Proper cultivation and care of eggplants in open ground

In the wild, the vegetable grew many centuries ago, but it appeared in Russia only in the 17-18 centuries. The usefulness of eggplant was not immediately appreciated, but wariness soon gave way to great popularity. And the ability of the product to lower cholesterol, improve heart function and regulate the water balance in the body has played an important role in this. For successful cultivation in the open field, you must follow the rules of care - you need to love and care for the eggplant, grow the seedlings under the necessary conditions, add dressing or cover with frost.

rules Where can grow eggplants in open field eggplant cultivation

conditions are slightly different from the cultivation of other vegetable crops. The main differences are as follows:

• yield is ensured only on fertile soils with a light structure ;
• after landing, even short frosts are excluded;
• temperature minimum at which the plant slows down development, makes +20 degrees ;
• daylight hours should be within 12 hours ;
• reaction to the lack of moisture - dropping buds and ovaries.

Cultivation in Siberia

It is unlikely that ordinary varieties cultivated in the southern countries could be grown in open ground in Siberia.

Thanks to the long-term work of breeders, it was possible to bring out quite a lot of hybrids that differ in with cold resistance and short aging times and they can be grown not only in Kuban.

Among the popular varieties: Sailor, Nutcracker, Purple Miracle, Robin Hood.

Matrosik Violet miracle Robin Hood

In the Urals

Under strict conditions, getting a harvest of blue ones in the Urals is considered a great success. For planting, varieties with a maturing term not more than 95 days are selected. But even this factor does not guarantee success, because the whole thing is in agricultural technology. It should be aimed at accelerating growth.

Popular varieties are: Clorinda, Helios, Epic.

Clorinda Helios Epik

In the Moscow Region

With the right selection of varieties and hybrids, you can plant eggplants in the backyard and in the suburbs. Many summer residents of the Moscow Region have already managed to verify this.

Planting is done using the transplanting method in the middle or at the end of May, , when the threat of night frosts that may be in spring is over. Among the popular varieties: Marathon runner, Kashalot, Balagur, Alekseevsky.

Marathon Runner Sperm Whale Balagur Alekseevsky

Terms for planting eggplant in open ground

Considering the climatic features of our country, eggplants are grown in open beds by planting. Seeds need to be planted in boxes or containers in late March .By the time the seedlings are transported to the open ground, 3-5 leaves will be formed, the stem, the root system will be strengthened.

To plant seedlings of eggplant in open ground, you can plan in the second half of May .Work can be carried out only if the night temperature is set to at least 15 degrees .

Experienced gardeners are not advised to rush into planting seedlings, as it will not develop anyway at low temperatures, and will die at frost. But at the same time perederzhivat seedlings in a greenhouse or other room is also dangerous.

Replanting must be performed before the budding period .If the young shoots have already formed the ovary, the culture will be more difficult to adapt to new conditions, it will become vulnerable to any diseases.

The transplanting of seedlings into the ground must be completed before the

budding period. Planting rules

In order to get a good harvest, you must follow all agricultural practices. One of the most important stages is planting culture.

Proper selection of seeds and seedlings

Seeds before planting go through the preparatory process:

• disinfection ( soaking for 25 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, followed by rinsing);
• treatment with nutrients to stimulate growth( planting material is immersed for a day in a solution that is prepared from 1 liter of water 25-28 degrees and 1 tsp. Nitrophoska);
• germination ( seed moistening and keeping for 1-2 days in a humid environment at a temperature of 30 degrees).

Pre-preparation may include hardening seeds. To do this, they are placed for 2 days in a refrigerator( vegetable compartment), then kept for a day at 18 degrees, and then returned to cold place again for 2 days.

After reaching the young shoots of a height of 10 cm and the formation of 5-7 leaves, it is planned to transplant into open ground.10-14 days before the seedlings are hardened, that is, they are daily taken out into the open air( without direct sunlight and drafts) for several hours to adapt.

Preparing the soil before putting it into the hole.

The bed for eggplants should be well lit

The bed is chosen well lit , ideally, if it is protected from winds by neighboring handicraft plants.

Negatively, affect the vegetation of eggplants, such precursors such as: potatoes, peppers, Physalis, tomatoes. It is better to choose the area on which were grown: cabbage, cucumber, onions, perennial herbs.

Eggplants respond well to the fertile soil of light structure and neutral environment. If soil acidification is present, should be filled with dolomite flour or ground lime before planting.

From fertilizers both organic( rotted manure 3-4 kg per 1m2) and complex mineral substances( 70 g. Superphosphate, 50 g. Potassium sulphate, 25 g. Ammonium nitrate) are used. Overdoing with nitrogen nutrition is not worth it, you can provoke the growth of foliage instead of forming ovaries.

The root system of a culture grows in loose soil. If necessary, the land is lightened by beds by putting peat, humus, and river sand into it. All components or one of them are thoroughly mixed with the excavated soil and are well loosened with a rake.

Planting

Planting seedlings in the evening or in cloudy weather. The wells are arranged according to the scheme:

• spacing between plants in a row - 25-30 cm of early varieties, 35-40 cm of medium and late varieties;
• spacing - 55-70 cm .

Care for eggplants during the summer.

Seedlings take root in a new place is not easy, therefore, from the first days you need to ensure proper care.

Watering is carried out with settled heated water approximately 1-2 times a week ( before flowering), you need to focus on the degree of soil moisture. On 1 m2 the consumption rate is 10 l .

With the beginning of flowering and fruiting, irrigation is carried out at the root. If it is not possible to moisten the bed more than once a week, then the water consumption rate should be increased.

Eggplants are ideally developed at an average temperature of 23-26 degrees, so it is best not to freeze or overheat. is recommended to use film or agrotextile for protection against cold. In extreme heat, light shading should be constructed so that the plants do not get burned or simply do not dry out.

Before flowering, watering is carried out with separated water 1-2 times a week.

After reaching the escape of 30 cm, make pinching - remove the top of the bush. From side shoots should be left 5-6 of the most healthy and strong, get rid of the rest. Masking is not carried out if the summer is very hot and dry.

Once a week, is recommended for loosening the soil to prevent clumping. This process is combined with weeding. Weeds create many problems with diseases and attract pests, so they should be dealt with in a timely manner.

Than to feed after planting on the bed

During the growing season they will need to be fed at least 3 times .The first dose of nutrition is made 20 days after planting the seedlings. The second time you need to fertilize in 3-4 weeks. The third time to feed the beds during the fruiting period.

Mineral top dressing

For normal vegetation, the plant needs the following minerals:

• nitrogen - stimulates the growth of shoots( top-dressing at the initial stage of development);
• phosphorus - helps to strengthen the root system, the formation of ovaries and fruits( used at all stages);
• potassium - strengthens the immune system, stimulates growth, makes the culture resistant to temperature changes and adverse weather conditions;
• boron, manganese, iron - increase the fruiting period.

Among the popular fertilizers of this type are: superphosphate, nitrophosphate, ammonium sulfate, potassium nitrate.

Organic fertilizer

Manure, better rotted, is used for the first and second feeding. No less nutritious are:

• bird droppings;
• compost.

For fertilizing you can use rotted manure

What folk remedies to add to the growth of

Among the popular recipes there are a lot of effective, time-tested. For example, mushroom infusion , which stimulates the growth of culture. To prepare the working solution, you will need to pour ½ cup of dried mushrooms with a bucket of warm water and leave to infuse for a day.

Ash liquid ( 1-2 cups of wood ash per water bucket) is also popular among gardeners.

And on a par with it, you can put yeast , which promotes the growth of young shoots. For the preparation of fertilizers use a kilogram pack of live yeast, which is poured 5 liters of water at room temperature. After a day, the resulting liquid was diluted with water( 1:10) and the plants were poured over the root with it.

Yeast feed

For the preparation of fertilizers different plants are used, the composition of which is rich in valuable trace elements necessary for the active development of eggplants and that they are plump.

Among the famous recipes:

• a glass of dandelions pour 2 liters of boiling water and cover with a lid, after 3-4 hours add 7 liters of water and use for feeding;
• pharmacy chamomile ( 1 cup) pour 1 l of hot water, leave for a day, dilute with 9 l of water;
• crushed eggshell pour a bucket of water and insist for 1-2 days, after which you can put the solution in the hole or water the plant.

Pests and control of them

Colorado potato beetle is the most dangerous pest of eggplants.

spider mite is considered the most dangerous Colorado potato beetle .When settling on the bed in a few days you can see abundant bald spots, gluttonous parasite literally gnaws the shoots.

To overcome the beetle will help processing with the use of special chemicals or dusting with salt flour, wood ash, spraying infusion wormwood.

bugs and spider mites can also harm crop. For the prevention of beds, sprayed with infusions of onion or dandelion( with the addition of laundry soap).When mass parasites are used, the following are used: Prestige, Zircon, Fitosporin, etc.

Harvesting and storage rules

The first thing that gardeners are focused on when determining the maturity of eggplant is :

• early varieties - 90-110 days;
• medium varieties - 115-130 days;
• late varieties - 130-140 days.

The aging time can vary, which is influenced simultaneously by several factors: agricultural engineering, weather conditions, and adherence to planting dates.

There are no obvious signs of ripeness of a vegetable other than the growing season, mainly take into account the length of the fruit .Standards exist for each variety, and they should be relied upon. Color is not considered a sign of , as it assumes normal tone in the early stages of maturation.

Eggplant color is not considered a sign of maturity

You can determine ripeness by simply by clicking on the eggplant .If the skin has bent, but quickly took the original form - the vegetable is ripe.

In order to increase the shelf life of eggplants, you need to select the most healthy specimens without signs of deformation and damage. You can fold the vegetables in boxes, shifting them with straw or parchment. Fruits are stored in a cool dark place.

A capricious and sensitive vegetable with unique nutritional and taste qualities is quite realistic to grow on your site if you follow the rules of agricultural engineering. And with proper storage, hold part of the harvest to the New Year's table.