Eggplant Yield Estimates
The rule of thumb is to plant one to two eggplants for each person who will eat them. Of course, this will vary with how many children and adults are in your family, or if you plan to sell your eggplants at a roadside stand or farmer’s market. Keep in mind that Italian oval eggplants produce about eight fruits per plant, while Asian eggplants yield from 10 to 15 of the elongated fruits.
Spacing Requirements for the Most Eggplants
When planning your garden, allow your eggplants to have 24 to 30 inches between each plant and space them 3-feet apart. This gives them enough air circulation and sunlight for optimal growth. Overcrowded eggplants can produce fungus and disease from shaded foliage. It also increases the risk of pest infestation.
Pruning Boosts Eggplant Growth
When you’re looking at a bushy, healthy eggplant with large green leaves, it may be difficult to bring yourself to prune the plant. Although the eggplant leaves are healthy, pruning actually increases the eggplant fruits that grow on the plant. All you need are a sharp pair of pruning shears and garden gloves to start pruning. Follow these steps for pruning your eggplants:
- Locate the two primary stems, and avoid cutting them.
- Leave the stem below the primary stems alone, as well.
- Hold the clippers flush against the main stem and prune off the other stems.
- Clip off any suckers that grow from the main stems.
- Trim off any yellow leaves yellow leaves from the base of the plant.
Predicting Next Year’s Eggplant Yield
During the growing season, keep a garden log to help estimate how many eggplants you’ll need to plant next year. By logging how many eggplants your family eats, and the eggplant yield per plant gives you a head start in planning next year’s garden. Keep track of which eggplant variety grew well for you, how the weather influenced growth, and what type of garden conditions you had during the season. Once you analyze your garden log, you have a smart plan for next season’s garden needs.
