Your comments and tips

09 Mar 18, Heidi (Australia - temperate climate)

I have two Asian eggplant bushes which look like they are coming to an end in terms of producing fruit. Is there any chance I could prune these back and see if they regrow next spring? Also, what to do about the nasty grubs that get in and make tunnels, along with lots of black stuff. Sometimes you don't even know they are there till you cut the eggplant open.

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11 Mar 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

A mate of mine has pruned back his egg plant the last 3 years - but I don't think they produce very well. Then he again he isn't a keen gardener.

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02 Feb 18, Frances Pegrem (Australia - temperate climate)

I am not sure when to pick my eggplants. They are yellow, some are bigish and others growing. Some of the first ones to go yellow went spotty but some of the later ones are larger.

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05 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

It takes about 15 weeks to grow. Pick one and cut it open - if it has lots of seeds in it, it has gone too far but you can eat it. Keep doing this until you work out when to pick. Try and pick when only a few seeds. Not too big - not too small.

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20 Jan 18, Diana (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I live on the Tutukaka coast and have a healthy looking eggplant with lots of flowers which fall off without fruit forming. Why is this happening and what can I do? Thank you.

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09 Mar 23, Thumbellina (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

I’ve found “tea” made from banana skins really does help them to flower and set fruit! So easy. I just water them with it a few days in a row, and hey presto. It worked for me. Google it and give it a go!

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13 Sep 18, Mike (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Google about flowers dropping off egg plants.

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03 Feb 18, Daisy (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Hi Diana, I have never grown eggplant but perhaps the plant that you have is a male one? I don't really know whether this is even possible. Also, it could be that you need to pollinate the flowers by hand? I hope this helps! xx D

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05 Feb 18, Kristin (USA - Zone 11a climate)

Why someone would suggest maybe yours is a male plant and saying "hope this helps" is hilarious. Eggplants do not need separate male and female plants. A quick google search can tell you that. Several reasons your flowers are dropping - lack of pollination or the plant is under stress being - 1) too cold or hot 2)lack of water or nutrients. Try hand pollinating your flowers and lookup the temperature your variety of eggplant will set fruit. I looked up the temperature for Tutukaka coast and the temperature seems too cold for eggplant. I could be wrong. But you will need find out what variety you have first.

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20 Jan 18, Alison (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I have eggplants in a tunnel house. The plants look amazing and are flowering like crazy and look to be pollinating but then drop off before fruit develops. They are getting plenty of water and tomatoes in the same greenhouse are fruiting happily. What am I dong wrong?

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