Are aubergine leaves furry?
Aubergine Overview Leaves are arranged alternately on stems and foliage is densely hairy and sometimes prickly. It is also called eggplant because the fruits look egg-shaped when young.
What do Black Beauty eggplant leaves look like?
Full-sized “Black Beauty” eggplant leaves are coarse and leathery, with rough upsides and fuzzy undersides. While other types of eggplants often sport spines, “Black Beauty” leaves are notable for being spine-free. Margins are gently scalloped, undulating from a wider base toward a narrower tip.
What is on my eggplant leaves?
A: That’s the work of flea beetles, the bane of eggplants. Flea beetles are tiny black bugs that chew holes in leaves like someone peppered them with miniature buckshot. The other telltale trait is that these little bugs hop off the plants when they’re disturbed, kind of like fleas.
What does aubergine look like?
They have a deep purple, glossy skin encasing cream coloured, sponge-like flesh dotted with small, edible seeds. In addition to the classic purple variety, aubergines are available in other colours including lavender, jade green, orange and yellow and in a range of shapes and sizes.
Can I eat eggplant leaves?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, eggplant leaves are toxic and narcotic, like many members of the nightshade family, so they are inedible . The alkaline known as solanine is the toxic part of the eggplant leaves and flowers.
How do I know when my Black Beauty eggplant is ready to harvest?
Harvesting: Pick when skin is glossy; dull fruit indicates over-ripeness. Both under-and over-ripe fruit tastes bitter. Pick white eggplants before skin turns yellow. Use pruning shears or a sharp knife to cut eggplants, keeping a short stub of stem attached.
What do you spray on eggplant leaves?
As a last resort, or for heavy infestations of flea beetles, you can use a liquid rotenone/pyrethrin spray that is quite effective for getting rid of flea beetles on eggplant. Although these sprays are organic in nature, they are still a pesticide and can affect the good insects if used in an irresponsible manner.
Why is aubergine bad for you?
Eggplants are part of the nightshade family. Nightshades contain alkaloids, including solanine, which can be toxic. Solanine protects these plants while they are still developing. Eating the leaves or tubers of these plants can lead to symptoms such as burning in the throat, nausea and vomiting, and heart arrhythmias.
How long does aubergine take to cook?
Score the flesh with a knife to make a criss-cross pattern. Brush the flesh side with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the aubergines, flesh-side down, in a grill pan or baking tray and grill for 10–12 minutes, until leathery and soft.
Is unripe eggplant poisonous?
False, raw eggplants are not poisonous. Vegetables in the nightshade family contain anywhere from 2 to 13mg of solanine and eggplants contain 11mg at the most. So you would have to eat 36 raw eggplants to cause any harm. Therefore, there’s no need to be concerned about eating reasonable amounts of raw eggplant.
Does eggplant need sun or shade?
As a basic rule of thumb, vegetables grown for their fruit or roots—such as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, potatoes, or carrots—require full sun, which is defined as a garden location that receives at least six hours of direct sun each day.
How big should eggplant be before picking?
Eggplant should be harvested when they are one-third to two-thirds full mature size. ANSWER: We harvest eggplants in the unripe immature stage, like we do bell peppers, cucumbers, squash, okra and snap beans. As such, you cannot harvest them too early.
How do I get rid of bugs eating my eggplant?
Handpick all visible larvae and adult beetles by hand. If plant damage is present, vacuuming the underside of the eggplant leaves daily can prevent more eggs from hatching. Neem oil may also be as a somewhat effective deterrent of the beetles.
How do I get rid of aphids on my eggplant?
HOW TO GET RID OF APHIDS NATURALLY
- Remove aphids by hand by spraying water or knocking them into a bucket of soapy water.
- Control with natural or organic sprays like a soap-and-water mixture, neem oil, or essential oils.
- Employ natural predators like ladybugs, green lacewings, and birds.
What are the diseases of eggplant?
How to Control Common Tomato, Pepper, Eggplant and Potato Diseases
- Disease: Anthracnose.
- Disease: Blight (Early)
- Disease: Blight (Late)
- Disease: Fusarium Wilt.
- Disease: Gray Mold.
- Disease: Septoria leaf spot.
- Disease: Verticillium Wilt.
