I wasn’t familiar with this variety but just read that they should be harvested at 4”.

hey look like one of the Japanese varieties. Do yoou know which one?

I've been harvesting when they are about 4-6" long as the seed packet recommends. Sometimes when I harvest them around 4" they are still greenish looking inside so I've been letting some go longer but not past 6". Also, some of them just drop from their steps to the ground.

CA Kate- they are Little Fingers Eggplant.

I've been picking my Shikou at 6" instead of 8" , so I think I might agree with Farmer Dill.... you need to pick sooner. Your area's growing conditins have a lot to do with when a vegetable is ready to pick.

You might be right but some of the fatter 6” ones are perfectly fine. I‘d estimate about half of them were black like that inside regardless of their size. In mid July I had one about 8-9 inches. I just let it grow because I was excited by the size and it was my first eggplant. It was perfectly fine. Could cucumber beetles cause this? I’ve had quite a few in my garden this year. Mainly on my butternut squash.

Eggplant is subject to many diseases, some of which directly attack the fruit. While I have encountered several of them, None exactly fit your description.

Colletotrichum fruit rot Colletotrichum melongenae (Anthracnose) This is the one that hits me most often. Shows up as sunken spots.

Phomopsis fruit rot Phomopsis vexans

Phytophthora blight Phytophthora capsici

I just cut open two more, both the same size, about 4”. One had the black inside, the other didn’t. I’m at a loss.