FatBeeFarm wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 1:12 pm Lol! Very apt.

I'm trialing 10 different eggplant varieties this year and a new variety from Johnny's is murdering all the others in production. It's called Thanos and I have more fruit from two of them than the other 18 eggplant combined. I'm loving this variety and will grow a lot more next year.

Ken4230 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:08 pm
How do you most often fix them?

FatBeeFarm wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:42 pm

Ken4230 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:08 pm
How do you most often fix them?

I make them a lot of different delicious ways! Grilling slices with herbs is probably my favorite, but also frying breaded slices, baking rounds with tomato sauce, three cheeses, and basil (wife's fav), baba ganoush, eggplant parm, casserole, moussaka, stir fry, some Indian dishes, eggplant-tomato pasta (actually maybe this is my favorite), there's just so many ways to do it. Every year I grow 20+ eggplants and every year I wish I grew more . I would too, but I have a finite amount of seed starting space indoors and so many other plants (tomatoes and peppers) and flowers I need to start too. Going to have to figure out how to solve this limited space issue. Maybe build one of those fancy four tier racks I see pictures of

JRinPA wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 8:40 pm You better put some cloth slings under those babies before the break the stem...

FatBeeFarm wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 1:12 pm Lol! Very apt.

I have two Matrosik's going but no fruit yet. I'm very excited to try it. Soon I hope.

I'm trialing 10 different eggplant varieties this year and a new variety from Johnny's is murdering all the others in production. It's called Thanos and I have more fruit from two of them than the other 18 eggplant combined. I'm loving this variety and will grow a lot more next year.

I did also harvest two nice "Kamo" eggplants that tasted awesome. To me it's hard for me to discern much difference in taste regardless of which eggplant I grow, but if one eggplant does edge out others in taste it might be this Kamo. It was delicious. But, as I noted, all eggplant seems delicious to me.

FatBeeFarm wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2024 2:39 pm @BurgundySnail

This year I have :
Ping Tung
Orient Express
Aninna
Traviata
Thanos
Rosita
Saitama Ao
Kamo
Mitoyo
Matrosik

I'm always trialing new ones. My favorite eggplant was Shiromaru but I can't find seeds anywhere and the ones I saved aren't germinating. I've done all the mini ones: Hansel, Gretel, Patio Baby, and they're fine, but they're also more work to harvest and cook with because of size. I've also grown Paloma, Aretussa, Aswad, Chinese String, Black Beauty, White Egg, Nagasaki Long, and Thai Long Green. I'm sure I've forgotten some. The only one I didn't like was Casper (weird skin problems and discoloration and rock hard abnormal flesh). What I'm really chasing is: best flavor and best production of large eggplant. Early production is a plus.

Thus far Ping Tung, Orient Express (always first to arrive), Aninna, Traviata, and Shiromaru are my top five that I always plant.

Thanos is a new variety from Johnny's that is my new favorite eggplant because it arrived as quickly as Orient Express this year, is thornless, tastes great, and is the heaviest producer I've ever seen. However I want to finish the year with it before I truly start evangelizing about it. Kamo was really tasty and I'll probably always grow that again too.

BurgundySnail wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2024 3:09 pm

FatBeeFarm wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2024 2:39 pm @BurgundySnail

FYI Shiromaru is availbale on rare seeds right now, I have it in my cart!

Thanks for letting me know! I just went to the site and bought it. I miss that eggplant a lot. It was my favorite for making fried eggplant. So tasty. Looks like I'll have it again next year thanks to you, and I'll make sure you get Bizkaya Rosa too.

FatBeeFarm wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 4:07 am

BurgundySnail wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2024 3:09 pm

FatBeeFarm wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2024 2:39 pm @BurgundySnail

FYI Shiromaru is availbale on rare seeds right now, I have it in my cart!

Thanks for letting me know! I just went to the site and bought it. I miss that eggplant a lot. It was my favorite for making fried eggplant. So tasty. Looks like I'll have it again next year thanks to you, and I'll make sure you get Bizkaya Rosa too.

I ordered them too!

Thank you, I'm looking forward to those seeds.

Tormato wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 7:10 am Johnny's germination chart shows the peak rate when the temperature is at about 90 degrees. For those getting poor, or no germination, what temp were you starting your seeds at? I wouldn't go past 90, as the germination rare falls off quickly. Mid-80s sounds about the safest.

Tormato wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 7:10 am Johnny's germination chart shows the peak rate when the temperature is at about 90 degrees. For those getting poor, or no germination, what temp were you starting your seeds at? I wouldn't go past 90, as the germination rare falls off quickly. Mid-80s sounds about the safest.

FatBeeFarm wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 9:52 am

Tormato wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 7:10 am Johnny's germination chart shows the peak rate when the temperature is at about 90 degrees. For those getting poor, or no germination, what temp were you starting your seeds at? I wouldn't go past 90, as the germination rare falls off quickly. Mid-80s sounds about the safest.

I germinate as close to 85 degrees as I can since I'm doing peppers, eggplants and tomatoes on the same heat mat. I probably average 97% germination every year so this has to be a case of me not saving those eggplant seeds correctly. I need to study up on that more. And I apologize to anyone who got and planted those Shiromaru seeds from the MMMM. I did not realize they were duds.