- It depends on the right time
- Harvest outdoor aubergines from July to late autumn
- External signs for the right harvest time
- How to Test Eggplants Before Harvesting:
- Obtain seeds to multiply
- Pick the aubergines carefully
- tips and tricks
With proper care for eggplants, in the case of early ripening fruits, the time for harvesting will come in July. Late-ripening varieties are ready from August. What do you need to watch out for when you want to harvest your eggplants?
It depends on the right time
Eggplants are harvested when they are not quite ripe. However, the harvest must not take place too early. Then the fruits contain too much solanine, which is slightly toxic. Overripe fruits lose their aroma and are no longer suitable for drying.
Harvest outdoor aubergines from July to late autumn
Depending on the aubergine variety, the harvest season begins in July or August and lasts until the onset of frost. Eggplants in the greenhouse are often ripe earlier and can be picked well into winter.
External signs for the right harvest time
Eggplants are ready to harvest when the skin is shiny and free of spots. It yields slightly when pressed with a finger. The color depends on the eggplant variety. It can be dark purple, but also white or green.
The inside of the aubergine must be light, almost white, on the inside. If it is greenish, the fruit was harvested too early. The toxic solanine content is then too high and the eggplant should not be eaten. If the flesh has already turned brown, the aubergine is overripe and tastes bitter.
How to Test Eggplants Before Harvesting:
- Shiny shell
- No stains
- Gives slightly when pressed with a finger
- Light flesh
- Whitish cores
Obtain seeds to multiply
Eggplants, like tomatoes, contain small seeds. They must also still be white. If you want to plant eggplants from the seeds next year, let the fruit overripe so that the seeds look very dark.
Pick the aubergines carefully
Carefully cut off the stalks of the aubergines. The plant must be held with one hand so that the shoots do not break off.
tips and tricks
If the harvested aubergines are still too unripe, you can let them ripen a bit by placing them near apples. These develop a gas that causes other fruits to ripen. Check regularly how far the ripening process has progressed.