October 11, 2025
The Raincatcher’s Garden vegetable gardening team has enjoyed growing several varieties of eggplant.
They have found them to be easy to grow as long as they remain vigilant about controlling the flea beetles with diatomaceous earth.
These long purple eggplants are called amazingly enough long purple eggplant.
Aswad eggplant pictured above is an Iraqi heirloom variety known for its mild sweet flavor.
Mark your 2026 calendar to start eggplant by seed February – mid-March. Transplants should be set out in mid-May through June.
While eggplant may not be your favorite vegetable, it’s nice to harvest something new after summer crops have withered in the heat. There are many varieties and ways to cook eggplant. Tonight, at our house we’ll have eggplant apple quesadillas; find the recipe here.
For more growing information: Easy Gardening-Eggplant
Ann Lamb, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2005 with Beverly Allen, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2018
