Growing Eggplant in Kihei

Black Beauty

Eggplant, like tomatoes and peppers, will grow all year in most areas of Hawaii. In Kihei, the plants produce their best fruit in the winter and early spring when the nights are cooler and the daytime temps are in the 80's.

When planted in the ground or in a raise bed, depending on the variety, eggplant seedlings can grow to be a 3 ft x 3 ft bush. The plants can be pruned back periodically and will regrow. Sometimes the plant will produce for 2 to 3 years.

Rosa Bianca

I've been trialing heirloom eggplant seeds for the last 2 years and growing them in large self-watering containers that I purchased at WalMart. Rosa Bianca and Black Beauty are perfect for making Eggplant Parmigiana. Most globe type eggplants I've grown couldn't tolerate the summer heat - they grow best during the cooler months.

I've trialed two varieties of long eggplant - Ping Tung and Violetta Lunga. Ping Tung is an Asian eggplant that doesn't do well in Kihei during the warmer months. Violetta is an early Italian variety and it was one of the more heat tolerant varieties I've grown.

Aswad

a more heat tolerant globe eggplant

I plant the eggplant seedlings in an organic and natural potting soil amended with organic blood meal, organic bone meal, organic egg shells, green sand and an organic all-purpose fertilizer. The plants need daily water and generous monthly applications of an all-purpose fertilizer.

Eggplant can be planted anytime of the year. I prefer to start seeds in the winter months - they take 4 to 5 months until the first fruits.

Blossom Ends of Eggplants Grown in the Summer

Ping Tung (center) - Violetta Lunga (right)

In the hotter months of the year, the rose beetles do significant damage to the eggplant leaves but they don't damage the flowers or fruit. The hot summer sun can cause the fruit to yellow or the developing fruit to emerge from the calyx with dry, leathery blossom ends.

Examples of this can be seen in the eggplants In the above photo. This isn't what's referred to as blossom end rot. The eggplants are still usable as the dry areas can be peeled or trimmed from the fruits. So far, I haven't had any fruit damaged by larvae, worms or any other pest.

How to Graft an Eggplant
Very useful information provided by Kuma Aina Farms on the Big Island.

A Guide to 10 Types of Eggplant and How to Cook With Them

Seeds for Violetta Lunga are available at Seeds From Italy. Black Beauty, Ping Tung and Rosa Bianca seeds are widely available.

When most American's think of eggplant they think of eggplant parmigiana. In Italy, eggplant is used extensively in antipastos and even in desserts.

Melanzane sott'olio (an antipasto)
Jamie Oliver's Eggplants Pickled in Olive Oil
Thai Eggplant Salad
Melanzane al Cioccolato (a chocolate dessert)