Long Purple eggplant is a popular early-producing heirloom that gives a good yield of narrow, deep purple fruits 8–10 inches long, with mild and delicious white flesh and few seeds. This variety is also known as “Italian-style eggplant” and is frequently used in Italian cuisine like eggplant rolls or caponata, a Sicilian dish consisting of chopped eggplant in an agrodolce sauce. The fruit’s unique shape makes it perfect for uniform slicing.
Start seeds indoors in flats 8–12 weeks before the last frost. Transplant after first true leaves emerge and when daytime temperatures reach 65ºF. Long Purple eggplants can be grown in containers to save space in the garden. Keep soil consistently moist throughout the growing season and separate rows by 18 inches.
Mature eggplants can be harvested in about 70 days when the fruit is 10" long and the skin is still shiny. Overly mature eggplants will have dull skin and taste bitter. To harvest, cut the stem of the eggplant from the central stem with pruners when it is firm and has stopped growing with dark, unblemished, glossy skin.
Allow one of the eggplant fruits to mature towards the end of the season. Once it grows to full size, the skin will become dull and will begin to soften. Harvest the fruit, slice it in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Place seeds in a strainer and rinse with water to remove pulp. Once they’re clean, spread seeds out on newspapers to dry for 7–10 days. Save only the plump, fully mature seeds in a cool, dry area for up to five years.