Aubergine Violetta Lunga 3 is an organically grown and fairly early, Italian aubergine variety which produces rather thin, dark purple fruits with a green stem. This variety has to be grown indoors in a greenhouse or hothouse, because it needs a lot of warmth and light to produce fruits. The fruits have a very delicious, soft and creamy deliciously flavoured flesh. Harvest the aubergines when they're about 8-10 cm in size and the skin is still very glossy.
Aubergine is a very versatile and healthy vegetable. Aubergine contains, among other things: vitamins B1, B2, B6, B11 and C. And the minerals: sodium, potassium, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and zinc. And lots of dietary fibre, low in fat and carbohydrates and gluten. You can boil, fry, roast, cook in the oven, stir-fry, barbecue, grill, steam, deep-fry and stuff with, for example, minced meat or rice. Aubergine can also be used to make a delicious ratatouille, soup or mixed vegetable dish. Aubergine is very tasty in combination with: olive oil, cheese, onions, parsley, basil, potatoes, oregano, beef, lamb, chicken, minced beef, eggs, goat's cheese, red pepper, pork, coconut, garlic, cayenne pepper, pasta and vegetables such as peppers, lettuce, courgettes, tomatoes, peas and leeks. Non hardy annual.
Indoor sowing: end of February - beginning of April
Germination: 10 - 20 days
Germination temp: 21 - 25°C
Sowing depth: ½ cm
Transplanting when the seedlings are approx. 7½ - 10 cm
Transplanting outdoors: middle of May - beginning of June
Plant spacing: 50 - 75 cm
Planting position: sunny - (heated) Greenhouse
Harvestperiod: May - September
Sow indoors from the end of February in seperate pots filled with moist moist potting soil. Sow per pot 2 seeds about ½ cm deep and cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Put the pots away at 21 - 25 °C. Keep the seeds moist, warm and light. Keep the temperature as even as possible and don't let the temperature drop during the night. Put the seedlings, when they're approx. 7½ - 10 cm in size in larger separate pots. Harden the seedlings of by putting them for about 10 - 14 days outside during the day and putting them back indoors during the night, from the beginning of May. Aubergine heats cold, so put the pots outdoors in a (not) heated greenhouse or glasshouse. You can also grow them on a very sunny, warm, sheltered spot on the southside. Mostly you get lesser fruits on your plants. Keep moist, pest free and give the plants a good support.
To aid the developement of fruits, you should water them regurlarly and add some liquid tomato fertilizer togehter with the water. You can impregnate your aubergines by using an old electric toothbrush. Pick the fruits regurlarly to enhance the growing of new fruits. Harvest the fruits by cutting them with sciccors. You should harvest before the shine disappears on the skin. Keep aubergine outside the fridge on a cool, dark and dry spot. You can keep them fresh for a week this way. You shouldn't keep aubergines in a fridge because they rot from low temperatures. Don't let the temperature drop under 16 °C. You can freeze aubergines.
