It all depends on the right time
Eggplants are harvested when they are not quite ripe. However, the harvest must not be too early. Then the fruits contain too much solanine, which is slightly toxic. Overripe fruits lose a lot of their aroma and are no longer suitable for drying.
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- Growing eggplants in the greenhouse - guarantees good harvests
- Eggplant season in the garden or greenhouse
- Eggplant varieties - the great variety of eggplant
Harvest outdoor aubergines from July to late autumn
Depending on the aubergine variety, the harvest time begins in July or August and lasts until the onset of frost. Eggplants in the greenhouse often ripen earlier and can be picked well into winter.
Outward signs of the right harvest time
Eggplants are ready for harvest when the skin is shiny and free from stains. It gives way easily at the touch of a finger. The color depends on the variety of eggplant. It can be dark purple, but also white or green.
The inside of the eggplant must be light, almost white, on the inside. If it is green, the fruit was harvested too early. The toxic solanine content is then too high and the eggplant should not be consumed. If the meat is already brownish, the aubergine is overripe and tastes bitter.
How to test eggplants before harvest:
- Shiny bowl
- No stains
- Easily yields at the touch of a finger
- Light pulp
- Whitish kernels
Obtain seeds for propagation
Like tomatoes, eggplants contain small seeds. They must also still be white. If you plan to plant eggplants from the kernels next year, let the fruit overripe so that the kernels look very dark.
Carefully pick eggplants
The aubergines are carefully cut off with the stem end. The plant must be held with one hand so that the shoots do not break off.
Tips & Tricks
If the harvested eggplants are still too unripe, you can let them ripen a little by placing them near apples. These develop a gas that causes other fruits to ripen. Check regularly how far the maturation process has progressed.
