The Eggplant Black Beauty, 'Solanum melongena', produces broad, egg-shaped fruit with dark purple skin on 24" to 28" plants. Black Beauty grows well in most areas. The large spreading plants are capable of producing 6 to 12 fruits on each plant. Eggplant is a very international vegetable. The unique and tasty dishes cooked in japan, China, Italy, Russia and other countries make eggplant a useful and tasty vegetable for your garden. Try eggplant dipped in flour and sauteed in olive oil, stir fried with bean sprouts, peppers, and tomatoes, or roasted and combined with olive oil, chopped onions and tomatoes
Plant in the spring, 3 to 4 weeks after the last average frost date. Warmer ground temperature promotes faster growth. If nighttime temperatures drop below 60 degrees, the fruit will not set. Eggplant prefers rich, deep, loose soils with large amounts of organic material. Provide 1 inch of water a week if it does not rain.