Eggplant Rosa Bianca - Ontario Seed Company

Solanum melongena

A favourite with both chefs and gardeners, this Italian heirloom eggplant is a truly stunning variety. It produces beautiful oval fruits, 12-15 cm long, with a light pink colour and creamy white shading. The flesh is meaty, has a mild flavour, and is hardly ever bitter. A delicious choice for grilling or baking, the compact plants grow to a manageable 45 cm in height.

What you need to know to Plant & Grow:

Start seeds indoors about 10 weeks before your typical last frost date. For best germination, soak seeds in water overnight before planting and maintain a soil temperature of 27°C. Once the seeds have sprouted, grow them on under lights at a slightly cooler temperature of 23°C.

Planting: Harden off the seedlings gradually before transplanting them outside after all danger of frost has passed. Choose a full sun location with a fertile, highly organic soil. Place the transplants 60 cm apart in rows 90 cm apart. Keep the plants evenly watered through the season and feed regularly with a low nitrogen fertilizer.

Harvesting: About 3 to 4 weeks before your typical first fall frost date, pinch off any blossoms that develop. This will encourage the plant to put its energy towards maturing the fruit it is already carrying. Mature fruit is firm and the surface will not spring back when it is depressed and released. Germination takes 10-20 days.

Approx. 20 seeds/pkt