{"product_id":"eggplant-seeds-little-finger","title":"Little Finger Eggplant (Solanum melongena) Seeds – Open-Pollinated Japanese-Style Mini Eggplant, Sweet Mild Tender Flesh, Great for Containers","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e30+ Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eJapanese-Style Mini Fruit, Made for Pots\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eFull-size eggplants take up room, take their time, and ask a lot of the cook. Little Finger Eggplant skips all of that. It's an open-pollinated Japanese-style variety that sets slender, glossy purple-black fruit in clusters, picked at just a few inches long while the flesh is sweet, mild, and tender. The plants stay compact enough for a big pot on the patio, and they start producing earlier than many eggplants, making this one of the most forgiving ways to grow eggplant at home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho Grows Little Finger Eggplant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe container gardener wanting a compact eggplant that thrives in a pot.\u003cbr\u003eThe home cook wanting small, tender fruit that cooks quickly without peeling.\u003cbr\u003eThe short-season gardener wanting an early, productive eggplant.\u003cbr\u003eThe seed saver wanting an open-pollinated variety that breeds true.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat This Japanese-Style Mini Eggplant Actually Is\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eSolanum melongena\u003c\/em\u003e 'Little Finger' is an open-pollinated, Japanese-style eggplant that produces slender, finger-shaped fruit, typically 3 to 5 inches long, with glossy, deep purple-black skin. Fruit grows in clusters of several at a time, and the flesh is sweet, mild, and tender, with a thin skin and few seeds, so no peeling or salting is needed. Plants stay compact and bushy, usually 2 to 3 feet tall, and bear heavily over a long season when picked often. Its quick maturity and small size make it well suited to containers and short-season gardens. As an open-pollinated variety, it breeds true from saved seed. Grown as a warm-season annual, tender perennial in the warmest climates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the Garden \u0026amp; Kitchen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrilling:\u003c\/strong\u003e Halve lengthwise and grill for a quick, smoky side dish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStir-fries:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slice and stir-fry in minutes without peeling or salting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRoasting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Roast whole or halved with olive oil and garlic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContainer growing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grow in a large pot on a patio, balcony, or deck.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSmall-space gardening:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fit a productive plant into a compact bed or raised bed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeed saving:\u003c\/strong\u003e Save seed from open-pollinated fruit to grow the same variety year after year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing Little Finger Eggplant Seeds\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStart method:\u003c\/strong\u003e Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost; eggplant needs a long, warm season.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGermination:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sprouts in 7 to 14 days with steady warmth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil temperature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Germinates best between 80 and 90°F.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTransplanting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Move outdoors after frost danger has passed and nights stay above 55°F.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart; use a 5-gallon or larger container.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSunlight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun; eggplant thrives in heat.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rich, well-drained soil with good fertility supports the heaviest fruit set.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatering:\u003c\/strong\u003e Consistent, even moisture; avoid letting plants dry out during fruiting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupport:\u003c\/strong\u003e Stake or cage plants heavy with fruit clusters.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Typically ready for harvest in roughly 60 to 70 days from transplant.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pick fruit at 3 to 4 inches while the skin is glossy and the flesh tender.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePests:\u003c\/strong\u003e Use row cover early in the season to protect seedlings from flea beetles.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore You Close This Page\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is the eggplant for gardeners and cooks who want the flavor without the fuss, slender purple-black fingers in clusters on a compact plant that thrives in a pot. Little Finger Eggplant is open-pollinated, early, and productive, with tender, mild flesh that cooks in minutes and never needs peeling. Start it warm, give it sun, and pick the fruit young and often. Grow the eggplant that proves small can be plenty.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"terramatergardens","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54627700998462,"sku":"11681","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/8836\/7166\/files\/Untitleddesign-1539.png?v=1793388854","url":"https:\/\/www.terramatergardens.com\/products\/eggplant-seeds-little-finger","provider":"Terra Mater Gardens","version":"1.0","type":"link"}