White eggplant Longue de Dourga ORGANIC - Solanum melongena

Long ivory-colored fruits – an elegant alternative to purple eggplants. Longue de Dourga is an eggplant variety with elongated, creamy-white fruits. The plants grow to 50–100 cm tall and, according to the producer, are highly productive and disease-resistant. The white fruits look unusual at the market stall and on the plate, and in the kitchen we use them just like classic eggplants.

At a glance

• Growth habit: bushy, 50–100 cm
• Fruits: long, creamy white, ivory-colored
• Sowing under cover: March (in a warm room from late February)
• Transplanting: after May 15–20, preferably into a greenhouse or polytunnel
• Harvest: July–October
• Position: warm, sunny, sheltered
• Difficulty: moderate
• Seeds per packet: 30

What makes this variety special

This variety’s main advantages are its high productivity and healthy plants – Semailles describes it as disease-resistant and very productive. The long, slender fruits are easy to cut into even slices lengthwise or crosswise, making them ideal for grilling and roasting.

Like all eggplants, Longue de Dourga needs plenty of warmth from sowing through to harvest. In Poland, the most reliable yields come from growing it in a greenhouse or polytunnel; outdoors, plant it only in the warmest, most sheltered spot, for example, against a south-facing wall. Harvest the fruits when they reach full size and their skin is firm and glossy.

Growing step by step

Sowing (March, under cover): Sow the seeds in a light growing medium in pots or plug trays, about 0.5 cm deep; in a warm room, you can start as early as late February. Eggplants only germinate in warm conditions – they need a steady temperature of at least 23–24°C, ideally around 25°C. Seedlings emerge after 10–20 days; if the seeds take a long time to germinate, it is worth raising the temperature slightly.

Pricking out: Transplant seedlings with 3–4 true leaves individually into pots 9–10 cm in diameter, keeping them in a warm, bright place. Water lightly but regularly, and harden off the seedlings before transplanting them outdoors.

Transplanting (after May 15–20): Plant in a greenhouse or polytunnel after May 15, and outdoors only after May 20 or in early June, once nights are warm. Space plants about 50–60 cm apart. The soil should be well-drained and rich in humus – add compost or well-rotted manure before planting.

Care: Water regularly, making sure the soil does not dry out, and try not to wet the leaves. Removing some side shoots and lower leaves improves light exposure for the fruits and encourages a good yield. Harvest fruits as they ripen, cutting them off with a sharp knife together with a piece of the stem – if left on the plant too long, they become bitter. As a preventive measure, practice crop rotation and ensure good airflow.

Uses

Longue de Dourga fruits are suitable for grilling and roasting, frying in slices, bakes and stews such as lecso or curry. The roasted flesh can be made into a spread for bread. Paired with purple varieties, the white fruits look striking in a vegetable basket and on the table.

Gardener’s tip

About the producer

The seeds come from Semailles – a small-scale Belgian producer of organic seeds from the province of Namur in Wallonia. Semailles offers only non-hybrid varieties (no F1), including many traditional and collector’s varieties. Some seeds are propagated in its own fields, and others in cooperation with organic growers in Belgium and France. All batches are certified organic (inspection BE-BIO-01).

Specifications