Japanese Pickling Eggplant, Heirloom Seeds

Grow long, glossy purple eggplants with mild, gently sweet flavor and creamy-white flesh. Japanese Pickling is an open-pollinated heirloom with slender, slightly curved fruit that brings color to the garden and versatility to the kitchen. Pick young fruit for your favorite pickling recipe, or slice a fresh harvest into a quick stir-fry, grill it, or roast until tender.

Why Grow Japanese Pickling?

• Long, elegant fruit: Purple eggplants can reach 10–16 inches long and about 2 inches wide. Harvest size varies with conditions and your preferred use.
• Mild, meaty flesh: Creamy-white interiors cook to a tender texture. Harvest young for best eating quality rather than relying on a promise of zero bitterness.
• More than a pickling variety: Equally useful for grilling, stir-frying, and roasting.
• Flexible garden placement: Grow in a sunny raised bed or a suitably large container with drainage and consistent care.
• Open-pollinated heirloom: A traditional Japanese variety for gardeners who enjoy growing and saving heirloom seed.

Growing Notes

Start indoors 8–10 weeks before your last expected frost. Transplant outdoors after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed. Choose full sun, fertile soil, and consistent moisture. Space plants 18–24 inches apart, or allow 1 plant per 4 sq ft in a raised bed. Stake as needed to support the long fruit.

Allow approximately 65–90 days from transplant as a planning range, depending on warmth, growing conditions, and harvest size. Harvest while the skin is glossy and the fruit is still tender, cutting the stem rather than pulling. Pick smaller fruit for tender texture; there is no need to wait for every eggplant to reach its maximum length.

Harvest Details

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC.