Eggplant Black Prince: variety description, photo, cultivation, reviews

"Black Prince" is one of the best representatives of the eggplant family. This is a relatively new variety that has already conquered many gardeners with the beauty and taste of its fruits. Let's find out what else is attractive about this variety and what are the features of its cultivation.

The Black Prince has good taste

Eggplant Black Prince

The Black Prince has an excellent presentation

Description and characteristics of the variety

“Black Prince” is considered an elite variety among eggplants. It attracts gardeners with large fruits and compact bushes.

Brief botanical description:

Bushes. Medium height, semi-spreading crown. The height of the bushes is 60-80 cm. The stem is slightly pubescent, the color is initially green, and when the fruits ripen - dark purple. The leaves are medium-sized, fleecy, light green, with corrugated edges.
Fruit. Shape: cylindrical or pear-shaped. The color at technical ripeness is deep purple, at biological ripeness it is violet-black. Length – 20 cm, diameter – 8-12 cm. Glossy skin. The pulp is dense, beige in color. The flower calyx has no thorns.

Characteristics of the variety “Black Prince”:

Characteristics/parameters	Description/meaning
Ripening time	Mid-early. Ripening occurs 105-110 days after planting.
Productivity	6-8 kg per 1 sq. m
Fruit weight, g	150-250 g
Keeping quality	High
Transportability	High
Number of seeds	Average
Taste	Pleasant, with a slight bitterness
Resistance to diseases and pests	The variety has high immunity. The main enemy is the larva of the Colorado potato beetle, and in case of high humidity - aphids.

The variety is universal and suitable for any purpose. It is grown for both domestic and industrial use.

Area of use of the “Black Prince”:

Commerce. The variety is ideal for growing for sale.
Cooking. The fruits make delicious dishes - hot and cold.
Public catering. Used in restaurants to prepare oriental dishes.
Food industry Caviar is prepared on an industrial scale.

Eggplant Black Prince: external signs

“Black Prince” has become one of the most popular varieties from the entire variety of choices. This variety of eggplant is elite in its own way. The fruits of this crop are distinguished by their external characteristics. Vegetables grow large, and the plant will decorate the garden plot with its presence. By the way, some may not know that eggplants are popularly called “Armenian cucumbers.” The Black Prince eggplant bushes reach a length of up to eighty centimeters. The foliage is quite lush and spreading. Not only the fruits of the “Black Prince” have a characteristic color. The stems and shoots of the plant, covered with foliage, are dark in color. As noted earlier, eggplants of this variety are distinguished by their large size and appearance. The first thing that catches your eye is the rich purple color of the fruit and its incredible glossy shine. Also, this variety is characterized by a high degree of productivity. “Black Prince” eggplants reach 200 grams in weight. The shape of the fruit resembles a slightly elongated pear and reaches a length of twenty centimeters. Inside, the vegetable consists of slightly yellowish pulp. The taste of such fruits is soft and delicate. One of the main criteria for attractiveness is the absence of a bitter aftertaste.

Advantages and disadvantages

It’s not for nothing that the “Black Prince” variety is popular among gardeners - it has many advantages and virtually no disadvantages.

Pros:

high and stable yields;
good keeping quality and transportability;
excellent presentation;
excellent taste;
undemanding to soil composition;
high immunity to late blight and powdery mildew;
universal use;
the low height allows the variety to be grown under small shelters;
fruiting extended over time - ovaries appear throughout the entire growing season;
Possibility of growing in open and closed ground.

The variety has no definite disadvantages, except that it is demanding on lighting and grows poorly even in slight shading.

Eggplant Black Prince description of the variety: rules for harvesting, harvesting

The uniform, rich color of the fruit with a glossy sheen will tell you that it’s time to harvest. In terms of time, vegetables ripen to this extent in about a month. You should not collect all the fruits at once, hoping for simultaneous ripening. If you miss the right moment to harvest, vegetables acquire a characteristic bitter taste. The fruits must be cut along with the stem at a distance of a few two centimeters from the fruit. Vegetables must be stored in a cool place away from direct daylight. If it is necessary to extend the shelf life of eggplants as much as possible, they are placed in a plastic bag or container. So, as you can see from the article, the process of growing the “Black Prince” is not that complicated. Eggplants from your garden will be tastier and healthier than store-bought vegetables of unknown origin. Try growing this amazing variety in your garden. It is most adapted to our climatic conditions and does not require special labor-intensive care. The reward for your efforts will be a surprisingly tasty and healthy harvest! Summer residents who have already grown this crop on their plot share positive reviews. Most of them plan to grow this particular variety in the future. “Black Prince” does not require labor-intensive care, and the fruits of this variety have amazing taste and nutritional qualities. If you have not yet decided on the choice of variety, we recommend trying this option. Have a rich harvest!

Eggplant Black Prince - one of the best varieties

Features of planting seedlings

The seedling method of cultivation allows you to obtain earlier harvests than when sowing seeds in open ground. To grow high-quality eggplant seedlings, it is important to properly prepare the seed material, soil, containers, and provide the seedlings with proper care.

Timing for sowing seeds for seedlings

When determining the timing of sowing seeds for seedlings, it is necessary to take into account the planting location. Seedlings are transplanted into open ground 2-3 weeks later than into a greenhouse.

The Black Prince seedlings are ready for planting 65-70 days after sowing.

Optimal timing for sowing seedlings:

for a greenhouse - mid-February;
for open ground - mid-March.

The exact landing dates depend on specific weather conditions. Plants should not be planted until consistently warm weather arrives.

Soil preparation

The soil for seedlings is prepared 2 weeks before sowing. But it is easier to buy a ready-made substrate - it is ready for use, does not need processing, and most importantly, the seedlings do not have to be fed - it contains all the necessary elements for growth and development.

How to prepare the soil mixture yourself:

Mix peat or humus, as well as sand and garden soil in equal parts.
Disinfect the mixture with Aktara, Grom or another disinfectant.
Add wood ash to adjust soil acidity. For 1 bucket of soil mixture – 1 cup of ash.

Signs of a good soil mixture:

light and loose;
the presence of all necessary macro- and microelements;
ability to absorb and retain water well;
neutral acidity;
absence of weed seeds, toxins and fungi;
no signs of rotting.

How to choose a container?

Seedlings can be grown in different containers. The main thing is to make a choice between separate or shared containers. If you plant the seeds in individual cups, then they will not need picking, but if in containers or boxes, then at the cotyledon leaf stage the seedlings will have to be transplanted - this process is called picking by gardeners.

Options for containers for seedlings:

Plastic containers. In them, seedlings are sown in rows and then planted. You can also use wooden boxes. The optimal height is 8-10 cm. Drainage holes are required. The advantage of this solution is its compactness and the ability to quickly move seedlings from place to place. The downside is the need for thinning and picking.
Individual plastic glasses. They take up little space, are cheap and can be reused many times. They have drainage holes. One plant grows in each glass - from sowing to planting. There is no need to pick up seedlings planted in cups - this is a plus, since eggplant seedlings do not tolerate transplantation well. The disadvantage of glasses is that the soil dries out quickly and the walls are thin; the height of the containers may not be enough for the normal development of the roots of the seedlings.
Peat pots. They are made from pressed peat with added nutrients.
Plus - there is no need to dive, and planting is done together with the pot, which ensures high survival rate of plants. Disadvantage: high cost and one-time use. You can also use peat tablets. But the volume of tablets for seedlings is small, so as they grow they have to be moved to larger containers.

How to prepare seeds?

Seeds purchased in a store do not need to be processed before planting - they are already treated and disinfected. If the seeds are obtained independently, they must be checked for germination and disinfected.

Seed treatment procedure:

Soak. Immerse the seed in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour.
Stimulation. Remove the seeds from the potassium permanganate and rinse the seeds with water. Water temperature is room temperature. Place the seeds in the stimulator for a couple of hours. For example, in a solution of Energen or Zircon.
Hardening. Remove the seeds from the stimulator and dry them; there is no need to rinse them. Pour the seeds into a bag moistened with water and place in the refrigerator. Keep it on the bottom shelf for 2 days. Then remove and place in a warm place (+25...+30 °C) for one day. Then return it to the refrigerator for two days.

Plant seeds that have passed all stages of processing into prepared containers.

How to sow seeds?

The peculiarities of sowing depend on the chosen container - 1-2 seeds are planted in glasses, and they are sown in rows in large boxes.

How to sow eggplant seeds:

Compact the soil with which the planting containers are filled. The thickness of the soil layer should be 6-8 cm.
Make grooves in the containers and pour warm water over them. The distance between adjacent rows is 5-6 cm.
Place the seeds at intervals of 2 cm. The planting depth should be 1-1.5 cm, no more. If sowing is done in separate glasses or peat tablets, place the seed in the center and bury it.
Fill the furrows with soil, compact and cover with transparent film. Instead of film, you can use glass. The optimal temperature for the growth of eggplant seedlings is from +25 to +30 °C.

Seedling care

When shoots appear, the film or glass cover is removed. Crops are moved closer to the light. To grow strong seedlings, it is necessary to provide them with favorable conditions.

Seedling care:

Temperature. When the shoots appear, lower the temperature slightly - to +15...+20 °C. Cover the seedlings with black film at night.
Watering. For irrigation, use only warm water (+25…+28 °C). In the first days of the growing season, seedlings can be watered by spraying so as not to wash out the soil. In the future, water the seedlings only at the root, do not allow water to get on the leaves. Watering frequency is approximately once a week. Focus on the condition of the soil - do not allow it to dry out. If necessary, increase the frequency of watering.
Picking. If the seedlings are planted in common containers, at the cotyledon stage, transplant them into separate containers. Seedlings must be transplanted into soil that has the same composition as the soil in which they grew. Replant seedlings carefully so as not to damage the roots.
Feeding. Apply fertilizers at the same time as watering. Fertilize the plantings for the first time a week after picking, and then once every 7-10 days. Apply fertilizers according to dosages. The best eggplant dressings:
ammonium nitrate;
potassium chloride.
Hardening. Before planting seedlings in the ground, harden them for 10-14 days. During this period, reduce the number of waterings and increase ventilation by opening the windows for several hours. Gradually increasing the duration of ventilation, bring it to one day.

A week before transplanting, treat the seedlings with a 0.5% solution of copper sulfate.

Preparatory work

Summer residents who have dealt with eggplants more than once know that it is better to purchase high-quality seed material from a reliable supplier. Seeds collected independently may not yield the expected harvest. It is necessary to carry out several preparatory measures with the seeds. First of all, disinfect them by soaking them in a solution of potassium permanganate for about half an hour. After this, it is necessary to rinse the seed with clean water. Next, you need to saturate the seeds with nutrients. To do this, they are wrapped in gauze bags and soaked in a special solution for two days. To prepare this solution, use nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer diluted with water. Sometimes ash is used instead of fertilizer. Thanks to this preparatory measure, the seeds of the “Black Prince” will germinate much faster. After two days, the bags are taken out and placed on a flat, dry surface. In this form, the seeds are left for another two days at a temperature of about thirty degrees. After this, you can plant the seeds.

Transplanting seedlings

When planting eggplants, two factors are taken into account - the age of the seedlings and weather conditions. It is impossible to overexpose seedlings, but it is also unacceptable to plant them ahead of time until the temperature has stabilized.

Optimal timing

Eggplants are heat-loving, and the Black Prince variety is no exception. Its seedlings are planted no earlier than the beginning of June, when the threat of night frosts has completely disappeared.

Conditions for transplantation:

Air temperature. Daytime temperatures have settled at +20…+25 °C, and night temperatures do not fall below +15 °C.
Soil temperature. At a depth of 15-20 cm, the soil warmed up to +15 °C.
Seedling. The height of the seedlings is 20-25 cm. Age is 50-60 days. The root system is well developed, the number of leaves is 6-8 pieces.

Site selection and soil preparation

In order for eggplants to grow and bear fruit well, it is necessary to choose the right site and prepare the soil for planting.

Site requirements:

Good lighting. Eggplants love sunny areas.
Protection from winds and drafts.
Places with high groundwater levels, lowlands in which water accumulates, and wetlands are not suitable.
You cannot plant eggplants after nightshade crops. You should also not grow them next to fennel and garlic. Favorable predecessors are cucumbers, pumpkin, cabbage, onions, and legumes.

In one place, eggplants are planted at intervals of 2-3 years.

Beds for planting eggplant seedlings are prepared in the fall. If this fails, the event will be postponed until the spring. But you need to prepare the soil at least 2-3 weeks before planting the seedlings.

When digging, add manure or humus. If the earth is dug up in the fall, then you can take fresh manure; in the spring, only rotted manure. For 1 sq. m, add 4-5 kg of organic fertilizer and 300 g of wood ash.

You can also add mineral fertilizers to the soil - 20 g of superphosphate or potassium chloride per 1 square meter. m.

Planting seedlings in a permanent place

A couple of hours before transplanting, water the seedlings to make them easier to remove from the containers. Transplant in the morning or evening, in dry weather.

How to transplant seedlings:

Prepare seedlings for seedlings. Eggplants can be planted in parallel rows or in a checkerboard pattern. The distance between rows is 50-60 cm, between neighboring plants – 35-40 cm. The depth of holes and furrows is 15 cm.
Water the planting holes or rows with warm water.
When the water is absorbed, transplant the seedlings into the holes. Move them very carefully, along with a lump of soil, being careful not to damage the roots. Place the seedlings so that there is 4-5 cm from the lower leaves of the seedlings to the soil.
Cover the roots with soil and gently compact it with your hands. Water the plantings again and sprinkle with mulch - peat, humus, sawdust.

How to care for a plant

The Black Prince cannot stand proximity to potatoes, peppers and tomatoes. It is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the bushes and fertilize them on time and correctly.

Watering, weeding and loosening

After planting, the bushes must be watered every three days. After 14 days, the number of waterings is reduced to once a week. Warm water is required. A small depression is made around the plant. This helps more water reach the roots. Then the plant is regularly weeded and loosened in a timely manner.

If the soil under the seedling dries out quickly, then the amount of watering is increased.

It is recommended to loosen the soil around the trunk every day after watering, when the water is completely absorbed. Watering is carried out in the early morning hours or in the evening.

Top dressing

It is necessary to fertilize the plant correctly and on time. The first is carried out immediately after the dive. Then - every week.

The best fertilizers for the Black Prince:

potassium chloride;
ammonium nitrate;
superphosphate.

Manufacturer's recommendations are strictly followed during the process. Before transplanting into the ground, fertilize with humus. Some gardeners prefer to feed bushes in combination with fertilizers, diluted horse manure and wood ash.

Bush formation

To increase crop productivity, it is necessary to properly form the bush. For abundant fruiting, three stems are left, over which a wire is pulled, to which each stem is tied. Remove excess shoots only when their length is 5 centimeters.

As the bush grows, it is necessary to constantly remove leaves that shade the flowers. The fruits set when the inflorescences are exposed to direct sunlight.

Outdoor care

In the first days after transplantation, the seedlings cannot be fed or watered; they must first take root. In the future, the “Black Prince” will need standard care - watering, fertilizing, loosening and other measures.

Watering and fertilizing

“Black Prince” is highly sensitive to watering, so you should be very careful about it.

Irrigation principles:

Use only heated water. It is poured into large containers - for example, into an old bathtub or barrel, where it is heated by the sun.
The best way to water is in a hole made around the perimeter of the plant.
It is better to water eggplants in the evenings, when the heat subsides.
The approximate watering rate is 1 liter of water per bush. Frequency – once every 3-4 days.

Features of feeding eggplants:

Fertilizers are applied 3-4 times during the growing season.
The first time fertilizing is applied 3 weeks after planting. 1 liter of humus or mullein solution is poured under each bush. This or that organic fertilizer is diluted in a bucket of water - 2 and 1 kg, respectively.
Two weeks later, a second fertilizing is applied - a superphosphate solution. 20 mg of fertilizer is dissolved in 10 liters of water. Watering rate is 1 liter per bush.
At the stage of fruit formation, organic matter is added again, as during the first feeding.
After two weeks, water the plantings with a solution of fresh mullein diluted with water 1:10.

Soil care

Loosening and weeding when growing eggplants are mandatory activities.

Soil care rules:

The soil is loosened after each moistening - watering or rain - to prevent the formation of a surface crust.
In parallel with loosening, weeding is carried out.
After loosening the soil, mulch with mown grass or sawdust.

Diseases and pests

The variety has good immunity. “Black Prince” practically does not suffer from late blight, phytoplasmosis and tobacco mosaic.

Diseases and pests:

Blackleg. To prevent this dangerous disease, it is necessary to properly water and loosen the plantings. Over-watering should not be allowed.
Gray rot. Crop rotation, soil disinfection, and removal of plant debris can help prevent disease. They are treated by spraying the bushes with Fitosporin or Trichodermin.
Colorado beetle. This is the main enemy of eggplants. Its larvae are capable of destroying all plants in a matter of days. Ways to fight:
dusting bushes with sifted ash - 10 kg are spent per 1 hectare;
spraying with “Fitoverm” (per 1 liter of water – 1 ml) or “Akarin” (per 1 liter of water – 2 ml);
Aphid. This insect sucks juices from plants, reducing productivity and even leading to death. You can fight aphids in different ways:
sprayed with a soap-ash solution, garlic, onion or tobacco decoction;
treated with Fitoverm, Aktara, Iskra, etc.

Disease and pest control

Regularly carry out pest control. The bushes are inspected for insects every day. You can treat with chemicals before the first ovaries appear. Next, remove only with your hands.

Pests:

spider mite;
aphid;
Colorado beetle;
thrips.

A fine mesh stretched around the bushes will help protect the bushes from attacks by the Colorado potato beetle.

The variety is immune to the virus:

tobacco mosaic;
cucumber mosaic.

Tolerant to all other possible diseases.

Harvest and storage

The peculiarity of eggplants is their extended fruiting period. But in order for it not to be interrupted, it is necessary to regularly collect the fruits, which ripen alternately.

Rules for collecting eggplants:

The fruits begin to ripen in mid-July.
The maturity of the fruits is determined by their appearance - they become glossy, dark purple, and reach the length characteristic of the “Black Prince”. Ripe eggplants are elastic to the touch, the seeds are small and there are few of them.
Overripe fruits become hard, difficult to cut, and most importantly, their taste deteriorates - bitterness appears in it.
The eggplants are not picked, but carefully cut using scissors or pruners. When cutting, a part of the “tail” is left, approximately 2 cm long.

How to store eggplants:

The storage area should be dry and cool. The optimal temperature is from +4 to +6 °C.
To keep the fruits longer, they are placed in plastic bags.

Typically, eggplants retain their marketability and taste for no more than a month. But if you create favorable conditions for them and remove spoiled specimens in a timely manner, the storage time can be doubled.

Eggplant Black Prince: general information about the variety

And so, we talked about the distinctive features of the “Black Prince”: its bright color and unusual shape. The ripening period for vegetables is about four months. This is an annual crop, and based on the results of the season, you can draw conclusions about growing this variety. “Black Prince” produces an incredible variety of inflorescences, and what’s most surprising is that almost every one of them will be replaced by a fruit. Another interesting fact about eggplants. In addition to representatives with the traditional bright purple color, there are varieties whose fruits ripen black, brown and even white.

Health benefits of eggplant

Fresh black prince berries contain about 90% water, small amounts of protein and fat, and only 25% sugar.
Important elements for health: magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium.
It contains a lot of vitamins A and C and B vitamins (Vitamin B1 - strengthens the nervous system. Vitamin B2 strengthens the skin and hair, folic acid has a beneficial effect on the condition of red blood cells.
100 grams of eggplant contains only 22 kcal.
Eggplant has a large amount of soluble fiber and thus cleanses the body of “bad” cholesterol, thereby preventing the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
Improves metabolism.
Has a beneficial effect on bones.
Contains compounds that have the ability to neutralize free radicals, which protect against tumors and increase the body's overall resistance to infections.
Eggplants should not be eaten raw or unripe due to the presence of solanine (a toxic substance). The substance can cause serious poisoning, but after heat treatment, solanine ceases to be harmful.
Eggplants are difficult to digest despite their low calorie content. Not recommended for pregnant women and children. It is recommended to limit consumption to persons with liver, kidney and pancreas diseases.
It has an amazing property: it helps digest fatty meat.

Read also: Daikon Sasha: description and characteristics of the variety, planting and care with photos

"Black Prince" on the menu

Wash two or three medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into 3 parts, remove bitterness. Wipe with a napkin. Pour 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil into a frying pan and brown on both sides. Pour 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil into a heat-resistant bowl, add eggplants, 600 g of tomatoes cut into slices, 200 g of grated feta cheese, sprinkle everything with oregano or herbes de Provence, parsley, basil.

Eggplant casserole

Alternate layers. The last layer should be eggplant. Cover it with sliced cheddar cheese (150 g). Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Fry until a delicious crust forms. Sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Selecting a variety for eggplant beds

Before buying seedlings or seeds for sowing, you need to decide for yourself important points on which agricultural technology and the result in the garden beds depend. The personal preferences of the gardener are no less important when choosing planting material

It is worth paying attention to the following varietal characteristics:

growing conditions - greenhouse or open ground;
productivity;
fruit weight, color and shape;
pulp structure, number of seeds in the middle;
duration of fruiting.

Modern developments in breeding have greatly diversified the assortment of eggplants: there are cultivars with different shades of skin, large-fruited ones - up to 3 kg, decorative varieties for growing in pots

A wide selection of varieties and hybrids is a paradise for gourmets, but the classics are always ahead. For example, in our family we are used to the fact that eggplants are purple-blue vegetables, so traditional blue eggplants are more in demand on the grill, in stews or savory appetizers. White and striped ones lose their beauty during heat treatment; sometimes it is difficult to determine that it is an eggplant. I grow rare varieties and hybrids with unusual colors to decorate beds and use the harvest as a gift for relatives and friends - eggplants delight and delight. It is also difficult to find seedlings of such unusual rarities on the market - our people prefer the classics and are not yet accustomed to white, green and pink eggplants.

Preparing the soil for planting eggplant

Since eggplants are grown using seedlings, it is necessary to first prepare the soil for planting seeds.

Loose and nutritious soil is the key to rapid germination of seeds. You can buy it at flower shops or make it yourself. To do this, you need to mix humus, sawdust and peat. Before adding sawdust, they must be scalded twice with boiling water to remove tarry substances.

Soil for seedlings

You can also take the soil directly from the garden.

The land where tomatoes, peppers and potatoes were grown is not suitable for planting eggplant seeds. The best predecessors are cucumbers and cabbage.

How to choose a variety based on ripening time?

Late varieties of eggplant are often planted in greenhouses, while early varieties are planted in open ground. The climate also plays a big role when choosing seeds, because the colder it is, the earlier the eggplants should ripen.

Eggplant varieties by ripening period

Early varieties produce a harvest very early, harvesting takes place after a maximum of 100 days. Thanks to this, you don’t have to wait most of the summer to enjoy your favorite vegetable. These include: “Vakula”, “Galina F1”, “Nadir”, “Negus”, “Maria”, “Lilac Fog”, “Alekseevsky”.
Mid-season varieties ripen in 105-135 days on average. This category includes “Swan”, “Comet”, “Surprise”, “Albatross”.
Late varieties of eggplants ripen no earlier than 140 days or more. Their advantage is their rich taste and pleasant aroma. Late varieties include “Bull’s forehead”, “Black handsome”, “Mishutka”.