Vieja,

Congratulations on your eggplant success! I tend to try to pick mine BEFORE the shine is gone. But I still used them if they are a little bit wimpy. The longer they sit in the fridge, the more brown, wrinkled and pitted looking they will get. If it's more brown than purple, I throw them away. Also, if you cut into them, and the flesh or the seeds are brown, then it's a little on the old side for tasty use. I'd say mine typically last about a week at max in the fridge. The thing to do is grow more than one plant to always have enough for parm and to give away. You can also try using them in other dishes such as stir-fry. Or you can prepare zuchini slices similar to the way you do eggplant to have enough veg for one casserole, or sub one storeboughe eggplant along with mostly your home grown ones.

I've never gotten a huge eggplant like those in the stores, but then mine have also never been bitter, as store-bought ones can sometimes be.

Enjoy your continued garden success!
Susan

Eggplants can get 4 ~ 5' tall or more under good conditions. They need steady supplies of water, I deep water once or twice a week depending on the rain ( ie .. mulch deep so the soil does not dry out ) I use 36" tomato cages for Eggplants and
peppers.

namfon: Wow, I had no idea eggplants got that tall!! I had wondered plant size plant could produce those huge eggplants found in the grocery ...