Agricultural production
Our white eggplant production
November 25, 2021
Among our favorite agricultural products there are definitely eggplants. Thanks to their excellent yield we can guarantee a good harvest and, fortunately, it is difficult to find someone who does not like them! In fact, they can be used in many more or less traditional recipes and, as they are rich in water and low-calorie, they can be eaten several times a week.
Along with the classic dark purple eggplants, we also have a rare variety, white in color, which surprised all our customers with its characteristics!
The characteristics of white eggplants
It is difficult to find them in supermarkets, but when you see them you cannot ignore them: we are talking about white eggplants, of course. We saw them not so long ago, and we were immediately intrigued by their aspect. Once we tried them, we had no doubts about growing them!
As opposed to the dark colored eggplants we grow in open fields, white ones have important differences. Among them, there is surely the lower presence of seeds. We are well aware of how much this characteristic can annoy many people and discourage them from buying eggplants. But with the white variety this problem is reduced to a minimum. Moreover, the taste is definitely sweeter, to the point that it is not necessary to add salt before cooking in order to eliminate the bitter aftertaste.
In this video you can see our field used to grow white eggplants, a very special variety of eggplant that, unlike the purple ones, which are just as good, have a slightly milder taste and fewer seeds.
Cultivation of white eggplants
Probably native to Turkey, these plants have an early reproductive cycle and great resistance. However, they need a warm-temperate climate, because at temperatures below 12° their growth stops. We grow white eggplants in the open field in late spring, in mostly soft, moderately saline soil rich in organic matter. In order to guarantee an excellent growth we make sure there is a distance of about 60-80 cm between rows. Of course, let's take care of weeding, in order to eliminate weeds and prevent plants from getting sick, just like we do with artichokes.
Read also - How to eliminate weeds from artichokes.
As for irrigation, on the other hand, we use a drip system, active in the cooler hours, which allows us to save water. It is important that plants do not suffer from drought, so we are careful that the soil is always sufficiently humid.
When they reach a height of about 40 cm, that is before they reach full maturity, we tie the white eggplant plants with a string and we put them close to the wooden stake. In this way we are sure they will have enough sunlight and, at the same time, avoid diseases coming from the contact with the soil.
After about ten weeks from transplanting we start harvesting. White eggplants must be harvested when the pulp is still compact and the seeds are small, therefore not completely ripe. Otherwise, there would be the risk of an early deterioration, with a spongy pulp and rich in hard seeds. Once we detach the eggplants with scissors, we get up to 2.5 kg of fruit from each plant.
Let's take a closer look at our white eggplant plants, in one of the open fields of our farm, and a beautiful view of the Gulf of Diano Marina!
In short, our agricultural production has been enriched by a new vegetable variety, and the satisfaction with the yield has been such that we have now grown 480 plants. Customers are satisfied and so are we, since the white eggplant proves to be particularly tasty and versatile in cooking.
In fact, it can be used for the classic summer recipes in which eggplant is used, such as parmigiane, caponate, ratatouille, fried vegetables, etc., with the great advantage of offering a more delicate taste and a minimum amount of seeds. In a few words: a great success!
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