Truly a diminutive eggplant,
Ophelia is a great variety for smaller spaces. It also does well in a regular
vegetable garden bed, but if you’re tight on space or only have a patio with
containers for growing vegetables, try this eggplant. The fruits are egg sized
and the entire plants are compact as well.
What is an Ophelia Eggplant?
Ophelia is an eggplant variety that grows into small plants
and diminutive fruits, only about two ounces (57 grams) each. The eggplants
grow in clusters like tomatoes and are deep purple and egg shaped. The flowers
are lavender and white stunners, and they add to the ornamental look of this
plant.
The taste and texture of Ophelia eggplants are of good
quality. They are tender and not bitter. You can use them as you would other
types of eggplant: roasted, in casseroles, baked, or stir fried. The small
slices you get from these tiny eggplants make them great for appetizers too.
Growing an Ophelia Eggplant in the Garden
With some basic Ophelia eggplant information, you can easily
grow this little gem in your vegetable
garden. The plants will only grow to about 24 inches (60 cm.) in
height, so consider this variety for a container garden. Just be sure that the
container is big enough; although small, these plants need some room to
stretch.
Give your Ophelia eggplants 50 to 55 days to get to maturity.
The seeds take just five to ten days to germinate. Provide your seedlings with
rich soil that drains well, whether in a bed or container. Thin them until the
plants are spaced about 18 inches (46 cm.) apart.
These plants do best in warm conditions, so don’t put
outside until low temperatures are at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius).
It can help to harden them off indoors by transitioning seedlings to lower and
lower temperatures. Use a little fertilizer every couple of weeks as your
plants grow and keep them well watered.
Your little eggplants
will be ready to harvest when they are egg sized and deep purple
with shiny, smooth skin. If the skin starts to wrinkle or get soft, they are
over ripe. You can store your eggplants once harvested for a week or ten days.
Expect to get a big yield from this prolific variety of eggplant.
Truly a diminutive eggplant,
Ophelia is a great variety for smaller spaces. It also does well in a regular
vegetable garden bed, but if you’re tight on space or only have a patio with
containers for growing vegetables, try this eggplant. The fruits are egg sized
and the entire plants are compact as well.
What is an Ophelia Eggplant?
Ophelia is an eggplant variety that grows into small plants
and diminutive fruits, only about two ounces (57 grams) each. The eggplants
grow in clusters like tomatoes and are deep purple and egg shaped. The flowers
are lavender and white stunners, and they add to the ornamental look of this
plant.
The taste and texture of Ophelia eggplants are of good
quality. They are tender and not bitter. You can use them as you would other
types of eggplant: roasted, in casseroles, baked, or stir fried. The small
slices you get from these tiny eggplants make them great for appetizers too.
Growing an Ophelia Eggplant in the Garden
With some basic Ophelia eggplant information, you can easily
grow this little gem in your vegetable
garden. The plants will only grow to about 24 inches (60 cm.) in
height, so consider this variety for a container garden. Just be sure that the
container is big enough; although small, these plants need some room to
stretch.
Give your Ophelia eggplants 50 to 55 days to get to maturity.
The seeds take just five to ten days to germinate. Provide your seedlings with
rich soil that drains well, whether in a bed or container. Thin them until the
plants are spaced about 18 inches (46 cm.) apart.
These plants do best in warm conditions, so don’t put
outside until low temperatures are at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius).
It can help to harden them off indoors by transitioning seedlings to lower and
lower temperatures. Use a little fertilizer every couple of weeks as your
plants grow and keep them well watered.
Your little eggplants
will be ready to harvest when they are egg sized and deep purple
with shiny, smooth skin. If the skin starts to wrinkle or get soft, they are
over ripe. You can store your eggplants once harvested for a week or ten days.
Expect to get a big yield from this prolific variety of eggplant.