Thai Green Round Eggplant ORGANIC - Solanum melongena

Small striped spheres - the eggplant used in Thai curry. This is an old variety from Thailand that produces small, round eggplants about 5 cm in diameter instead of large, elongated fruits. The skin is light green with decorative white stripes, and the flesh is firm and dense. Plants grow 50–100 cm tall and yield best in a greenhouse or polytunnel.

At a glance

• Growth habit: annual, bushy plant, 50–100 cm tall
• Fruit: round, about 5 cm in diameter, light green with white stripes
• Sowing under cover: March to early April, at around 25°C
• Planting out: under cover from mid-May, outdoors after May 20
• Harvest: July to October
• Position: full sun, warm and sheltered
• Difficulty: challenging - a very heat-loving plant
• Seeds per packet: 30

What makes this variety stand out

Round green eggplants are still a rarity in Poland, but they are a staple ingredient in Thai green curry and many stewed dishes. Growing your own means you can enjoy them fresh without having to search in Asian grocery stores.

The flesh is firm and may contain quite a lot of seeds. The fruits become more bitter as they ripen, so it is best to harvest them young, while the skin is still glossy and clearly striped. The variety is also ornamental - plants laden with small striped spheres look lovely in a large pot on the patio.

Growing step by step

Sowing (March to early April): Sow the seeds 3–5 mm deep in light, well-drained growing medium. They need a temperature of around 25°C to germinate, and seedlings emerge after 10–20 days. Keep the growing medium consistently moist but not wet.

Pricking out: Once the first true leaves have developed, transplant the seedlings into individual pots. Grow them in a bright, warm spot - eggplants do not tolerate cold or temperature fluctuations well.

Planting out (mid-May to June): Plant in a greenhouse or polytunnel from mid-May, or outdoors after May 20, once the seedlings have been hardened off. Space plants 60 × 60 cm apart. This variety is also suitable for growing in 15–20-liter pots.

Care: Water moderately and regularly, preferably in the morning and directly at the base of the plant. The soil should be well-drained and fertile. Harvest the fruits regularly - frequent harvesting encourages the plant to set more fruit.

Uses

Small eggplants can be eaten raw - thinly sliced as a crunchy addition to salads and spreads - or cooked. They are traditionally quartered and added to green curry, soups and stir-fries, where they cook quickly while retaining their firmness. They are also delicious pickled or roasted whole.

Gardener's tip

About the producer

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

Specifications