Traditional Orange Turkish Eggplant

10 Seeds

Traditional Orange Turkish Eggplant, often known as Turkish Orange Eggplant, is a unique heirloom variety that produces small to medium-sized, round fruits that ripen from green with dark stripes to a vibrant orange-red. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor when harvested young, while fully mature fruits are often used in traditional cooking or as ornamental decorations. This heat-loving plant grows vigorously and performs very well in the Gulf region during the cooler growing season. It is suitable for gardens, raised beds, large containers, greenhouses, and hydroponic systems.

Best Planting Time

• August to October (recommended)
• January to February (for greenhouse cultivation)
• Avoid outdoor planting when daytime temperatures consistently exceed 40°C.

Seed Preparation

• Soak seeds in warm water (28–30°C) for 6–8 hours before sowing (optional).
• No cold stratification is required.

Soil Preparation

Use fertile, loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter.

Recommended mix:

• 40% Coco peat
• 30% Compost
• 20% Garden soil
• 10% Perlite

Ideal soil pH

• 5.8–6.8

Sowing Method

• Sow seeds in seed trays or nursery pots.
• Plant seeds 0.5–1 cm deep.
• Cover lightly with fine soil or vermiculite.
• Keep the growing medium consistently moist until germination.

Temperature & Light

• Ideal germination temperature: 25–30°C
• Ideal growing temperature: 22–32°C
• Requires 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
• During extremely hot Gulf afternoons, provide 30–40% shade cloth if necessary.

Watering

• Keep the soil evenly moist during germination.
• Water deeply whenever the top 2–3 cm of soil becomes dry.
• Avoid waterlogging to prevent root diseases.

Germination Time

• 7–14 days

Transplanting

• Transplant seedlings when they have:
  • 4–6 true leaves
  • Height of 15–20 cm
• Space plants:
  • 50–60 cm apart
• Space rows:
  • 75–90 cm apart

Harvesting

• Harvest begins:
  • 75–90 days after transplanting
• Harvest fruits while they are:
  • Green with orange stripes for the mildest flavor.
  • Bright orange-red when fully ripe for ornamental use or seed saving.
• Regular harvesting encourages continued flowering and fruit production.

Gulf Climate Tips

• Plant during August to October for the highest yields.
• Apply organic mulch to conserve moisture and keep the root zone cool.
• Fertilize every 2 weeks with a balanced fertilizer during vegetative growth, then switch to one higher in potassium during flowering and fruiting.
• Support heavily loaded branches with stakes if necessary.
• Traditional Orange Turkish Eggplant performs exceptionally well in greenhouses, raised beds, containers, hydroponic systems, and home gardens.