• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Home Garden Joy
  • Home
  • Gardening
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Home Garden Tips
    • Seed Starting
    • Compost and Fertilizer
    • Raised Bed Gardening
    • Tools & Equipment
    • Pests & Problems
  • Plants
    • Plant Profiles
    • House Plants
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
    • Herbs
    • Growing Flowers
  • Garden to Table
    • Easy Recipes
    • Canning and Food Preservation
  • Seasonal Living
    • Home for the Holidays
    • Birds and Wildlife
    • Vintage Finds
  • Shop
    • Books for Christian Herbalists
    • Herbalism Classes
    • Books by Jeanne Grunert
  • About
    • Privacy Policy

New Eggplant Varieties to Try

April 26, 2016 by Jeanne

Are you looking for new eggplant varieties to try? I found information today on Burpee’s new “Meatball” eggplant that looks promising. If you love a thick, hearty eggplant that can substitute for meat in recipes, this one looks like a keeper.

#568 Eggplant 'Yume Shizuka' aka 'Meatball'
#568 Eggplant ‘Yume Shizuka’ aka ‘Meatball’

New Eggplant Varieties to Try: Meatball by Burpee

For those looking at new eggplant varieties, Burpee seed and plant company doesn’t disappoint. The company always has interesting plants to try and this year is no exception. “Meatball” is a sweet eggplant with thick flesh that’s perfect for slicing and grilling.

This year, a new variety is available that could change the way you view eggplant forever. ‘Meatball’ is the first sweet-tasting eggplant variety that features a dense, meaty flesh that is flavorful and free of bitterness.

“Not since Burpee’s introduction of ‘Black Beauty’ in 1904 has eggplant been so transformed,” said George Ball, CEO and Chairman of W. Atlee Burpee & Company. “‘Meatball’ will convert the unconverted to loving eggplant.”

‘Meatball’ is a heavy yielding eggplant hybrid that produces hefty 5-inch dark, round fruit all summer long. The flesh of ‘Meatball’ eggplant is moist and very versatile. Try cooking and shaping it into meatballs, or grilling it as a healthy steak or hamburger substitute.

Plant your ‘Meatball’ hybrid seeds indoors in late winter, and transplant outdoors after the threat of frost has passed. The eggplants will be ready for harvest 50-60 days later. You can purchase a packet of seeds for $6.95 or three live starter plants for $16.95, exclusively from www.burpee.com, 1-800-888-1447.

Photo and story provided by Home, Garden and Homestead and used with permission. 

Filed Under: Vegetable Gardening

Previous Post: « Rustic Tuscan Bean Salad Recipe
Next Post: Mulch Deliveries, New Compost Piles, New Friends »

Footer

a vintage folk art weather house which accurately predicts the weather

The Folk Art Weather House

I’ve loved this little folk art weather house all my life. It still makes me smile. What gardener doesn’t need to know the weather? I grew up with many German relatives. Thank-you notes were written to “Oncle Ludwig” and “Tante Marie.” During visits to their homes, I was fascinated by the little folk art German…

Read More

chive plants in bloom with lettuce

Growing vs. Wild Foraging Medicinal Herbs: My Perspective

Growing vs. wild foraging medicinal herbs is a real concern among newbie herbalists. The other day, I shared pictures of my herb seedlings (mallow, parsley, and savory) on Facebook. A nervous nellie immediately wrote, “I would be so AFRAID to do that! How can you know they are safe?” Well, first of all, parsley and…

Read More

Sunfinity sunflowers in pots

Sunfinity Sunflowers: A Long-Lasting Burst of Summer Color

I love sunflowers, so when the National Gardening Bureau reached out with the news of Sunfinity® Sunflowers, I had to check them out. This new sunflower variety keeps blooming long after traditional sunflowers call it quits. While many common varieties offer only a few weeks of color and stop producing flowers once cut, this series…

Read More

bamboo fountain

Buy vs. Build Your Own Garden Fountain

Are you trying to decide whether to buy or build your own garden fountain? I’ve done both, and each approach has pros and cons. I’ll unpack them for you, below, plus include links to some of my favorite products. Home Garden Joy participates in the Amazon affiliate program. We earn a small commission on product…

Read More

  • About
  • Plant a Row for the Hungry
  • Awards
  • Privacy Policy

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Substack
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2026 Home Garden Joy on the Foodie Pro Theme