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I live in central Texas and this is the second time I have grown eggplant. The first crop I grew last fall produced beautiful good-sized, deep purple, shiny fruit. The second crop (2 plants) that I planted this spring is producing mostly washed-out purple and deep yellow fruit. They look like over-mature eggplants, from the tiniest fruit to the largest fruit. We have had temperatures in the low 100's for the past month. Could it be the temp? Can you tell me what the problem is? Are these OK to eat?
Sounds maybe like a fertility problem. Are you growing these eggplants in the same place you did last year? If so, did you amend the soil before planting? Eggplants are very heavy feeders and if the nutrients were all used up by last year's crop, there may be nothing left for this year's bunch. Water lots of compost in around the base of the plants. It won't help the existing mature fruits, but may help with the ones still forming.
That being said, I also know all about 100s. We had temps in the triple digits here in Dallas for a couple of weeks too. From my experience with that, I've seen when intense heat and sun can "bleach out" or scorch the appearance of plants, usually leaves, but sometimes fruits as well. Usually eggplants like heat, but everything starts to suffer when it gets THAT hot.
You can try eating the fruit - it either won't taste good or it will. Won't hurt you, though.
Where is Nolanville, btw? I'm in Plano, just north of Dallas.
Thanks for your reply. These eggplants are in a different raised bed than last fall. We added more composted soil and fertilizer to this bed before planting it with zucchini, straightneck squash and eggplant. We spread 3-4" of mulch on it. I'll try some fertilizer and see if that helps and I'll try eating some of the fruit.
Nolanville is on highway 190 between Killeen/Fort Hood and Temple.
