Growing eggplants is not as easy as it seems. These plants require special care and attention to produce a good and high-quality harvest.
What secrets of growing eggplants do experienced gardeners know, but don’t share them with their neighbors?
Secret 1. Selecting a variety
The first and most important secret to growing eggplants is choosing the right variety.
Eggplants come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. But not all varieties are suitable for your climate and soil.
Choose varieties that are adapted to your conditions, resistant to diseases and pests, have a short growing season and good yield.
Secret 2. Sowing seeds
The second secret of growing eggplants is the correct sowing of seeds. Eggplants are heat-loving plants that do not tolerate frost. Therefore, they need to be grown through seedlings.
Sowing seeds should be done at the end of February or the beginning of March in order to obtain strong and healthy seedlings by May.
The seeds must first be soaked in warm water or a solution of potassium permanganate for 12-24 hours, and then sown in light and nutritious soil to a depth of 1-2 cm.
Secret 3. Seedling care
The third secret of growing eggplants is proper care of seedlings. Eggplant seedlings need light, warmth, nutrition and protection from diseases and pests. For this you need the following.
• Provide the seedlings with sufficient lighting. If there is not enough natural light, you can use phytolamps or fluorescent lamps.
• Maintain an optimal temperature. During the day - 22-25 degrees, at night - 18-20 degrees.
• Fertilize seedlings 3 times: 2 weeks after emergence, 2 weeks after the first, 10 days before planting in the ground.
• Pick out the seedlings when 2-3 true leaves appear on the plants.
• Use special or folk remedies to protect seedlings from diseases and pests.
Secret 4. Planting seedlings in the ground
The fourth secret of growing eggplants is the correct planting of seedlings in the ground. Eggplants should be planted in warm and well-heated soil when the threat of frost has passed.
Choose a sunny and wind-protected place for eggplants. The soil should be fertile, loose and well-drained.
Before planting, the soil should be fertilized with organic or mineral fertilizers. Plant eggplant seedlings at a distance of 40-50 cm between plants and 60-70 cm between rows.
Secret 5. Caring for eggplants in open ground
The fifth secret of growing eggplants is proper care of eggplants in open ground.
Eggplants need watering, fertilizing, weeding, loosening, pinching, tying and protection from diseases and pests. For this you need the following.
• Water eggplants moderately but regularly. Avoid over-watering or over-drying the soil.
• Feed eggplants 3-4 times per season. For feeding, you can use complex mineral fertilizers or organic solutions.
• Weed, loosen and mulch the soil around the eggplants to prevent weed growth and retain moisture.
• Remove side shoots and tie up eggplants to provide them with better lighting, ventilation and fruit formation.
• Protect eggplants from diseases and pests with special preparations or folk remedies.
Conclusion
Eggplants are tasty and healthy vegetables that can be grown in your garden or summer cottage. To do this, you need to choose the right variety, grow seedlings, plant them in the ground correctly and take care of the plants.
