How to Grow Little Fingers
Solanum melongena 'Little Fingers'
Little Fingers is a compact eggplant variety prized for its manageable size and productive yield in warm climates. Gardeners appreciate its ability to thrive in containers while delivering flavorful fruit that requires minimal support compared to larger cultivars.
📷 Wikipedia: EggplantStarting Little Fingers: indoors or direct sow?
🏠 Start indoors 6 weeks before your last spring frost, then move the seedlings outside.
Transplant seedlings outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed sufficiently for this heat-loving species.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8 before starting seeds indoors. Sow the seeds about one inch deep, as they typically germinate within ten to fourteen days. Since this is a warm-season crop sensitive to cold, start seeds six weeks before your last expected frost date so seedlings are ready for transplanting once outdoor soil warms up.
Space plants twelve to eighteen inches apart in full sun to ensure proper air circulation. Water consistently to maintain high moisture levels, as the roots demand regular hydration. Apply a layer of mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and feed the plant with balanced fertilizer every few weeks during the active growing season.
Watch for flea beetles, aphids, cutworms, and hornworms; use row covers or hand-pick pests early. Monitor for Fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, and early blight by ensuring good drainage and avoiding overhead watering. Harvest the fruit sixty-five to seventy days after planting when the skin is glossy and firm.
When to Plant Little Fingers
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | September – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 11 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January | — | April – June |
Companion Plants for Little Fingers
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids, spider mites, and hornworms while potentially improving eggplant flavor
Fix nitrogen in soil and don't compete for space with compact eggplant variety
Strong insect repellent properties, particularly effective against flea beetles
Repel nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies while attracting beneficial insects
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting eggplant
Repels aphids and provides ground cover while attracting beneficial pollinators
Fellow nightshades with similar care needs, create beneficial microclimate together
Share similar growing requirements and can help confuse pests that target nightshades
✗ Keep away from
Produce juglone toxin that causes wilting and death in nightshade family plants
Heavy feeders that compete for nutrients and may stunt eggplant growth
Produces allelopathic compounds that inhibit growth of most vegetables including eggplant
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
