To get a good harvest of eggplants, it is not enough to grow strong seedlings. It is important to create optimal conditions in the garden, plant it correctly, and then take care of this vegetable.
For good development, eggplants need fertile land, they do not tolerate stagnant moisture and heavy clay soil, so the bed for them should be airy, loose and nutritious. Heavy loam should be diluted with coarse river sand and add 1-1. 5 buckets of humus per 1м² (10.8 ft²).
Do not plant this vegetable where tomatoes, potatoes or other nightshades grew last year, as they suffer from similar diseases. Good predecessors – onions, cucumbers, beans, melons, pumpkins.
Eggplant is an extremely thermophilic plant, it is not for nothing that it came to us from India. At temperatures below +15°C (59°F) the plant sheds its leaves and can completely disappear, and the soil temperature at the time of planting should reach at least +13°C (55.4°F). Therefore, it is better not to rush with planting in the greenhouse and especially in the open ground. In the middle zone, the right time comes, as a rule, in late May or early June.
Eggplant pits are prepared in the garden according to the scheme 30×60 cm (1×2). However, it should be noted that the size of an adult plant can vary significantly depending on the variety. There are those who need to leave more space. Thickening of plantings leads to the fact that eggplants bloom less often or do not tie the fruit, respectively, the yield decreases.
Landing should be planned on a cloudy day, or take up this work before sunset. Before planting, it is good to add a handful of wood ash to the holes. Then the wells are filled with warm water with the addition of manganese to disinfect the soil.
The root system of the eggplant is quite tender, so it should be carefully pulled out of the seedling tank. It makes no sense to bury the plants, since they do not form additional roots. However, if necessary, it should be done no more than 1.5-2 cm (0.6-0.8 inches).
For the first time after planting, young plants should be protected from direct sunlight. Often, eggplant seedlings take a long time to take root, and the lower leaves may even turn yellow. There is no need to panic here — as a rule, this is a temporary phenomenon, and after the plants are taken, the leaves will turn green again.
The process of planting eggplant seedlings in a greenhouse and open ground is almost no different, the timing varies. However, it should be noted that when growing this vegetable in an open garden, a sunny, wind-protected place should be chosen for it.
How do you plant eggplant seedlings in the ground? Share your secrets with us in the comments.