Not true. They may sulk a few days after being put in the garden, but they perk up again with real warm weather. Be sure before planting them outside that you harden them off for about a week, and that the weather and soil are WARM.

Agree, it's not true. IMHO you run a greater risk of killing the plant if you put it in a peat pot than from any possible transplant shock. Peat pots aren't all they are cracked up to be. ;)

I start mine in seedling flats and then transplant them to plastic cups before they go to the garden. And you'll see eggplant transplants sold at nurseries and garden centers all over the country in plastic cell packs. So start them anyway you wish.

Dave

Agree that peat pots, Jiffy 7's etc are not optimum for developing plants. However, the original poster may have been referring to bareroot transplanting. Eggplant does not fare well using this method, so some type of pot containing the root ball is advised. Tomatoes and brassicas can be transplanted bareroot, although few folks do it that way anymore.

farmerdilla: yes i am referring not the peat pellets but peat pots if that changes anything.

I bought eggplants last year and they were all sold in peat pots at the nurseries near my home. (i went to a lot of nurseries)

maybe i should try both this year...

i grew black beauty and my eggplants were not nearly as big as the ones they sell at the grocery store. is there a tip to growing them bigger? also i did not support the plants as i just didn't know they needed to be. i thought only tomatoes needed that kind of treatment.

In my experience, any plant that is planted with a peat pot left intact will become root bound and stunted. The only time I ever had any success with store-bought plants that are in them is if I strip away the majority of the pot before planting.

Before I learned that I pulled up peppers and tomato plants at the end of the garden season and discovered the peat pot still intact and the roots bound up in a wad. The same can be said about the peat pellets if the netting isn't removed so I long ago gave up using both of them.

As to support, yes they benefit from it - those 3 & 4 ring things they sell as tomato cages work well (just not for tomatoes ;). Peppers also benefit from support.

The size question: no, my Black Beauty never get as big as the store bought ones either but then I don't use all the massive amounts of fertilizer that commercial growers use. However the taste of the smaller fruit is far superior to any store bought monsters. Once you do a comparison taste test, I'll bet you'll find the smaller, more tender, less pithy ones you grow at home to be better. ;)

Dave

I have few plants (Jasmins etc. in the Sun room) ) in large pots which are used for growing Pepper and Eggplant seedlings.Some seeds are thrown at the pripheral edge inside the pots for germination.Seeds do germinate nicely.By end of May these pots along with seedlings are taken out side and allowed them to harden for few days.It is easy to remove these small plants from the pot for transplanting in the garden bed.
Seeds planted in December of last year are germinating at this time.I have translpanted few seedlings in plastic cups and they are doing fine.Worth trying out.

I've grown Black Beauty for several years. They do really well in Georgia. Typically, this variety has fruit that grows to about six inches long. They put on a lot of fruit, and I always plant too many. Have left some on vine too long and they don't get much longer than 6", but will get fuller.

I think the larger eggplants typically seen in the grocery stores may be a different variety. At least the ones sold here at say Kroger or Publix are.

I start Black Beauty in peat pots and haven't had any trouble transplanting. Just have to be sure the soil is warm enough before you plant them.

Most eggplants are better when they are smaller. Try looking beyond the black beauty. They keep well, but are (at least in my humble opinion) the blandest. however, their size makes them nice for lasagna. Fairytale is a nice alternative, and very pretty. I always start mine mid or late February (started them this weekend, actually) in tupperware containers on a heat mat, then transplant to 3 inch pots (not peat pots) and plant outside around the end of may. If I ever use peat pots I take a knife and slice the sides. I like to use them for flowers, but I don't believe they are well suited for most vegetables. I can pull up gazanias and zinnias in the fall and find the peat pots nearly intact.

Black Beauty is a big eggplant, but the grocery story ones are hybrid cultivars. But with good soil and water, Black Beauty gets about as large as you would want an eggplant. I prefer more modern and particularly asian eggplants myself. Eggplants are heavier feeders than tomatoes and do respond to fertilization. I don't support them but sometimes branches do break under the weight.

Here is a link that might be useful: Black Beauty