
75 - 90 cm (30 - 36 inches)
Watering
Regular watering, keep soil moist
Germination Time (Days)
7 - 14 days
Harvest Time (Days)
70 - 80 days
Good Companion Plants
Basil,Beans,Marigolds
Bad Companion Plants
Fennel,Potatoes
Pests
Flea Beetles,Aphids,Spider Mites
Diseases
Verticillium Wilt,Blossom End Rot,Powdery Mildew
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden
