they get fairly large under good conditions. But like all eggplants pick before they lose their shine.
{{gwi:26580}}

I can't tell how big they are because there is nothing to compare it to.

I grow eggplants! I only have 6 giving me plenty so far. Seems like eggplant harvest time right now! Some literally grew fruit overnight. I wasn't sure how big they should be before pulling, but I try to pick them at least before they start making the plant too top heavy! One eggplant I found today w/ 3 fruit growing on it! One was a pretty good size. What do you make w/ the eggplant?

I slice them, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill them. Delish. I also like to make this eggplant, sundried tomato, garlic spread.

I have only one eggplant plant that survived the summer but it's got 4 fruits growing on it now and 2 of them are sizable

I only grow the miniature eggplants - they are so much better than the large Italian types in just about every way.

I usually cook them Indian style, like in the linked recipe. You could sub any kind of nut for peanut, such as cashew or coconut.

Here is a link that might be useful: Recipe

srg215, thanks.
I have grown egg plants for three year for friends & they love them.
Then my wife gave some to a Indian friend who said she let them sit for a week to ripen, because they were still a little green.
I had ask her to be critical of the fruit, so I would know that I had picked at the right time.
She said other then the stem, there should be no green on the fruit.
I let the fruit stay on the plant longer & the fruit pulled the plant over, because I had not stack them.
Some of the fruit fell off rotten & some of it turn golden because of the sun. No burns like tomatoes & peppers.
So I am confused.
I ask on the cooking forum, because I wanted to know about the fruit not the plant & got good advise.
But some fruit rotting was not in my plan.
My wife roast all her egg plant before cooking or using it.
You can roast the whole fruit on the grill until the skin is black or chard, in the oven at 400F hour.

Hey Slimy Okra, that recipe looks delicious! I had no idea that eggplants came in male and female fruit.

I'm inclined to be skeptical of that theory - I've never heard of it either.

Eggplant do not come in male and female fruit. An eggplant is a fruit, and there's no such thing as a male or female fruit. A fruit is an ovary. Within the ovary are seeds, which are fertilized eggs. Each flower has both male and female parts, and eggplants are self-fertile.

Good comments. Just wanted to interject a comment from a customer who consumes lots of eggplant- "You should never let an eggplant ripen".

After having mentioned that quote let me explain that a fully ripe eggplant will be pale and often have a tinge of brownish color(if it starts black-purple). I'm growing many varieties of ethnic eggplant that turn red, orange or dk.yellow when ripe. These are truly beautiful as decorative ornaments but over-ripe to eat. These start as green types and should be harvested as such for best flavor.

A fresh picked eggplant is ideal. I don't know of anyone who would buy a shriveled week-old specimen so setting them on a countertop for a week is of no merit. For most of the larger teardrop types it seems that most people prefer one the size of 2 softballs layed together. I offer long slender types at various lengths from 4" to over a foot and depending on the recipe either is suitable. Not all of these are shiny skinned because some,like Ickiban have a more tender skin that is dull purple. If they crack or show the blush of a different color when large you are better to discard them.

I second Farmerdill's commnets. Pick eggplant when they begin to lose their glossy sheen (or before). Later pickings will produce fruit that show seed development. In some varieties, like Black Beauty (IME), bitterness can occur with the seeds. Picking size will be dependent on growing conditions. I find that on the average, the picking stage in the mid summer heat occurs with a smaller eggplant size than during early summer and fall when temperatures are more moderate.

Easy-way-your-own-tomatoes-and-preferablly-your-own-basil,-oregano,thyme...slice-and-bake-alltogether...Delicious-even-cold....
yum-yum-----course-cheese-added-to-anything-makes-it-better--but-I-dont------
little-salt-I-adde-to-my-serving-before-eating
How-much-more-organic-andf-natural-is-that?????
Just-my-humble-opinion
jean

1. I have eggplant buit don't know what kind. They are anout 8 inches long and are a deep purple-like, when should I pick them. They are not big around at all, bvery slim.

Sounds like you have Ichiban or one of the many similar varieties. No way to know for sure without seeing it. As said above, you can pick at just about any size - smaller is better as it is less bitter. But the shine on the skin is the key. Once the skin goes dull they are past ideal picking. If it is Ichiban (Google pics of the variety for comparison) then 8" is a good size for picking.

Dave

I like this variety(Black Beauty) ,but i have not seeds from it , I appreciate if any one send me few seeds (5 seeds) from it.my address is: elmahdy Metwally , Horticulture Department, Faculty of agriculture,Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516,Egypt

A good (standard black type) eggplant, from my understanding, is glossy, light in weight, and not hard to the touch. This year I am growing what is supposedly black beauty (from a seed vault variety pack) and there are many fruits that are hand and a lighter shade of purple rather than black. I assume the hard fruits are past their prime. However, these are all small in size. Am I mistaken, and are the lighter colored, hard fruits not too old but rather too young, and I should leave them to grow, darken, and soften?

Asaf, I find that learning when to harvest any variety of eggplant comes with a little experience, and watching the fruit for appearance. Once the fruit begins to grow, the skin will become glossy. Glossy, shiny fruit tastes best. As it matures and reaches full size, the skin will loose that glossy, shiny appearance, and will begin to dull. The dullness is a sign that the seeds are developing, and the taste will not usually be as good as those with a shiny skin. If left on the plant, it will begin to develop a yellowish, brownish color (color changes vary by variety.) The color change is a sign that the seeds are developing and the taste will become bitter.

So, by keeping watch on the fruits as they grow, you'll notice that one day they will still be shiny/glossy, and the next day they will begin to become dull. I like to harvest while the fruit is still shiny, but it's just beginning to become dull. When you get experience with a certain variety, you will know when a fruit has reached it's optimum size, but the skin still has that shininess.

Overall, as said in comments above, regardless of variety, it's not size that tells the grower when to pick. It's the shine. One fruit on a single plant could be 3", another could be 8". Eggplant has an average size depending on the seed and variety type, but fruit size is very variable... even on the same plant.

I hope that helps.

Thanks rgreen. Indeed every source I have read mentions the shine. I see no mention about the hardness. I am trying to figure out the if the hard, pale fruits are either immature, over-mature, or just bad fruits. I supposed I will need to check the seeds inside to know.

Yeah, I'm not sure what you mean by hardness. A photo wouldn't really help either, only you can feel it. I hope it turns out to be nothing serious. :-)