Last summer, 2024, I grew Fairytale Eggplant for the first time. It produced adorable little tear-drop shaped eggplants for over three months. During that time, most of the harvest was used for Apple and Eggplant Quesadillas, a simply delicious treat.
For 2025, a new recipe that we’ve enjoyed over the past few months is “Roasted Fairytale Eggplant Salad with Fresh Tomato”. Inchelium Red organic garlic had cured from my late spring/early summer crop, while fairytale eggplants, English cucumber and mint were growing in my garden and ready to use.
It’s now early October and my two Fairytale Eggplants are producing almost double the amount as last year. Here’s an example of what gets harvested every day.
Fairy Tale EggplantEnglish Cucumber Spearmint
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Does the familiar phrase ‘once upon a time’ bring back memories of your early childhood? Maybe it was when you heard the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood for the first time or were mesmerized when you saw Disney’s version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Throughout the years, fairy tales have given us wondrous characters in magical settings and left an indelible impression on young children throughout the world. But the fairy tale that has recently impressed me most is of a uniquely different variety. It is one that produces magically, ornamental plants for your garden. In this case, it is the adorable petite eggplant known as ‘Fairy Tale’.
Fairy Tale Eggplant
As you can see from the photo, it is a lovely mini eggplant, only 4 inches long, with stunning streaks of lavender and white. The plant itself grows to only 24” but produces tender-sweet fruits that are as beautiful as they are delicious. This variety can be grown in ground but, with its compact, dwarf size, is a just as suitable for container growing.
When it was time to harvest and enjoy, a quesadilla recipe was the perfect choice. Honey crisp apples gave it a sweet, tart taste while the smaller slices of savory fairy tale eggplant fit nicely on the tortilla. A handful of roughly chopped spinach along with some creamy Monterrey Jack cheese completed the combination of amazing flavors. Freshly made tortillas from Central Market held everything together while the quesadillas were baking in the oven.
A very unique feature of ‘Fairy Tale’ is the recognition it received in 2005 as an AAS* vegetable award winner. It was the first eggplant to win an AAS award since 1939. There is still time to grow ‘Fairy Tale’ in your garden so why not give it a try?
For transplants:
Pick a sunny site with rich, organic, well-draining soil. Eggplants require at least 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day. (Some sources advise not planting it in a plot where you grew tomatoes, peppers, potatoes or other eggplants the year before). Set transplants about 3 feet apart.
Mulch after planting.
Provide adequate water to produce the best-tasting eggplants. Fairy Tale eggplant enjoys deep, consistent watering throughout the growing season. Check often to be sure that Fairy Tale is receiving about 1-2 inches of water per week.
Harvest when fruits reach 2-4 inches in length for sweet, bitter-free enjoyment. Snip fruit with clean shears at their individual stems or in clusters. The skin should appear glossy (left side of photo), as dull skin can indicate overripe fruit (right side of photo). Harvest regularly to encourage new fruit production.
*All-America Selections winners are tested at trial grounds across North America. Each winner has superior qualities that distinguish it from similar varieties. ‘Fairy Tale’ was granted the prestigious AAS award by a nationwide panel of experts.
Linda Alexander,Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
DALLAS GARDEN BUZZ 