What Are Thai Eggplants?
There are many varieties of eggplant found in Southeast Asian countries, which are commonly called Thai Eggplant. However, the most common is the green golf ball-sized fruit.
How To Grow Thai Eggplant?
Like most eggplant, Thai Eggplants grow well in the heat. The plant grows about 3- 5 feet tall on a thick woody stem. The leaves are large green to grayish lobes.
Most gardeners grow them as annuals, but they over winter well in warm climates. If mulched well, you may have your plant for multiple years. My oldest plant was 3 years old and producing fruit almost year-round, before damaged by the blizzard winds we received in December of 2022. For 3 days temperatures dropped below 20 degrees and the plant didn’t survive.
Eggplants are native to warm tropical climates. Thai eggplant is no different. They grow best when the temperatures are between 75 to 95°F.
When temperatures drop below 75 degrees, the plant’s growth will slow and cause the plant to stop flowering. The plants, especially the leaves, are frost-sensitive. This means unprotected eggplant from prolonged deep freeze will die.
How Do Thai Eggplants Pollinate?
Flowers from Thai eggplant are purple and star-shaped. They are self-pollinating, meaning they have flowers that contain both male and female parts.
Start plants indoors and transplant them into the garden when there is no chance of frost.
It is better to transplant than directly sow in the garden. The seeds need a warmth of 80 to 90 degrees to germinate. Under these conditions, you should see sprouts in about 10 days. In 5-6 weeks the plant should be ready for transplanting outdoors.
I enjoy eating the fruit when they are small because they are less seedy. But the seeds, like in all eggplants are edible.
How To Save Seeds?
I leave a few fruits on the plant until they turn yellow. Then take out the seeds and let them dry on a coffee filter. Once dry, you can save them for next year’s planting.
Follow me on Instagram for more tips and garden photos.