A farmer from Antalya grew an eggplant that is 52 centimeters tall using heirloom seeds.

In the Ürünlü neighborhood of İbradı district in Antalya, 65-year-old farmer Şendur Özdoğru has grown an eggplant measuring 52 centimeters long in his garden.
Şendur Özdoğru stated that he lives in Manavgat district during the winter and in Ürünlü neighborhood of İbradı during the summer, where he engages in farming.
Özdoğru, who mentioned that he lives in Ürünlü, where he was born and raised, said, “During the summer months, I work on vegetable farming in my own capacity in Ürünlü. This year, I turned the eggplant seeds inherited from my ancestors into seedlings. I planted the eggplant seedlings in my 150 square meter garden in front of my house for experimental purposes. I completely used animal manure for the eggplant seedlings. I did not use any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. I grew them organically. Each seedling started to yield a lot of eggplants, and now my eggplants have reached a height of 52 centimeters. If I do not harvest them, they will grow even more and reach up to 60 centimeters. The height of the eggplant seedlings has even exceeded my height. They have reached up to 2 meters.”

“I will distribute the seeds to the villagers”
Explaining that the eggplants are completely organic, Özdoğru said, “These are the eggplants from the seeds that our ancestors cultivated. I am leaving plenty of seed eggplants for future years to grow again. I will give the seeds to our villagers in the coming years. Our villagers also ask me for seeds. I will distribute the seeds to them. My villagers will also grow them. Next year, I will grow a lot of eggplants as well. I do not have a sales problem. Even if I am not around, the villagers come, collect the eggplants from the garden, and leave the money behind.”

“I couldn’t even believe it”
Özdoğru expressed disbelief at the growth of the eggplants, saying, “I couldn’t even believe that this eggplant grew like this. I never expected it to be this way. The yield of eggplants will continue until the weather gets cold. If there are no diseases, it will go on until the middle of winter. I harvest the eggplants weekly. The eggplant first turns black. As it grows, it takes on a gray color. While one side is blooming, plenty of eggplants are growing on the other side. The eggplants that return to normal can reach 40 centimeters in a week. If plenty of water is given, they exceed 50 centimeters.”