I have tried, quite unsuccessfully FOR YEARS to grow eggplants. This year to my great excitement — success!
This time, after the other tender annuals had been transplanted to the garden, I left the eggplant sproutlets in Good Neighbour Bill’s greenhouse. I thought more heat, earlier and longer, might prompt some activity in the flower production department, along with an army of honeybees to take care of the pollination management.
That appears to have been the ticket.
I just love the looks of these globes. Misshapen, bulging, purple — how many purple vegetables are out there?
They look so witchy and mysterious.
They remind me of a children’s rhyme, with apologies for recitation in the wrong month.
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate
First one said, “Oh my! It’s getting late!”
Second one said, “There are witches in the air,”
Third one said, “Well, we don’t care!”
Fourth one said, “Get ready for some fun!”
Fifth one said, “Let’s run and run and run!”
Woooo-oooo went the wind
And out went the light
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!
The Country Mice 
They are beautiful. I am especially fond of witchy hat one.
After nature only the copiest.
Who said that?
Mary
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Lovely! i hate to tell you this – but i plunked one in the ground last year, in crappy soil against the fence, on more of a lark than anything – it got poor water there too – and grew a couple long eggplants…. perhaps they like abuse?
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Abuse — or lots of heat.
Think of those Tuscan summers — long, hot and dry. Have you not had record summer heat of late?
Out here, we’ve had record summer coolness the last five years.
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