You've planted, weeded, and watered all spring and summer, and the eggplants in your garden are starting to look a lot like the ones you see at the grocery store or farmers' market. But how can you tell they're ready to pick? Figuring out when to harvest eggplant isn't difficult, but you'll want to keep an eye out for a few signs that they're perfectly ripe. Here's what you need to know about when and how to harvest eggplant.
When to Harvest Eggplant
When to harvest eggplant will depend on the variety you planted, your growing zone, and when you planted your eggplant seedlings outdoors. Fruits are typically ready to pick by midsummer. You can expect to harvest eggplant 65 to 80 days after transplanting seedlings outdoors or 100 to 120 days after starting plants from seed. Check the seed packet for the days-to-harvest number for your specific variety.
How to Tell if Eggplant Is Right for Picking
While we think of an eggplant at its tastiest stage as "ripe," eggplants are typically harvested before they're fully mature, because their taste and texture is better that way. But you can keep an eye out for signs that your eggplant is ready to pick. These can vary slightly based on the type of eggplant you're growing. But in general, eggplants should be full-sized before you harvest (unless you're going for baby eggplants, which can be harvested when they're as small as 3 inches long).
Refer to the seed packet or seed company's website for more information about the mature size of the cultivar you planted. Other signs of ripeness include shiny skin and consistent coloring. Gentle pressure from a fingernail will leave a small indent in the skin.
Regardless of the type of eggplant you've got, don't leave fruits on the plant so long that the flesh becomes tough and the seeds firm up. The skin will look dull and take on a brown cast when fruits are overripe, and the flesh inside will be bitter. Fruits will feel slightly soft under gentle pressure when overripe. For more tender, tastier eggplants, harvest fruits as soon as or shortly after they reach full size. Unlike tomatoes or peaches, eggplants won't continue ripening after they've been picked.
How to Harvest Eggplant
When your eggplants are ripe, it's time to harvest. Unlike tomatoes, which twist easily off of the vine when they're ready to pick, eggplants have a tough, thick stem holding them in place. Use sharp scissors or garden shears to harvest fruits rather than trying to twist the fruit off the plant, which can damage productivity. Make the cut an inch or so up the stem from the calyx (the little green cap at the end), and leave the calyx intact on each fruit.
Some eggplant varieties have sharp thorns on their leaves, stems, and calyx, so it's a good idea to wear gardening gloves for this task. Handle fruits gently to avoid bruising.
Once you've begun harvesting eggplants in your garden, check back a couple of times a week to pick. Frequent harvesting of ripe fruit will encourage your plants to produce more.
How to Store Eggplant After Harvest
Vegetables like lettuce and cucumbers need typical refrigeration temperatures to stay fresh and crisp, but fruits like eggplants and tomatoes actually keep best at around 50 degrees—about ten degrees warmer than your typical fridge. Eggplants kept in your crisper for more than a couple of days will experience chilling injury, which appears as light brown spots on soft, pitted skin. Eggplants with signs of chilling injury are still safe to eat, but fruits will spoil more quickly once they've been affected.
If you do have a cool, food-safe space like a cellar or garage, you can keep eggplants there in an open paper bag for a day or two before preparing them. If you are planning to store eggplants in the fridge, keep them in a plastic bag or wrapped in a damp dish towel to protect them from the drying air of your fridge. It's best to use refrigerated eggplants within four or five days to minimize chilling injury. Chinese and Japanese varieties may last a little longer without experiencing cold damage.
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