Potatoes vs. Eggplant

An early red potato flower (70 to 90 days)

In New York City, it's all about real estate and so it goes in a city garden as well. I'm faced with a big decision this year, in a bit of a crop rotation quandry with the solanaceae family. There's not enough room in my garden plot for both potatoes and eggplant this year, so one will have to go. Tomatoes and peppers are a must. Right now I'm leaning towards growing potatoes because I love the surprise of digging them up and I'll probably be able to get a nitrogen-fixing crop in after they are pulled. But if the zuchinni bites the dust again due to borers and disease, I might regret that decision. (I know eggplant and zuchinni aren't the same thing, but they can be used so similarly for a summer meal.) I'm pretty sure most people would go with growing the eggplant over the potato, but I've got a sweet spot for growing the spuds. It makes you feel like you could be a farmer.

















White Eggplant, Summer 2008