Looking for an addition to your vegetable garden? Try eggplants, horticulturist says
Aug 16, 2024, 3:00 PM
Most eggplants will do really well in Utah since they like the heat and that’s something Utah has a lot of. (Tammy Kikuchi/KSL NewsRadio)
(Tammy Kikuchi/KSL NewsRadio)
SALT LAKE CITY — Are you looking for something new to plant in your vegetable garden? One expert suggests eggplants.
Sheriden Hansen is a horticulturist who knows a lot about growing eggplants. She joined KSL Greenhouse Host Maria Shilaos in a discussion about what makes them so special.
Although the eggplant is now a regular in Hansen’s garden, it’s not something she grew up planting. In fact, it was something she learned to love later on.
“In the United States, we just really don’t utilize eggplant the way the rest of the world does, so I had to learn it where other people grow up with it. I think that that’s kind of why I was so late to the game,” she said.
It wasn’t until after she grew it that she realized she had to use it in some way. That’s how Hansen started testing out different recipes in the kitchen and learned that eggplants take on flavors really well.
It wasn’t just the taste that won her over, it was also the texture.
Why should you grow eggplants?
There are two main reasons why Hansen recommends growing eggplants. The first is because it’s a beautiful jewel-toned plant. The second is because it helps diversify your diet.
“If you’re somebody who’s trying to be a little more plant-based, it is an excellent vegetable to add to your diet because you can flavor it in so many ways,” she said.
What should you know before planting them?
Hansen said most eggplants will do really well in Utah since they like the heat and that’s something Utah has a lot of.
They are more tender than tomatoes, so she typically plants them a few weeks after planting her tomatoes. That’s when the temperatures at night are at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit but no less than 55.
“I still cover them at night sometimes in the late spring or early summer when I get them planted to make sure that we don’t have a problem with chill in the evening because that chill stresses them and will set them back as far as fruit production,” Hansen said.
Hansen also recommends putting down an all-purpose fertilizer when you plant it so that the roots can grow into it. When it starts to flower and fruit, apply another dose.
KSL Greenhouse is on every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and on our website.
