SEED - Rosita, Italian Pink Bicolor, Long Purple Fingerling Eggplant Heirloom
### **Rosita Eggplant**
- **Description**: Rosita is a beautiful heirloom eggplant with a striking lavender-pink hue and a teardrop shape. The flesh is creamy white, mild, and sweet with a smooth texture, making it less bitter than many other eggplants.
- **History & Origin**: Originally developed in Puerto Rico in the 1940s, Rosita is a Caribbean heirloom variety known for its exceptional flavor.
Delectable mild and sweet, white flesh free of all bitterness because of its late-maturing seeds. The skin is tender and not bitter.
- **Size & Growth**: Fruits grow to about 6–8 inches long and 4 inches wide. The plant reaches about 24–36 inches tall.
- **Growing Conditions**: Prefers full sun and warm temperatures, taking about **80–85 days to mature**.
- **Culinary Uses**: Ideal for roasting, grilling, stuffing, and frying. Its creamy texture makes it great for dips like baba ganoush.
### **Italian Pink Bicolor Eggplant**
- **Description**: This unique eggplant has a two-toned pink and white coloration with a slightly ribbed appearance. The flesh is tender, with a mild, slightly sweet flavor.
- **History & Origin**: A rare Italian heirloom, prized for its beauty and excellent taste.
- **Size & Growth**: Fruits typically grow **5–7 inches long** with a slightly bulbous shape. The plant reaches around **24–30 inches tall**.
- **Growing Conditions**: Thrives in warm climates and full sun, maturing in **75–85 days**.
- **Culinary Uses**: Perfect for traditional Italian dishes like eggplant Parmesan, caponata, and grilling. The skin is thin, so peeling isn’t necessary.
### **Long Purple Fingerling Eggplant**
- **Description**: A long and slender variety with deep purple skin, known for its firm yet tender flesh. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and very few seeds.
- **History & Origin**: A traditional variety, often grown in Italy and Asia.
- **Size & Growth**: Fruits grow **8–10 inches long** but are much slimmer than standard eggplants. Plants typically reach **30–36 inches in height**.
- **Growing Conditions**: Prefers hot weather and full sun, requiring about **75–80 days** to mature.
- **Culinary Uses**: Great for stir-fries, grilling, sautéing, or slicing into thin rounds for frying. Its shape makes it perfect for Asian and Mediterranean dishes.
### **Garden Care- Grow Your Own
- **Soil & Watering:** Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged; mulch to retain moisture.
- **Fertilizing:** Use a balanced fertilizer at planting and side-dress with compost or liquid fertilizer every few weeks.
- **Support:** Stake plants to support heavy fruiting.
- **Pest & Disease Control:** Watch for flea beetles, aphids, and spider mites. Use row covers or neem oil if needed.
Eggplants- A pear-shaped, dark violet fruit. The "meat" of the fruit is delicious in many dishes: steamed, boiled or stir-fried.
Eggplant is ideal for containers. Choose three to five gallon pots or larger, or try them in a raised bed. Well-drained soil is important, but so is good air circulation.
Start Eggplant seeds indoors in April, and harvest from mid-June into early September. While it's true that eggplants appreciate hot weather, it's a misconception that they are difficult to grow.