When to plant eggplant seedlings and how to do it right
Miscellaneous / / April 02, 2023
Detailed instructions will help you get strong plants and a rich harvest.
When to plant eggplant seedlings
Eggplants have a rather long growing season, so you have to be patient when growing them. From the moment of germination to planting in open ground, at least 60-70 days should pass - this is the age of the seedlings that is considered optimal for moving to the beds. Therefore, eggplants are planted early for seedlings. In the south, sowing is carried out from late January to early March, in the regions of the middle lane - from mid-February to mid-March, and in the northern regions - in the first half of March.
How to choose eggplant seeds
Pay attention to the ripening dates, which are usually indicated on the package. Early ripe eggplants are harvested approximately 90-110 days after germination, mid-ripening - after 115-130 days, late - after 130-140 days. In the regions of the middle lane and in the south, you can grow all varieties, but for the inhabitants of the north it is better to stop the choice in the early eggplantto ensure a harvest.
Although eggplants are called "blue", their color is not only purple. There are also purple, white, green and even striped vegetables.
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Purple eggplant. Frame: Harvest garden / YouTube
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Purple striped eggplant. Frame: Cottage with Vitaly Dekabrev / YouTube
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White eggplant. Frame: Favorite Manor / YouTube
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Lilac eggplant. Frame: Olesya Kiya / YouTube
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Green eggplant. Frame: Olesya Kiya / YouTube
Most often, eggplants have the usual barrel shape, but the fruits can be more elongated or rounded.
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Elongated eggplant. Frame: Procvetok / YouTube
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Eggplant in the shape of a barrel. Frame: Favorite Manor / YouTube
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Round shaped eggplant. Frame: Olesya Kiya / YouTube
In addition to many varieties, there are also eggplant hybrids, which are labeled F1 on the package with seeds. As a rule, they are more resistant to diseases, pests and adverse weather conditions, and also have a higher yield.
How to plant eggplant seedlings
If everything is done correctly, seedlings will appear in 5-10 days.
Sprout the seeds
If the packaging indicates that the seeds do not require pre-sowing preparation, then the manufacturer treated them with a disinfectant before packaging. So no need to soak or germinate them.
If there is no such indication, you will have to work a little. Lay a piece of cotton cloth in the bottom of a small container and sprinkle the seeds. Pour them with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 1 liter of water) or any biofungicide (for example, "Phytosporinβ), which is diluted according to the instructions on the package.
Wrap the seeds in a cloth and cover the container with a lid, cling film or bag. Place the container in a warm place with a temperature of about 25 degrees and wait until the seeds germinate. This may take 5 to 15 days. When you see small light roots, remove the shelter and start sowing.
Prepare containers for seedlings
Eggplants are not tolerant a pickTherefore, it is better to immediately sow them in separate containers. For this, pots with a volume of about 200 ml or cups of yogurt or sour cream are suitable. You can also take seedling cassettes with many cells about 10 cm high. The main thing is that there are drainage holes in the bottom of the containers to remove excess moisture. Take a universal soil for growing seedlings of vegetables and fill the cups with it, without filling up to the edge of about 1 cm. Then water the soil generously with warm water.
Plant eggplant seeds
In the center of each cup, make a small depression in the ground - 0.5β1 cm. Put one seed in the hole and cover it with soil.
Cover seedling containers with cling film or wrap in a transparent bag. Put them in a bright warm place with a temperature of about 25-27 degrees.
Wait for shoots
Sprouts will appear in about 5-10 days. After that, remove the shelter and put the pots on a light windowsill, and even better - under phytolamps or conventional fluorescent lamps with a power of 36 W per 1 m2. Under artificial lighting, seedlings will not stretch and will turn out stronger. During the week, the backlight should be around the clock or at least 14-16 hours a day.
In addition, it is recommended at this time to lower the temperature in the room to 17-18 degrees. In such coolness, eggplants will have time to form a strong root system. After a week, the seedlings need to be placed again in heat.
How to care for eggplant seedlings
At all stages of growth, provide plants with lighting for 12-14 hours a day, as well as an air temperature of about 25 degrees.
Water the eggplant
The soil in containers with seedlings should always be moist, but at the same time not resemble a swamp. Watch the soil and do not let its surface dry out. For watering, use water at room temperature. At first, while the sprouts are small and fragile, you can moisten the soil with a spray bottle, syringe or syringe.
Feed your eggplant
For top dressing, complex fertilizers are suitable for seedlings of eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. Consumption rates and method of preparing the solution are indicated in the instructions on the package. You can also make a nutrient mixture at home. Feed eggplant with any of these solutions:
- Dilute 3 tablespoons of superphosphate, 2 teaspoons of potassium sulfate and 1 teaspoon of ammonium nitrate in 10 liters of water;
- Dilute 1 tablespoon of nitroammophoska in 10 liters of water.
For the first time, eggplants are fed 7-10 days after germination. After 10-14 days, fertilizers are applied again. The third top dressing will be needed 7β10 days before the planned planting of seedlings in open ground.
One plant needs 20-30 ml of fertilizer. Pour the mixture under the root, being careful not to get on the leaves. It is better to fertilize in the evening, and then turn off the phytolamps to avoid burning delicate foliage.
When to plant eggplant seedlings in open ground
For normal development, eggplants need consistently warm weather, so you should not rush to transfer them to the beds. Wait until the threat of return frosts has passed, the soil warms up to at least 15 degrees, and the average daily air temperature reaches 18-20 degrees. In most regions of the middle lane, suitable conditions usually develop no earlier than the beginning of June.
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Text worked on: author Victoria Kuracheva, editor Alina Mashkovtseva, proofreader Elena Gritsun