Every year the number of varieties and types of various garden plants in garden plots and in private farms increases. If previously striped eggplant was a rarity, now many gardeners are happy to choose this vegetable and receive an excellent harvest, regardless of the climatic characteristics of the region.
Peculiarities
Depending on which striped eggplants are chosen, there are some distinctive features of growing them in open ground. In addition to the traditional “blue” ones, you can now choose varieties of striped, variegated, and pink vegetables.
Varieties
If desired, you can choose classic varieties, as well as hybrids of striped eggplants:
- compact and tall plant options;
- with the usual cylindrical or ovoid fruits;
- increased productivity, producing fruits weighing up to 2 kilograms;
- with different ripening periods;
- eggplants for growing indoors or outdoors;
- varieties resistant to typical diseases, capable of producing good harvests in difficult climatic zones
Varieties and types of eggplants are currently presented in such variety that it is difficult for a beginner to choose the right option on his own.
Striped beauties
The following eggplant varieties have become traditional for Russian gardeners:
"Sailor" and "Striped Flight"
Why do they attract summer residents so much? We'll figure it out together.
“Matrosik” is considered by professionals to be one of the unpretentious mid-season varieties; such eggplants can be grown not only in greenhouses, but also in unprotected soil. The variety produces a good harvest, and the fruits retain their marketable appearance for a long time after being collected from the garden (greenhouse). The average weight of this “handsome” fruit is 200 grams. They are devoid of an unpleasant bitter taste, resistant to various diseases, and dense in structure.
“Striped Race” is an early ripening variety that begins to bear fruit on the 100th day from germination. Bush 100-150 cm high (plants are formed into two stems with a garter). The fruits are cylindrical in shape, in technical ripeness, beautiful purple in color with white stripes. They are very dense and suitable for use at any stage of their development.
Professionals advise giving preference to the Striped eggplant if you have a small free plot of land in your garden. This plant will be an excellent decoration, its ovoid fruits are ovoid in shape. Culinary experts have already appreciated the unique taste qualities of this variety.
Variety "Globe"
Eggplants of the "Globe" variety have white-pink round fruits, their white flesh has a pleasant taste and contains a minimal amount of seeds. The variety is ideal for salads and frying.
"Bumbo"
One cannot ignore such a striped variety as “Bumbo”, since it was this variety that became the prototype for the production of many striped beauties. The oblong small fruits, which have a beautiful white and lilac appearance, do not exceed 600 grams in weight, but each plant produces quite a lot of them.
"Piglet"
Among the interesting types of eggplants is “Piglet”. The plant owes its name to the appearance of the fruit. Among the distinctive characteristics of the variety, we highlight the long shelf life, during which the taste of eggplants does not deteriorate. The fruits are purple-white and reach 300 grams.
"Rosa Bianca"
The variety "Rosa Bianca" is considered a medium-fruiting plant. The fruits weigh up to 400 grams, their shape is classic pear-shaped. "Rosa Bianca", despite its compact bushes, produces an excellent harvest of pink-purple eggplants with greenish tasty flesh.
Breeders bred these particular eggplants for stewing and stuffing. Varieties whose fruits have this shape are now becoming increasingly popular and in demand among summer residents and gardeners.
"Polundra"
The Polundra variety is the result of the work of domestic breeders. Its fruits have the shape of an elongated pear, have a glossy surface, and do not contain a bitter aftertaste. The average weight of such eggplants is 225 grams. Approximately 110-115 days after planting, this plant is ready for harvest. The peculiarity of this selection variety is that even at low temperatures, ovary formation and stable fruiting are possible. The leaves are medium in size and there are no thorns on the fruit calyx.
The fruit is white, with lilac-pink stripes on it, like uneven strokes. The flesh is snow-white, and the taste characteristics of this variety are recognized as one of the best quality among striped eggplants. Therefore, it is the Polundra variety that is recommended for use in home cooking and is suitable for canning and long-term storage. The variety is one of the highest-yielding; you can harvest up to 5.5 kilograms of striped eggplants per square meter.
"Graffiti"
The Graffiti variety is considered a profitable hybrid. This early hybrid not only has increased productivity, but also compares favorably with other fruits with its striped white and purple surface, tender and sweet pulp. The fruits of this variety reach 450 grams!
The plant is so powerful that its height can reach 2 meters. The fruits of this variety have thin skin and small seeds.You can easily peel the fruits, prepare delicious stews from them, fry eggplants, or bake them with meat in the oven. Professionals consider the main difference from other striped vegetables to be the characteristic strokes on the skin.
Recently, striped eggplants can be seen more and more often in personal plots. Moreover, most often they have white and pink stripes. Summer residents affectionately call such varieties “stripes.” The pulp of such fruits is exquisitely tender, there are practically no seeds in it, and there is no bitterness inherent in classic purple fruits. Blue gourmets are convinced that many striped varieties have a taste identical to tender chicken meat.
"Fairy"
This variety is interesting because the fruits are formed on clusters of three to five pieces at a time. The variety is recognized as early ripening; it can be grown both in unprotected soil and in heated greenhouses. The average weight of one fruit is almost half a kilogram. The unusual white-purple color of the fruit, absolutely not typical for eggplants, attracts the attention of lovers of “garden exotics”. In addition to the extravagant appearance, it is important to note the good taste characteristics of this vegetable.
"Overseas Minke Whale"
Just one hundred days after the eggplant seeds hatch, full-fledged fruits will appear. The domestic hybrid “Overseas Minke Whale” got its name due to its appearance. It is suitable for both unprotected soil and for growing in greenhouse conditions.Eggplant is pink-white in color and weighs up to 350 grams. Among the advantages of this variety, it is important to note not only the pleasant taste, but also excellent performance characteristics.
"Golden eggs in your garden"
Orange-red, white-gold eggplants can be found in the garden plots of modern summer residents. It would seem that such coloring is not typical for these vegetables, but domestic breeders continue to work towards changing the external parameters of this vegetable, including shape, color, size. The first samples of such exotic egg-shaped fruits were obtained by Dutch breeders, then their Russian colleagues got down to business. Eggplants of unusual color and size are rich in carotene, have no aftertaste, and in all other technical and taste characteristics, they are similar to other varieties of this vegetable.
Turkish eggplants “Decorative mantle”
They are of African or Middle Eastern origin and are unusually small in size. Their striped yellow-green coloring gives them an unusual appearance. Some exotic connoisseurs choose this variety not for food, but as an option for decorating a garden plot.
Breeders have developed many intermediate variants of forms that have a white-pink, lilac-white, striped color. On average, the fruits of such plants appear in two months, their weight is up to 250 grams. The pulp has a wonderful taste, so eggplants are used not only for preparing a variety of dishes, but are also chosen for canning.
Long stripes
Large striped species have very impressive sizes. For example, “Striped Long” has an unusual white and lilac tone, its weight reaches 500 grams.In addition to the unusual spherical shape and powerful bushes, this variety has excellent yield and good taste characteristics.
"Rotunda Bianca"
The special variety “Rotunda Bianca” was bred by foreign breeders. Its fruits have a round pear-shaped shape, a characteristic white-lilac color, and an average weight of 350 grams. Such eggplants do not have the bitterness characteristic of these vegetables, and after frying they taste like natural mushrooms.
Professionals consider “Rotunda Bianca” a mid-season variety, and it is equally good for growing indoors and for summer cottages protected with film. The fruits are distinguished by their unusual shape, excellent yield, and creamy white pulp.
Conclusion
Regardless of the number and color of stripes, all unusual eggplants have the same characteristics as their blue, white, and green “brothers.” These vegetables contain a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins, so eggplants are recommended for nutrition.
