Yellow-to-purple Eggplants when they should be white-to-purple?
Eggplant Pedasí, Los Santos, Panamá
Hello, We're growing Eggplants in a dry-tropical climate in Pedasí, Panamá. Initially the first fruits on the plants changed from white to purple as they were maturing. But subsequent fruits are changing from yellow to purple and do not seem to be maturing fully (they stay hard for a long time, they don't get soft like the white/purple eggplants). Any ideas why this is happening and what the remedy might be? Thank you!
White-to-purple eggplant in the foreground and yellow-to-purple eggplant in the background
Posted
by: Jim O'Neil
(1 point)
Posted: March 19, 2015
Answers
The fact that these fruits are at the bottom of the plant suggest that they are older that the purple one at the top. Can you confirm? Did these turn from purple to yellow? Was there any kind of stress to the plant such as lack of water which may have caused these stressed, unhealthy fruits which was then remedied, resulting in the production of healthy fruit once more? If you could answer these questions and also the ones in the comment section that David has asked that would be very helpful.
Posted
by: Lindsay McMenemy
(4 points)
Posted: March 24, 2015
Jim O'Neil commented,
Yes, the lower yellow ones are older. Yes, I think that some of them are turning from purple to yellow… three days ago we removed a vine that was partially shading a few eggplant plants and since then, purple eggplants that are newly expose to full sun are fading in color and maybe on their way to yellow. There was some possible stress, we were using rice straw for mulch, but then we noticed that there was fungus growing at the base of some of the trunks, we removed it, and since then the soil may be hotter (and drying out faster). We'll soon have drip irrigation, which will make it easier to deep water. Thank you for your response and questions. about 9 years ago.
Yes, the lower yellow ones are older. Yes, I think that some of them are turning from purple to yellow… three days ago we removed a vine that was partially shading a few eggplant plants and since then, purple eggplants that are newly expose to full sun are fading in color and maybe on their way to yellow. There was some possible stress, we were using rice straw for mulch, but then we noticed that there was fungus growing at the base of some of the trunks, we removed it, and since then the soil may be hotter (and drying out faster). We'll soon have drip irrigation, which will make it easier to deep water. Thank you for your response and questions. about 9 years ago.
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I have not yet found any good material on this in the standard reference books we consult.
A bit more information please
1) Have you grown eggplants before at this spot?
2) Were they normal?
3) Is the weather more variable this year? More periods of above average heat or cold?
4) Do you water directly or wait for rains?
5) Do you fertilize? If so, with what?
about 9 years ago.
Hi David, thank you for your quick response and Q's. Here's my answers...
1) No, first time growing egg plants.
2) No previous experience growing here.
3) This is my first year in the area and it's been really hot and dry, but that is basically normal for the area/season.
4) We water, but only wet the soil not the leaves or fruit.
5) The bed was prepped with cow manure and compost, the keep moist for over a month to allow the manure to decompose. We've also fertilized with fish meal and actively aerated compost tea.
Thank you! about 9 years ago.
Hi David, thank you for your quick response and Q's. Here's my answers...
1) No, first time growing egg plants.
2) No previous experience growing here.
3) This is my first year in the area and it's been really hot and dry, but that is basically normal for the area/season.
4) We water, but only wet the soil not the leaves or fruit.
5) The bed was prepped with cow manure and compost, the keep moist for over a month to allow the manure to decompose. We've also fertilized with fish meal and actively aerated compost tea.
Thank you! about 9 years ago.