Aubergine 'Japanese White Egg' Organic

Historically, White eggplants were some of the first types of eggplant to be found in cultivation in Asia. Today they are still relatively rare compared to the purple varieties that dominate commercial markets, but they are experiencing a wave of popularity as more chefs and home cooks search for diversity in their produce. White eggplants are now utilised in cooked culinary preparations worldwide.

Aubergine 'White Egg' is a beautiful eggplant that produces fruit that are oval in shape, white skinned and grow to about the size of an egg. An heirloom variety originally from Japan, its compact habit makes it a perfect choice for mixed flower and vegetable planters.
These smaller fruited varieties are well suited to growing in containers or in open ground in a warm sunny location and will grow easily in a greenhouse or tunnel, making it much easier to handle and harvest. In cooler climates, growing aubergines in containers is a good option as they can be moved to a protected spot whenever a cold spell threatens.

The plants grow to a height of 55cm (22in) and a spread of 45cm (18in). They are very ornamental, predominantly spineless plants and the flowers are attractive even from an early stage, the small white fruits grow in bunches.
Early maturing, the oval shaped, ivory-white smooth fruits mature just 60 to 65 days from transplant and can usually be harvested from August onwards.
The fruits average around 80 grams in weight and grow 7 to 10cm (3 to 4in) long, with creamy white flesh. When cooked they have a light, mild, subtly sweet taste with nutty, mushroom-like nuances. White aubergines are traditionally less bitter and acidic than purple aubergines, allowing them to be used in more neutral preparations.
Popular in Italian and Mediterranean dishes, the fruits have a delicate flavour with little trace of bitterness and are absolutely perfect for use in stir frying. They can also be grilled or roasted, they are delicious when sliced in half and baked with oil and herbs.

Sowing: Sow February to May for growing under glass or March to May for planting outdoors
Whilst Aubergine is a Tender Perennial, it is usually cultivated as an Annual.

Starting Indoors:
Seeds are typically started eight to ten weeks prior to the anticipated frost-free date.
Soaking the seeds overnight may help germination.
Sow 6mm (¼in) deep into 9cm pots containing a moist seed compost and “just cover” with a sprinkling of compost or vermiculite (do not exclude light as this helps germination)
Place in a propagator or warm place, and keep at a constant temperature of 20 to 25°C (68-77°F). Keep the surface of the compost moist but not waterlogged; germination will take between 8 to 21 days Transplant seedlings carefully while quite small into 15cm (5in) pots and grow on at 18-21°C (65-70°F).

For Outdoor Crops:
Acclimatise plants to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days. Plant out into sheltered site when all risk of frost has passed and the soil is warm. Plant 45cm (18in) apart in rows 90 to 120cm (3 to 4ft) apart. Aubergines grow well outside, but need gradual acclimatising to the more varied conditions.
A brilliant tip for this: enclose a block of plants, spaced about 60cm (2ft) apart in each direction, within a box of straw bales. These provide a brilliantly cheap but effective windbreak. If a cold night is forecast, simply drape fleece over the bales and anchor it with bricks.

For Greenhouse Crops:
Grow as above, but transplant into in 20cm (8in) pots or growing bags.

Cultivation:
Stake as you would for tomatoes. Provide plenty of water, especially in dry weather.
Black plastic mulch is helps to warm the soil, prevent weeds and conserve moisture.
Feed every 14 days with high potash (tomato) fertiliser once the first fruits have set. Cease feeding when fruits are fully formed. Mist the foliage regularly with tepid water to discourage red spider mite and to help flower set.
The flowers are relatively unattractive to bees and the first blossoms often do not set fruit. Hand pollination will improve the set of the first blossoms. Tap flowers daily to assist pollination. Remove the main tip/growing point when plants are 30cm (12in) high.

Harvest: 65 days to harvest
First harvests can be made from the early sowings from July onwards. Harvest at their desired size, but while fruits are still shiny and young. Fruits are typically cut from the vine just above the calyx owing to the semi-woody stems.
Select fruits that are firm to the touch but not overly hard. If the eggplant emits a dull sound when lightly tapped, it is ripe. Pick regularly or plants will need further support to support the weight of the fruit.
The fruits can be harvested from August onwards, when the skin surface is still shiny. Late in the season, once they lose the shine they start to become bitter.

Storage:
Freezing is the best method for home preservation.
Harvest before seeds become mature and when colour is uniform.

Info:
Although we think of aubergines as being a vegetable they are technically a fruit. This is because the aubergine we eat is the ripened ovary of the flower.
Other fruits disguised as vegetables include the tomato, peppers, courgette and closely related to the courgette, the cucumber, pumpkin and squash.

Origin:
Historically, White eggplants were some of the first types of eggplant to be found in cultivation in Asia. Today they are still relatively rare compared to the purple varieties that dominate commercial markets, but they are experiencing a wave of popularity as more chefs and home cooks search for diversity in their produce. White eggplants are now utilised in cooked culinary preparations worldwide.

Nomenclature:
White aubergines are the inspiration behind the fruit's most common name - the Eggplant. Eggs might not necessarily spring to mind when staring at the large and bulbous dark purple aubergines sold in commercial markets today, but in the 18th century, White eggplants were being promoted across Europe as an ornamental garden plant. They were especially popular in England, where the plants produced small, oval, and white fruits closely resembling a chicken or goose egg. The public was amazed by the fruits and began referring to the plants as eggplants. Many of these white varieties were strictly ornamental at the time and were featured in horticultural contests and exhibitions. Magazines, newspapers, and nursery cataloges also heavily promoted the ornamental plant, using the public's common name of eggplant as their main descriptor.
By the end of the 17th and early 18th centuries, new varieties of White eggplants were being introduced for culinary purposes under the name eggplant. The term had become deeply rooted in common slang, and all the different coloured varieties were also being generally labeled as eggplants in commercial markets, establishing the ever-popular name throughout history.