Eggplant as a vegetable crop has been grown by man for over the XNUMXth century. The homeland of this healthy and vitamin-rich vegetable is Asian countries, in particular India. Today eggplant is very popular among gardeners. It is rightly called the vegetable of longevity. One of the brightest representatives of the nightshade family is the marathon eggplant.
Description
Eggplant variety “Marathon” refers to the early ripening. The period of full ripening of fruits from the moment of germination is 100-110 days. Seedlings of this variety can be grown both in open ground conditions and in “covering” or “warm” beds. An adult plant is semi-spreading, rather tall.
The fruits, as you can see in the photo, are elongated, cylindrical in shape, painted in a rich dark purple color. The weight of one single fruit during the period of biological maturity is 400-600 grams.
The pulp of a ripe vegetable is white, fleshy, without a bitter taste characteristic of eggplant.
The yield of the variety is high. From one square meter of area, you can collect from 5,2 to 5,7 kilograms of vegetables.
In cooking, this variety of eggplant has a fairly wide application. The fruits of “Marathon” are ideal for preparing caviar, as well as salads, second courses and seamings for the winter.
Cultivation and care
Eggplant seeds “Marathonets” are sown in the soil in the last ten days of February, early March. After the appearance of at least two true leaves on the plant, a pick is made. Under the film, seedlings are planted in mid-May. Landing directly on the garden bed is carried out in the first decade of June. At the end of July, 4-5 largest ovaries are left on the plant, the rest are removed so that they do not interfere with the further growth and development of the fruit.
Caring for eggplant bushes, according to most gardeners, is very simple and consists only in regular watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil and pinching.
You can discover the main secrets of growing eggplant for yourself by watching the video below:
Advantages of the variety
Eggplant “Marathon” has a number of advantages. The most prominent of them include:
- unpretentiousness in care and cultivation;
- good yield;
- excellent taste qualities of fruits, lack of bitterness;
- low calorie content and rich in vitamins A and B, potassium.
It should be remembered that eating fruits that have been on the bush for a long time and have already reached the phase of biological maturity is not worth it, as they accumulate harmful substances that adversely affect digestion and the body as a whole.