Eggplant, Heirloom (Black Beauty)

Lake Valley Black Beauty Heirloom Eggplant Seeds

A beautiful vegetable with lovely lavender blossoms pretty enough to grow in the flower garden. 'Black Beauty' has set the standard since 1902 for large, high-quality fruit. Outstanding when harvested at their peak, the skin is tender, so no need to peel it. A widely used international food; there are countless recipes from Italy to China to Russia and beyond. This packet yields approximately 40 plants when started indoors.

Sowing Information:

• When to Sow Outside: Not recommended. 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date, when soil temperature is at least 70°F, ideally 80°F-90°F, and when outside night air temperature is above 60°F.
• When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 10 to 12 weeks before your average last frost date. Transplant outdoors 1 to 2 weeks after last frost, when soil temperature is at least 60°F, and outside night air temperature is above 60°F.
• Seed Depth: 1/4 inch
• Seed Spacing: Start indoors
• Thinning: Start indoors; plant 18" apart outside
• Days to Germinate: 10-20 days
• Days to Maturity: 75-80 days from transplanting

Growing Notes:

• Harvesting: Hard-shelled gourds should remain in the garden as long as there is any life left in the vines. Some gourd growers leave gourds in the garden during the winter, which adds to their characteristics for craft projects. Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut the stem leading to the gourd, leaving 1–3 inches of stem for a handle.
• Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
• Variety Information: Light green gourds have a 10–12 inch diameter, round base with a narrower neck. Turns tan when dried.