How to Grow Purple Top
Solanum melongena 'Purple Top'
Purple Top eggplant is an heirloom variety prized for its deep purple skin and tender flesh. Gardeners grow it to enjoy a unique flavor profile while supporting traditional breeding methods that often lack modern disease resistance.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Purple Top: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Purple Top is not usually started indoors.
Do not direct sow this crop; instead, start seeds indoors and transplant seedlings outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare warm, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5 before sowing. As a warm-season crop, start seeds indoors only after the last spring frost date when soil temperatures are consistently high. Sow seeds at least two weeks before your intended outdoor transplant date to ensure robust seedlings upon moving them outside.
Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows, as the database spacing is too tight for this species. Provide consistent moisture and apply mulch around the base to retain water and keep roots cool. Feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer to support heavy fruit production throughout the growing season.
Watch for aphids, spider mites, slugs, and fungal issues like powdery mildew or Fusarium wilt. Prevent pests by inspecting leaves often and using organic controls early; improve air circulation to reduce disease risk. Harvest fruits when they reach full size, typically 37 days after transplanting, before the skin becomes tough.
When to Plant Purple Top
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | June – July | August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | May – July | August – September |
| Zone 3 | April | May – June | July – September |
| Zone 4 | March – April | April – June | July – September |
| Zone 5 | March | April – May | July – September |
| Zone 6 | March | April – May | June – August |
| Zone 7 | February – March | March – May | June – August |
| Zone 8 | February | March – April | May – July |
| Zone 9 | January | February – March | April – June |
| Zone 10 | January | January – March | April – June |
| Zone 11 | January | January – February | March – May |
| Zone 12 | January | January – February | March – May |
| Zone 13 | January | January – February | March – May |
Companion Plants for Purple Top
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Fix nitrogen in soil and don't compete for space
Peas fix nitrogen in soil that carrots utilize, while carrots don't compete for space
Repel aphids and improve overall garden pest management
Benefit from nitrogen fixed by peas and can use pea trellises after harvest
Benefits from nitrogen fixed by peas and provides ground cover to retain soil moisture
Deters nematodes and flea beetles that attack eggplant
Repel aphids and other pests that commonly attack pea plants
Deters ants and mice that may eat pea seeds and pods
Acts as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles
Repels spider mites and provides ground cover
Similar growing requirements and pest management needs
Break up compacted soil for pea roots and mature quickly before peas need full space
Cool-season crop that thrives with pea-fixed nitrogen and similar growing conditions
Provides living mulch and utilizes different soil depths
Compatible nightshade family member with similar care needs
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that stunts nightshade family plants
Inhibits growth through allelopathic compounds
May stunt pea growth and interfere with beneficial root bacteria
May stunt eggplant growth and compete for nutrients
Competes heavily for nutrients and can harbor thrips that damage pea plants
Can inhibit pea growth and nitrogen fixation through root secretions
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
