I think I see blossoms forming on the biggest of my eggplants. And I see that eggplant grows much the same way as tomatoes in that the little suckers form at the apex of the leafs along the stem and then grow out to be new branches.
So on varieties. I will be having summer taste test challanges on my eggplant varieties as well as my tomatoes. Have ten total eggplants. 5 Classic and one each of Gretel, Ichiban, Fairy Tale, Purple Rain and Rosa Bianca.