Eggplant Harvest and Storage

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Information On How To Harvest And Store An Eggplant

By Becca Badgett
Learning when to harvest eggplants results in the tastiest and most tender of the fruit. Leaving the eggplant harvest too long causes bitter eggplant with a tough skin and large seeds. Learning how to harvest an eggplant correctly comes with practice, but it shouldn’t take long before you’re picking an eggplant like a pro.

Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family and a relative of tomatoes

When to Harvest Eggplants

A member of the nightshade family and a relative of tomatoes, the appearance of the skin can direct you to picking an eggplant. Skin should be glossy and thin. Eggplant harvest may begin when the fruits are developed and small, but growing fruits to full size before harvesting eggplants results in more fruit for usage.

Harvesting eggplants should occur when the inner flesh is cream colored, fruits are firm and before seeds are visible. Learning when to harvest eggplants may require cutting into the fruit to check the color of the flesh and the size of the seeds. Skin color and size of the fruit will also determine when the eggplant harvest should begin.

When you’ve learned how to harvest an eggplant, less cutting into the fruit is necessary. You’ll be able to determine when to begin the eggplant harvest by just looking at the fruit.

Picking an Eggplant

Once you’ve determined that it’s time to start the eggplant harvest, wear gloves and long sleeves, as the eggplant stem has prickles, which can irritate the skin.

When harvesting eggplants, treat the fruit gently, as it bruises easily. Harvesting eggplants includes cutting a short piece of stem above the calyx (cap) attached to the top of the fruit. Use pruners or a sharp knife.

Harvesting eggplants at their prime may take several days to a few weeks in succession, and frequent eggplant harvest promotes heavier yield of the fruit.

Eggplant is prone to chilling injuries, including pitting, surface bronzing, and browning of seeds and pulp tissue

The Best Place to Store Eggplant

The best place to store eggplant is not in the refrigerator, but at room temperature, where it’s likely to last longer.

Keep eggplant in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying. You can place it in a vented bowl, but avoid sealing it in a plastic bag, which can increase decay.

Like cucumbers, eggplant is temperature sensitive — particularly when temps dip below 50°F, which can damage the texture and flavor. And according to UC Davis, when subjected to temperatures below 41°F for an extended period, eggplant is prone to chilling injuries, including pitting, surface bronzing, and browning of seeds and pulp tissue.

Eggplant is also highly sensitive to ethylene, a natural gas that causes certain foods to ripen (and eventually spoil) very quickly. So it’s best to keep eggplant stored separately from bananas, tomatoes, and melons, which are all high ethylene producers.

And if you insist on keeping your eggplant in the fridge, limit it to no more than three days, and use it soon after removal.