“Black from Peking”, “Monstrous from New York”, “Round from China”, but above all terribly Mediterranean, the aubergine from the African savannahs is a must in the garden! Rich in thiamine, it contributes to a healthy diet.

Beriberi is funny in name only, it is a terrible disease that causes serious neurological and cardiovascular disorders, great fatigue and impaired muscle function in patients who repeat “Beriberi”, i.e. “I can’t, I can’t” in Sinhala. . The disease has been known since ancient times, but it wasn’t until 1630 and the work of Dutch physician Jakob de Bondt in Java to establish the link between diet and disease, and more specifically with the excessive consumption of white rice. In 1873, another Dutch doctor, Van Lent, improved the health of sick sailors by reducing the white rice ration. At the same time, the Japanese Takaki, in 1883, asked Emperor Meiji to review the diet of sailors. During an initial nine-month expedition, 169 crew members are affected by beriberi and 25 die from it, out of a total of 376 men. By integrating milk, meat, bread and vegetables, and by reducing the white rice ration, only 16 sailors out of a second crew of 333 men developed the disease. And it was finally in 1897 that Christiaan Eijkman, in Batavia, confirmed these observations in chickens and pigeons fed entirely on polished rice: the origin of the disease lay in the absence of the grain wrapping. Eijkman’s work earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1929. As for the molecule present in the envelope of the rice grain and responsible for the prevention of beriberi, it was identified in 1936 by Robert Williams as thiamine or vitamin B1. meat, bread, and vegetables, and when the white rice ration decreased, only 16 sailors out of a second crew of 333 men developed the disease. And it was finally in 1897 that Christiaan Eijkman, in Batavia, confirmed these observations in chickens and pigeons fed entirely on polished rice: the origin of the disease lay in the absence of the grain wrapping. Eijkman’s work earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1929. As for the molecule present in the envelope of the rice grain and responsible for the prevention of beriberi, it was identified in 1936 by Robert Williams as thiamine or vitamin B1. meat, bread, and vegetables, and when the white rice ration decreased, only 16 sailors out of a second crew of 333 men developed the disease. And it was finally in 1897 that Christiaan Eijkman, in Batavia, confirmed these observations in chickens and pigeons fed entirely on polished rice: the origin of the disease lay in the absence of the grain wrapping. Eijkman’s work earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1929. As for the molecule present in the envelope of the rice grain and responsible for the prevention of beriberi, it was identified in 1936 by Robert Williams as thiamine or vitamin B1. They confirmed these observations in chickens and pigeons fed entirely on polished rice: the origin of the disease was located in the absence of the grain wrapping. Eijkman’s work earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1929. As for the molecule present in the envelope of the rice grain and responsible for the prevention of beriberi, it was identified in 1936 by Robert Williams as thiamine or vitamin B1. They confirmed these observations in chickens and pigeons fed entirely on polished rice: the origin of the disease was located in the absence of the grain wrapping. Eijkman’s work earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1929. As for the molecule present in the envelope of the rice grain and responsible for the prevention of beriberi, it was identified in 1936 by Robert Williams as thiamine or vitamin B1.

Annual herbaceous plant (perennial in warm countries), 60 to 80 cm. Leaves entire, oval and broad, covered with dense fuzz. Rounded, erect and branched stems. Hermaphroditic, simple, white to slightly purplish flowers. The fruit is fleshy, more or less round to elongated, covered with a thick, shiny skin of an intense violet, almost black colour.

Vitamin B1 in the garden

For asparagus, you need a large garden, because it requires a lot of space. The Jerusalem artichoke, you have to like it and it stirs your intestines a little. The best solution for a good vitamin B1 in the garden is to grow eggplant (but you see, it’s sweet for everything: heat, water, sun, and nutrients) and fennel, and top it off with peas (which we’ll come back to in a future article). The recommended daily intake of vitamin B1 is 1.1 mg, it is also found in yeast (11 mg/100 g), rice bran (2.75 mg/100 g), spirulina (2.38 mg/100 g), cereals in general and shelled seeds (flax, sesame, etc.).

Average vitamin B1/100 g content of some vegetables:

• Eggplant: 0.20mg
• Asparagus: 0.20 mg
• Jerusalem artichoke: 0.20 mg
• Corn: 0.22 mg
• Fennel: 0.23 mg
• Peas: 0.40 m

Sowing from February to March

To ensure uniform emergence, place the seeds in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator, the temperature there is around 4-5°C, for 4-6 days before planting. By applying a little you can deposit a single seed per bucket, which will be covered only with compost to preserve it from light. Store at least 16°C and even better at 20°C indoors. As soon as they germinate, place them in full light to prevent the plants from “spinning”, wilting.

Planting in May

Wait until May to plant in the final spot. Leave 50 to 60 cm in all directions and plant in a sunny position, in good garden soil. When the plants are 30 cm tall, mound your foot to strengthen them, bringing the soil closer to the plant’s neck. At the same time, tutor.

Mulch in June

As the warm months approach, mulch the base to keep the soil moist. When the flowers and first fruits are visible, prune the tips of the stems to promote the fattening of the aubergines. Keep only 5 fruits per plant, up to 7 in the South. Harvest from July to late autumn. The temptation to let the fruits grow is always great, especially since their number per plant is relatively[1] limited, it is a common mistake. Because as it grows, and even if the plant does not lack water, the pulp quickly becomes dry and leathery and its quality drops rapidly. Pick the small fruits when their skin is very shiny and their flesh firm under the pressure of the finger.

The 5 Speculators of the Summer

Mold: There are years of mold, which affects all nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, etc.), eggplant is no exception. It results in the appearance of greenish-gray spots on the leaves and whitish to purplish spots on the reverse. Hardy plants are less exposed, water preventively with a horsetail decoction to strengthen them.

Powdery mildew: humid and warm periods are favorable for this fungus that produces small white and fluffy spots. Treat with sulphur and renew as many times as necessary, the product is compatible with organic gardening.

Colorado Potato Beetles: Ouch! Collect these beautiful insects to burn them without shame. Check for yellow eggs laying on the underside of the leaves. Sow blue flax between the rows to limit the problem.

Whitefly: Like all nightshades, these small whiteflies hide (badly) on the underside of leaves. Apply a plant insecticide, renew if necessary and avoid drought to limit its proliferation.

Aphids: they are perfectly visible on young leafy shoots. Treat with a plant insecticide.

The Good Eggplants

This is one of the vegetables for which F1 hybrids have come a long way, they also worry the fan. However, you can grow old strains that have been around for more than 120 years.

• “De Barbentane”: also known as “Violette de Barbentane”, it is the go-to aubergine in the South for old, and historical varieties as well. Vigorous and productive, it bears elongated fruits of 20 cm, almost cylindrical, bright purple-black in colour.
• “Long Violet”: Also called “Violetta lunga”, it is an eggplant with oval, oblong, club-shaped fruits, with a very soft, purple-purple skin. A variety that is particularly successful in the South, where it produces in 5 to 6 months, but well adapted to cool climates. Its tender, slightly bitter flesh contains few seeds.
• “Black Beauty”: an early variety, with a short cycle – the first harvests are made 80 days after sowing – with periform and solid fruits, 15 cm long; Very good productivity, even in cold regions. It is one of the most common on the market.
• “Violette de Florence”: very large, round and ribbed fruits, white veined mauve, productive variety (8 to 10 fruits per plant). Sweet meat, few pips, ideal for cooking stuffed aubergines!

Gardener’s Tip

A seed range contains around 250 seeds, more than you need for your production! It is best to keep few fruits per plant (4 for very large and up to 7-8 for streams) and plant more plants