Garden Update: Eggplant, Tomatoes, Peppers, and a Basil Surprise!
The garden production has slowed, but I’m still getting veggies every few days, and some of my plants are barely starting to produce, like these Thai Kermit Eggplants, which I definitely planted where there wasn’t enough sun. This is my first time growing these, and the photos I find online all show green eggplants, so I’m wondering if I’ve wasted the ones that turned yellow.
If anyone knows anything about this type of eggplant, please enlighten me in the comments!
I’m still nursing along the tomatoes I started from the seeds that Nate sent me, and the three surviving plants are loaded with tomatoes, but only a couple have ripened. I love the look of this tomato, which I think is a Beauty King, (but I’m not sure, since my plant markers peeled off the seed trays!) I’ve also had a couple of Berkeley Tie Dye tomatoes, but I ate them before I thought about pictures.
This Asian Eggplant was also planted in the spot where there’s not enough sun, and this is only the second eggplant I’ve harvested from two plants. (I’ve decided that shady strip of soil is the perfect place to build a shed, since nothing grows well there.)
The bell peppers are also planted in that same spot that’s too shady, and from three pepper plants, these three are the only peppers I’ve harvested. I’ve never had great luck growing peppers, but I think moving them into the main garden spot where there’s a lot more sun will help. (Any tips for next year from someone who grows them successfully?)
And here’s an update on my experiment preserving fresh basil in a jar of water on the counter. If you missed that post, use that link to see the basil after 10 days. This basil has now been in the water for 26 days! You can see some sprigs are no longer with us, and I’ve cut off some leaves to use them, but quite a bit of the basil is still green and fragrant. Frankly I’m both amazed and mad at myself for not trying this trick years earlier.
How is the garden at your house? If you’re still harvesting, let us know in the comments what your garden is still producing.
You can see other updates from my garden through the years by using Garden Updates.
18 Comments on “Garden Update: Eggplant, Tomatoes, Peppers, and a Basil Surprise!”
Josh, so true! And you were close on the spelling, it's ratatouille.
Now I'm just thinking what great rattatouie (sp?) that would all make.
Evolving tastes, wow, two months! I don't think mine is going to make it that long, but it's already lasted a month.
Nice to see your basil experiment! Incidentally I tried the exact same thing for the first time a couple of years ago, and mine went for over 2 months before the leaves started to dry off. I look forward to your update.
Nate, your Thai Green Curry looks delicious. I'm going to cook the eggplants today.
I wonder if the tomatoes have cross pollinated? This is definitely a plant from the seeds you sent me, but it doesn't look like the descriptions I find online for those seeds. Anyway, it was very tasty!
I haven't seen yellow Thai eggplants like that before. Interesting! I think I'd still use them in some Thai Green Curry
http://www.houseofannie.com/thai-green-curry/
I don't think the tomato in question is Beauty King. BK is pretty huge. I believe what you've got there is called "Pork Chop".
Umi and Wil, so glad the stuffed peppers were a hit. And I'm thinking I will just cook the green eggplants and watch the rest a bit more carefully! Thanks for weighing in on it.
I just found your blog recently and made your stuffed peppers tonight to a raving review. My suddenly-picky 2-year-old ate more than half of an adult portion, which was basically more than the food she had consumed in the past 3 days combined. THANK YOU! I can not wait to try every recipe on your site!
Growing up in Thailand, I'd never seen yellow eggplants like the ones you harvested before. We always eat them green, but I'm sure they are still fine as long as they hold the same/similar consistency. Sorry I'm not much help.
Don't use the part with the flowers and seeds, but cut it off and the rest of the basil should be fine.
My basil has gotten away from me and has flowered and some seeds. Is it still good?
GFFG, glad you like the basil idea. I am blown away by it. Getting cold here too, probably will have to cut the rest of my herbs soon.
Melissa, looks like fun growing the herbs. I've been curious about doing that, but in Utah I think the nights are too cold (inside the house) to grow things very well. I might try planting my basil that has rooted from the jar though, just to see what happens!
26 Days!!!! That's wild. I would have never guessed. I recently ordered a few herb plants to start a little indoor garden. Inspired by you and your wonderful recipes! I'll use that link for my website today if you're curious. I'm really for some awesome herbs in the future!
First off, I love the photos. Beautiful all around. And second, what a GREAT idea about the basil! So glad you ran that one again as I've never even thought of that and I grow a lot of basil. Thanks for sharing. It's brilliant. Can't wait to try it next growing season.
Have a nice weekend! It's cool here in Colorado this morning. Very fall-ish.
Melissa
Lydia, my basil is looking a bit brown on the edges too, so I think it's getting kind of cold at night here too.
Pam, I am LOVING that basil trick! I'm sure I'll be doing this every summer for the rest of my life.
I know…the basil trick is awesome! I just keep mine in a vase until I'm ready to harvest the next batch!
My second crop of basil (first crop was eaten by rabbits or deer) is finally coming on at the end of the season, but it will die with the first frost. The other herbs are still going strong. I don't grow any veggies but I envy my friends who do.
Dree, I am in awe of your winter garden plantings. I'm getting my beds converted to drip irrigation in mid-late October, so I'm not planting anything else this year.
I am finally getting ripe cherry tomatoes after a horrible foggy summer. It's still foggy every morning. My winter garden is up: radishes, chard, broccoli, carrots, green onions, some lettuce. Wondering where the leeks are, and hoping a get a crop of radishes before it gets cooler!