VegetablesEggplant
Solanum melongena
Difficulty: ModerateGrows in pots
Eggplant is a warm-season annual that needs full sun, warm weather and a long season, so many gardeners start with transplants.
How to grow eggplant
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Comparing Eggplant vs. Oakleaf Lettuce vs. Artichoke
The comparison
Eggplant vs. Oakleaf Lettuce vs. Artichoke
| Fact | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Moderate | Easy | Challenging |
| Life cycle | Annual | Not yet verified | Not yet verified |
| Germination time | 8–12 days | 7–10 days | 8–12 days |
| Germination temperature | 21–32 °C70–90 °F | 13–18 °C55–64 °F | 21–26 °C70–79 °F |
| Sowing depth | 1.5 cm½ in | 6 mm–1.5 cm¼–½ in | 6 mm¼ in |
| Spacing between plants | 61 cm2 ft | 10–20 cm4–8 in | 46 cm18 in |
| Days to maturity | 100–120 days from sowing | 50–60 days from sowing | Not yet verified |
| Sun | Full sun | Full sun, partial shade | Full sun |
| Water | Moderate | Moderate | Not yet verified |
| Containers | Yes | Yes, 1.9 L or largerYes, 2 qt or larger | Not yet verified |
| Frost tolerance | Tender (no frost) | Half-hardy (light frost) | Not yet verified |
| Soil pH | pH 5.5–6.8 | pH 6.0–6.7 | pH 6.5–8.0 |
| Links |
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What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.
- Vegetables
- Vegetables
Oakleaf Lettuce
Lactuca sativa var. crispa
Difficulty: EasyGrows in potsOakleaf lettuce is a cool-season vegetable with deeply indented, oak-shaped leaves that is one of the easiest vegetables to grow from seed in spring or fall.
How to grow oakleaf lettuce - Vegetables
Artichoke
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus
Difficulty: ChallengingGlobe artichokes are large, thistle-like plants grown for their edible flower buds. They need full sun and rich, well-drained soil. Seed results are variable, so many growers start with plants or divisions.
How to grow artichoke
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How to read a comparison
Every row is a fact from each seed's own profile, lined up so the differences stand out.
Sprouting
Germination time and temperature
How many days the seeds take to sprout, and the temperature range they sprout in.
Sowing
Sowing depth and spacing
How deep to sow each seed and how far apart the plants should grow. “On the surface” means the seed isn't covered.
Timing
Days to maturity and life cycle
How long until the plant is ready, counted from sowing or from transplanting (each value says which). Annuals live one year, biennials two, perennials longer.
Light and water
Sun and water
Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, partial shade a few hours. Water needs are rated low, moderate or high.
Space and weather
Containers, frost tolerance and soil pH
Whether it grows in a pot, with the smallest pot when it's known. Frost tolerance runs from tender (no frost) to hardy. Soil pH 7 is neutral.
Pets
Toxicity to cats and dogs
Whether the plant is toxic to cats and dogs.
Quick wins
Fastest to sprout
Days from sowing until the first shoots appear, in good conditions.
Pet friendly
Safe around cats and dogs
Listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Each seed's page has the details.
Not safe for pets: borage, buckwheat, caraway, carnation and 14 more.
Comparing
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