Green eggplant Thai Long Green ORGANIC - Solanum melongena

A slender green eggplant straight from Thai cuisine. Thai Long Green is an eggplant variety from Thailand that produces long, thin fruits measuring 20–30 cm, with light green skin. The flesh is tender and the flavor mild, with a slight bitterness. Plants grow to 50–100 cm tall and do well in a greenhouse, polytunnel, or large pots.

At a glance

• Growth habit: annual, bushy plant, 50–100 cm tall
• Fruits: long and slender, green, 20–30 cm
• Sowing under cover: March – early April, at approx. 25°C
• Planting out: under cover from mid-May, outdoors after May 20
• Harvest: July – October
• Position: full sun, warm and sheltered; ideally in a greenhouse or polytunnel
• Difficulty: challenging – requires warmth throughout the season
• Seeds per packet: 30

What makes this variety special

Thai Long Green fruits are noticeably longer and thinner than the typical purple eggplants found in Poland. Their slender shape means they cook quickly, and slices or diagonal pieces are evenly thick and do not need to be fried for long.

The tender flesh and mild flavor mean that this variety usually does not need to be salted or soaked beforehand to remove bitterness. The green skin stays thin, so the fruits can be cooked without peeling. It is an interesting choice for anyone looking to expand their vegetable garden with produce used in Asian cuisine.

Growing step by step

Sowing (March – early April): Sow the seeds 3–5 mm deep in a light seed-starting mix. Eggplants need high temperatures – approx. 25°C – so keep the pots in a warm place, preferably on a heat mat. Germination takes 10–20 days, so be patient and keep the growing medium consistently slightly moist.

Pricking out: When the seedlings develop their first pair of true leaves, transplant them individually into pots 8–10 cm in diameter. Keep the seedlings in a bright, warm place, away from drafts and temperature fluctuations.

Planting out (mid-May – June): Plant out in a greenhouse or polytunnel from mid-May, and outdoors only after May 20, when nights are warm. Space plants 60 × 60 cm apart. Harden off the seedlings for a few days before planting out. For container growing, choose pots with a capacity of at least 15–20 liters.

Care: Water moderately but regularly, avoiding both drying out and waterlogging. The soil should be well-drained and rich in humus. Taller plants may need staking, especially when they are setting many fruits. Mulching helps maintain even soil moisture.

Uses

Harvest the fruits when the skin is glossy and the flesh is firm, before the seeds inside harden. Thai Long Green is excellent for stir-frying in a wok, curries, and stews, as well as for grilling and baking in slices. It can be prepared in many ways and works wherever you would use a regular eggplant.

Gardener's tip

About the producer

The seeds come from Semailles – a small-scale Belgian producer of organic seeds from the Namur province of 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