Can eggplants grow successfully in containers?
Written by
Benjamin Miller
Reviewed by
Prof. Samuel Fitzgerald, Ph.D.Eggplants thrive in containers when provided with proper conditions. Compact varieties, such as Ichiban and Patio Baby, perform even better in tight spots than their traditional counterparts. Container growing solves the space problem while keeping soil quality firmly within the gardener's control. I pick many fruits from the fruits that grow on my apartment balcony.
Container Specifications
- Select 18-24 inch wide pots with drainage holes
- Use 5-gallon minimum volume for root development
- Choose light colored containers to reduce heat absorption
Soil and Nutrition
- Mix potting soil with 30% compost for fertility
- Apply slow release fertilizer at planting time
- Supplement with liquid seaweed every 2 weeks
Sunlight Management
- Rotate containers daily for even sun exposure
- Provide 8+ hours direct sunlight minimum
- Use reflective surfaces to boost light intensity
Please make it a habit to regularly attend to the critical task of watering your containers. During hot weather, check them every day. Water them thoroughly so that it runs from the bottom of the pot. Never allow your soil to dry out completely. When I take a holiday, I always use self-watering pots with a reservoir, which are a little less trouble to manage. These keep the soil evenly moist.
Nutrient Demands. Plants confined in pots or containers have specific nutrient requirements. Container plants are generally hungrier than their ground specimens. A sterilized balanced liquid fertilizer should be fed every 10 days, during the plant's fruiting season. If you notice the leaves are suffused with purple, that is a sign the plant is hungry for phosphorus. Add more accordingly until the plant responds.
Maximize your limited space by growing upwards! Add trellises for vining varieties such as Ping Tung. Put down plant stands stacked on top of each other. These ideas result in more harvests from the same square footage. My vertical system tripled my yields on a 4x4 balcony!
Overwintered container plants for second-season production: Moving pots indoors and protecting from frost, watering as infrequently as possible, keeping the temperature around 50 to 55 degrees F., and pruning back plants a third, we are provided with marketable quantity of mature plant ready for returning to growth by the arrival of spring; this causes a saving in the time required of 8 weeks as compared with seeding.
Read the full article: How to Grow Eggplant Successfully at Home
