Seeds (25) of Chinese Red Bitter Eggplant

Chinese Red Bitter Eggplant Seeds (Solanum aethiopicum acuelatum) 25 seeds

Chinese Red Bitter Eggplant, also known by the scientific name Solanum aethiopicum acuelatum, is an ancient variety of plants that produces small, round, ribbed fruits about 5 cm in diameter. These fruits are distinguished by their beautiful, vibrant red color. They are prized for their fine texture, although they offer a rather bitter flavor, making them particularly popular in Asian cuisine.

To grow these eggplants, it is recommended to start by sowing them in pots. Ideally, sowing should be done at a temperature of around 24 °C, under a well-lit shelter, around 10 weeks before transplanting them into the open ground. Once the plants have reached the 2 to 3 leaf stage, you can transplant them into individual pots if necessary or place them in a nursery. After the last frosts, it is advisable to transplant the entire root ball, burying the stem up to the first leaves, with a spacing of around 50 cm between each plant. To speed up germination, you can first place the seeds in the refrigerator for a week, at a temperature of 4 to 5 °C.

Growing these eggplants requires full sun exposure to ensure good growth. If you live in a cool climate, it is best to grow them under cover, such as a greenhouse. The ideal soil for these plants is humus-rich, well-drained, rich and pre-warmed.

The sowing period under cover generally extends from February to April, while the harvest can be carried out from July to October, depending on local climatic conditions. The plants can be grown in open ground, in pots or in greenhouses, thus offering a certain versatility. They generally reach a height of 80 to 100 cm, producing ribbed fruits of a size between 5 and 8 cm. The latter have a weight varying from 50 to 100 g and are distinguished by their bright orange colour.

Reproducible seeds harvested exclusively in the Pot'à'Jo garden, a horticultural and permaculture market garden of 1500m². Everything is cultivated there with deep respect for nature and their inhabitants. I have been growing my own seeds from seed to seed for years.