Eggplant Rosa Bianca di Catania

A lovely vintage Sicilian variety with stunning designer spherical fruit with a creamy white base color and irregular, uneven stripes and blotches of soft lavender coming from above. A unique, eye-pleasing slightly ribbed eggplant 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) in diameter and 5-7 inches (12.5-17.5 cm) long, similar in shape to Listrada di Gandia. One of the tastiest eggplants. Alabaster flesh is dense and firm, but tender, with a creamy texture. Delicate mild taste without bitterness and low-seeded pulp with a delicate mushroom aroma make this variety a favorite for cooking Parmigiana eggplant. Plants grow to 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) tall and spread up to 18 inches (45 cm) and start fruiting 80 days after transplanting. Mid-season. Tolerates summer heat well. ********************************************************************************************************************************************** Instructions Sow indoors, January to April on a warm kitchen windowsill at a temperature of 20-25°C(68-77°F). Sow 0.5cm(1/4in) deep, thinly in a tray or pots of compost, and keep moist. Transplant seedlings to individual pots when large enough to handle. Place in a bright location to grow on in cooler, but not cold conditions. Plant out; one per 30cm(1ft) pot, two plants per grow bag or 60cm(2ft) apart in a greenhouse border. When plants are 30cm(1ft) high, pinch out the main growing tip to encourage branching. Water regularly and feed with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks once the first fruit has set. Provide support with canes if necessary. Plants may be grown outside in a warm, sunny sheltered location. However, outdoor crops will be later and smaller.