There are always a lot of questions with particularly capricious and heat-loving plants. When to sow eggplant seedlings, say, in the Moscow region or Siberia, is always of interest to all gardeners. Moreover, this question begins to annoy me immediately after the new year. Then the running around gardening stores, choosing seeds and other pleasant chores begins.
When to plant eggplant seedlings
Our main “favorites” - vegetables, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants - always require effort and take a lot of time. But you must agree that these concerns are pleasant and interesting. And eggplants generally capture the bulk of our attention, because their growing season is longer than that of tomatoes and peppers and therefore they are more difficult to grow in our short summer.
Most gardeners grow , but there are daredevils (I am among them) who boldly plant blue ones in open ground and get good harvests. It depends not only on the right choice seeds, care and growing conditions, but also on the sowing time.
So, let's calculate: The optimal age of eggplant seedlings for planting is from 65 to 70 days. Let’s not forget to add another 7 to 10 days for the emergence of seedlings. Right?
Now we define optimal timing for your region. To plant, we need the soil to warm up to +20 degrees. If this is a polycarbonate greenhouse installed on my site in Western Siberia, then the planting date will be approximately May 10-15, give or take a week depending on the weather.
From this period we subtract our 70 days and 10 days for germination, we get the end of February, its last ten days. You can calculate even more accurately using the lunar calendar. If you look, for sowing eggplants more suitable days February 12, 14, but for us it’s early. But 23 and 28 will be the most suitable.
For each part of our country, the timing will be different, although not too much. Yes, and they will differ depending on whether you grow eggplants in open ground or in a greenhouse. There will be a difference of about two weeks.
How to sow eggplants for seedlings
Yes, that’s it, you still need to sow correctly. I hope you have decided on the choice of seeds. Only recently, very often I come across low-quality seeds, either they are stored incorrectly, or in order to save money they are mixed, old with new. Therefore, in order not to waste time, we will prepare the seeds in advance.
- First, we will find out whether the seeds are viable and find out the percentage of germination. Let’s take several seeds from each variety, put them in our own little bowls, and don’t forget to label them. You need to place the seeds on a piece of damp cloth and place them in a warm place (+23-25 degrees). After a few days, we look at which seeds and how many hatched. We leave only those that have hatched in quantity more than half.
- It is necessary to pickle the seeds in a manganese solution, because they can carry many sources of disease. Dilute potassium permanganate in warm water until burgundy color and immerse the seeds for twenty minutes, then they need to be washed.
- The next step is for the seeds to be fertilized to ensure strong plants that are not too susceptible to disease. It is enough to dilute a teaspoon of regular water in a liter jar of warm water. wood ash and soak the seeds there for a day.
- The last step will be to germinate the seeds. As in the first point, we will place them on a saucer and place them in a warm place. You just need to wait until the seeds just hatch, do not wait for the sprouts to appear, otherwise they may break when planting.
We must prepare the soil for growing seedlings before planting day, treat it, freeze it or pour boiling water on it. The soil must be loose and light. You can mix two parts of garden soil and peat and add one part of perlite.
There are special rules that must be followed when planting eggplant seeds:
- Before sowing, be sure to prepare the seeds and check them for germination, otherwise you may not wait for the seedlings.
- Prepare the soil properly, even if the soil is from a store, it can be collected somewhere at a construction site.
- To grow seedlings, do not place containers on window sills, they can be cold, I always use foam plastic for substrates, it keeps the seeds warm.
- Do not plant the seeds deeply, half a centimeter is enough. It’s better to spread them out on the soil and cover them with soil on top.
- Monitor not only daytime, but also nighttime temperatures. It should always stay between +22 and +25 degrees. If it stays at +15 at night, then the seeds stop their development and simply rot in the ground.
- Watch the lighting. This is especially necessary for eggplant seedlings; they are very demanding when it comes to lack of lighting.
- Do not thicken the plantings; it is better to sow fewer seeds, but give them the opportunity to grow freely and receive plenty of light.
- Water the seedlings only with warm water. I use snow or melted snow from the freezer for watering, then heat it to +22 degrees and water it.
- When picking plants, do not damage the roots; eggplants do not like injuries.
- If you sow the seeds early, then most likely there will not be enough lighting; you will need to take care and stock up on fluorescent lamps to illuminate the seedlings.
- Blue seedlings, like any other, need hardening, only here you need to act more carefully, not to freeze the young plants. Hardening should begin ten days before planting.
- You need to pick seedlings when the plants already have two or three leaves. When picking, we deepen the plants to the cotyledons.
Planting eggplant seedlings in the ground
If our deadline for planting has come and the weather permits, there are no cold snaps or prolonged rains, then we plant the seedlings in the greenhouse. The soil for eggplants is usually prepared in the fall, and in the spring they are simply added. necessary fertilizers and loosen.
When planting, distances between plants are observed; they depend on the variety. There are varieties with low but spreading bushes; these are planted at a distance of 50-60 cm from each other. There are tall specimens that stretch up to one and a half meters, but I don’t require a large distance; they are planted 45 cm apart.
At first, the plants will need to be shaded with something during the hottest hours of the sun until the seedlings begin to grow.
Caring for eggplants after planting
This vegetable loves sun and watering. Provide him with this and then you will reap bountiful harvest. After planting, you need to monitor the soil moisture; do not allow it to dry out. You also need loose soil; a crust cannot form around the trunk. That's why ideal option The bushes will be mulched with straw or sawdust.
It is also important to monitor the temperature in the greenhouse. Pollination in eggplants occurs only at a temperature of + 25 degrees. Sudden temperature changes can simply kill all plants. Therefore, ventilate the greenhouse in time so as not to cook the plants and close it early in the evening so that the air in the greenhouse remains warm all night.
How and when to plant eggplants - video
Of course, many summer residents would like to know when to sow eggplant seedlings. The seeds of this crop should be planted in boxes and cups approximately 2-2.5 months before transferring the plants to open ground.
This rule cannot be broken. Eggplants planted ahead of schedule will stretch out and subsequently will not grow well in the garden, will be sick and develop slowly.
If a gardener is late in planting seedlings, at the end of the season he may not receive a harvest of this crop at all. After all, the eggplant plant is a southern plant and it actually takes quite a long time for its fruits to ripen.
The growing season of eggplants, in comparison with other types of garden nightshades, is the longest. The fruits of this crop ripen no earlier than 110-150 days after planting. The seeds of this garden plant and can be collected only on day 130-170.
The timing of sowing eggplant seedlings depends, of course, primarily on the climate in this particular region. In the southern regions of the country, this plant can be planted in boxes earlier. In central Russia, the Urals and Siberia they do this later.
When to sow eggplants for seedlings in central Russia
Summer residents in the middle zone most often plant eggplant seedlings in the second ten days of March. This crop can be planted in such areas from the 10th to the 20th of this month. Exactly the same deadlines are provided for planting eggplant seeds for seedlings in the Moscow region.
Both early-ripening varieties of this crop and mid- or late-ripening varieties are excellent for central Russia. If the seedling planting time is not violated, the eggplants will have time to ripen in any case. But still, most often in central Russia and in the Moscow region, early or mid-ripening varieties of eggplant are grown.
Planting dates in the Urals and Siberia
In regions with a cool climate, the summer season usually begins a little later than in the middle zone. In mid-May, frosts often occur in the Urals and Siberia, and the weather is not yet very warm. Eggplants are a rather capricious crop in relation to cold weather. Therefore, seedlings of this crop are planted in Siberia and the Urals somewhat later than in the middle zone.
The answer to the question of when to sow eggplant seedlings in such regions is the second - third ten days of March. That is, the optimal time for planting this crop for summer residents of Siberia and the Urals is the dates from March 15 to March 31.
Varieties for these regions are mainly suitable only for mid- and early-ripening varieties. Late eggplants, even grown seedling method, in the cold summer in such areas of the country, unfortunately, they may not ripen.
When to plant in the south
In the southern regions of Russia, summer, of course, comes earlier than in the middle zone and in the north. In such areas, eggplant seedlings can be planted even in February. In the south, this crop is usually transferred to open ground at the end of April.
Of course, absolutely any eggplant is perfect for growing in such regions. Even the latest varieties can be planted at a dacha in the south of Russia. Early eggplants in the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories are often grown not even by seedlings, but directly in open ground.
Today we will look at a topic such as planting eggplants for your garden. In the south, this vegetable has always been planted, but in the north and central part of the country they began to cultivate it only recently. And this is due to the fact that many people now have polycarbonate greenhouses. Of course, this crop was also grown in film greenhouses, but in those days one could only dream of such harvests as they get now.
This vegetable, like tomatoes, belongs to the nightshade genus, and is essentially a berry. But this is only in a botanical sense. We consider it a vegetable, and therefore we prepare very tasty main courses from it, in which we often use other vegetables. Although I personally had attempts to make jam from it.
No matter what they call it, gardeners in all regions of the country want to have this annual shrub on their site. Therefore, despite the long period of its cultivation, thermophilicity and “capriciousness”, it is sown for seedlings in early dates and successfully obtain fairly good yields.
And today I will tell you how to plant eggplant seeds, get seedlings and bring the plants to the state when it’s time to plant them in the ground. So that the plant is strong, strong, healthy and ready to bear fruit.
When to plant eggplants according to the 2019 lunar calendar
Most often, before planting any vegetable or any other crop, we rely on the lunar calendar. Eggplants are no exception to this. To plant them, it is also important to determine days that are favorable for work, and to exclude so-called “forbidden” and unfavorable days from work.
We won't go into too much detail about lunar time today. This a whole science, and a topic for a separate article. Usually we ourselves do not particularly follow the phases of the Moon, and do not observe its movement. We buy ready-made calendars at Soyuzpechat kiosks, or print them from a computer. And everything is already written and described there in great detail. Just look and choose a day that is convenient for you to plant.
- in January – 10, 11, 19 and 20
- in February – 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17
- in March – 10, 11, 12, 15, 16
- in April – 7, 8, 11, 12
- in May – 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18
Unfavorable days (waning moon):
- in January – from 1 to 5, from 22 to 31
- in February – from 1 to 3, from 20 to 28
- in March – from 1 to 5, from 22 to 31
- in April – from 1 to 4, from 20 to 30
- in May – from 1 to 4, from 20 to 31
Unfavorable days do not mean forbidden. For example, you can plant eggplant seedlings in the first days of the waning moon.
Prohibited days:
- in January – 5, 6, 7 and 21
- in February – 4, 5, 6, 19
- in March – 5, 6, 7, 21
- in April – 4, 5, 6, 19
- in May – 4, 5, 6, 18
Basically, forbidden days fall on the days of the full moon or new moon. It is not recommended to work with the soil these days. As “experienced” people say, “the earth should rest these days.” Those days are unfavorable when the Moon is not in those zodiac signs that are favorable for planting work.
Certainly this material is for advisory purposes only. You can even check this information and plant a test batch of seeds on one of the prohibited days. By the way, my mom tried it. And now he always plants seeds for seedlings only according to the calendar.
How and when to properly plant eggplant seeds for seedlings
To correctly determine the time for planting eggplants, it is important to combine several dates at once and take into account several different criteria.
- favorable landing days
- ripening time of the desired vegetable crop
- timing of its planting in open ground or in a greenhouse
WITH favorable days we have decided. Now let's look at other issues.
Since this crop is one of those vegetables that require a lot of time from growth and development to harvest, they must be planted at the end of January, beginning of February. This is especially true for the central and northern parts of Russia.
For these areas, it is best to plant early and mid-season eggplant varieties. In this case, the harvest can be obtained - for early varieties after 4 months, and for medium-sized ones - after 5.
In the northern regions, seedlings grow more slowly and take longer. Therefore, they begin to sow seeds at the end of January and the first ten days of February. At this time there is still little sunlight, and the daylight hours are quite short. In addition, it can also be quite cold on the windowsill, especially at night. And all this slows down the growth of seedlings.
For good seed germination and plant development, you need an air temperature of more than 20 degrees, and ideally 23 - 24 degrees. In addition, it is desirable that the seedlings are illuminated by the sun, or an artificial lighting device, for at least 16 hours a day.
There are also late varieties, but they are best planted in the southern regions of our country. In a colder climate zone, they do not have time to produce a harvest.
In the southern regions, seeds are sown at the end of February. At this time, it is already much warmer in the south, and thanks to this, the plant will develop much more comfortably in such conditions. But you shouldn’t forget about lighting here either, and it is advisable to install an additional lamp above the seedlings.
You should also take into account the fact when the seedlings will be transplanted into open ground. If you are planting seedlings in a greenhouse, then you should sow the seeds about two weeks earlier. And if you wait warm weather and plant them immediately outside, you can plant them a little later.
And so we think that the seeds will germinate in a maximum of two weeks. After about two months, the seedlings can be planted in a greenhouse or open ground. And the average time for fruit ripening from the moment the seeds are planted is 120 - 140 days. This is under the most favorable conditions.
Therefore, for each region, the timing of planting seeds can be calculated independently. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that weather It may not happen year after year, and therefore you need to take a few days in reserve.
In addition, when seedlings grow longer in the house, they gain more strength, become stronger and stronger, and are easier to transplant. It is best to plant in open ground already large plant with a developed root system. It will hurt less and take root better. It must be said that eggplants are quite capricious and do not like it when their roots suffer, which is why they do not like transplanting.
Seedlings are planted in open ground when it is already quite warm during the day and there is no threat of frost at night.
What is the best way to grow
This is an important question that interests many beginners in gardening. Eggplants are quite capricious to all kinds of picking and transplanting. They don't like it when their roots are damaged. Usually, after any transplant, the plant gets sick and takes a very long time to get used to the new growing conditions. Naturally, at this time the growth of seedlings stops.
Therefore, it is advisable to plant them immediately in a separate pot, in which the plant will grow and develop until it is planted in open ground. The pot should not be quite small. The seedling grows quite large, sometimes up to 30 - 40 cm, and with a well-developed root system. Therefore, this should definitely be provided for.
But unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity and space to plant plants in large containers at once. And after all, they all need a lot of sun, light and warmth. Where can I get all this? large quantities in winter?! And therefore, many go to initially plant the seeds in a common container. Moreover, not all of them can germinate.
Used for planting plastic containers, long pots that are convenient to place on the windowsill.
And if these are separate containers, then you can use ready-made plastic containers or sour cream glasses. And some even use kefir packets for this. Just remember to make holes at the bottom so that when watering, excess liquid does not stagnate in the pots.
Seedlings are also grown in peat pots. Although many people believe that such containers are not particularly suitable for growing. And there are several reasons for this
- Moisture evaporates very quickly through the walls of the pots and the soil dries out quickly because of this.
- with frequent watering, the roots grow quickly, and the leaves have poor development. That is, the plant as a whole does not develop harmoniously
- when the plant becomes large, the roots grow through the walls, and you have to plant the plant directly with the pot
- in the ground, the material from which the container is made does not dissolve well, although it has an organic composition, which interferes with the growth of roots and the plant as a whole
Although it must also be said that supporters of such pots will find just as many advantages in planting them.
And I told you everything about what you can grow in, and the choice will now be only yours.
What soil to use
The land for planting seeds and growing seedlings should be prepared in the fall. It is usually prepared and immediately mixed in the required proportions for summer cottage. To plant seeds, we will need 1 part turf soil, 2 parts humus or compost soil and 1/3 part river sand. You can take not 2 parts of humus, but only one, and supplement the second with peat. Ideally, the prepared mixture should be light and loose.
It is advisable for the soil to stand outside, or on a cold balcony, so that it freezes. If there were pathogenic microorganisms in it, they would die. The soil should be brought into the house only 7 - 10 days before planting. It will thaw naturally and you can continue working with it.
If you doubt the quality of the soil, it can be further processed. These methods include activities such as fire-roasting in a bucket, roasting in the oven, or steaming.
A day or two before planting, you can prepare containers and pour soil into them. But first, drainage must be provided. The same sand or expanded clay is suitable for it. You need to pour it onto the bottom in a layer of at least 1 cm.
Then add the prepared soil. If you have ash, you can add that too. It is added at the rate of 1 tablespoon per kilogram - one and a half soil. Scatter it on top, and then mix it with your hands directly into the prepared container.
Despite the fact that the land was in the cold, it still needs to be processed further. Mold does not die in the cold, just like some mushrooms. Two days before planting, the soil should be watered with a solution of potassium permanganate. It should be pretty strong. And the day before planting, you can additionally treat the soil with a fungicide.
Immediately before planting, it can be additionally treated, for example, with a product such as Alirin B. It will also combat possible pathogens of rot or fungi. But you don’t have to do this; the two previous stages should be quite enough.
Seed preparation
We have already touched a little on the topic of early, middle and late varieties seeds Choose the variety that suits you for each region. But I would like to advise you to choose among them those that have medium-sized fruits, and the bushes do not grow very tall.
Eggplant seeds take quite a long time to germinate. Therefore, in order to shorten this period, they, like the seeds of other crops, are soaked. Their germination time in this case occurs twice as fast.
But at first, many still soak the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for about 15 minutes.
Many people are concerned about the question of how to soak them correctly? Very simple. And there are several different ways to do this.
1. You need to roll up the gauze in several layers, put the seeds on one half, and simply cover with the other half. Place the gauze in a saucer or small flat plate. And pour some settled water room temperature. The gauze should only be moistened; it does not need to float in water.
Place the saucer in a bag and tie it at the top, but not tightly. There should be enough air left in it, so just tie it at the top with a bow, making sure there is space between the bow and the saucer itself. free place. Place the plate with the seeds in a warm place for 3 days. Make sure the gauze does not dry out every day. It must be constantly wet. At the same time, there should be no water under it.
Thus, at sufficient temperature, with access to oxygen and the presence of moisture, the most favorable conditions are created for the seeds. favorable conditions for germination. And after just 3 days, some of them may “hatch” slightly, that is, the shell will open slightly and a tiny seedling will appear in this place.
2. There is another method in which, when soaking, the seeds can be treated with drugs that stimulate their germination. The same preparations are subsequently watered on the seedlings to stimulate their growth.
Such drugs include Ecopin, Energen, Zircon. Typically they are mixed with a small amount water, for example, for 50 ml of water you need only 1 gram of the drug. Then the seeds are placed in gauze and filled with the prepared solution for 5 - 6 hours. Or you can leave them like this overnight.
3. The seeds are also treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide.
4. For better and faster germination, the seeds are scalded with boiling water. To do this, they need to be placed on gauze and placed in a bowl. Pour in a small stream around the edge of the bowl in small portions. It is advisable not to get on the seeds. You can see how to do this in the video, which will be at the end of the article.
And recently, already processed seeds have appeared on sale. They are processed accordingly by the manufacturer himself. They are very convenient because they can be planted in the ground immediately.
Planting seeds
And so we have everything ready for landing. Before it, about two hours before, we can treat the soil with a special biological preparation “Alirin B”. As mentioned above, it will not only additionally treat the soil from any pathogens, but will also nourish the soil with biologically useful components.
To do this, the soil must be sprayed with a diluted solution (see the instructions for use for how to dilute), then loosen the soil to mix the layers.
Then it will need to be slightly compacted. To do this, use a regular ruler or board. Do not compact too much, just lightly, so that the seeds do not fall into the ground to a great depth.
If you plant in a common die, it is better to make several grooves with a distance of at least 5 - 6 cm. Place the prepared seeds in the grooves with a distance of 1.5 - 2 cm between them. And lightly sprinkle them with earth. Seeds should be planted at a distance of 0.5 - 1 cm.
Place one or two seeds in separate pots. And also sprinkle with earth. Once they have sprouted, the weaker plant can be removed.
Also, recently, many people have been planting seedlings in a “snail”. This is a method in which toilet paper, and the treated seeds are laid out on it. Then they are sprinkled with earth, which should be slightly moistened.
Then roll the entire structure into a snail shape and place it in a small container. Periodically add water to it. The principle is quite simple and we discussed it in detail. In the article you will find a video on this topic.
Spray the soil with a spray bottle. Water in the usual way It is not recommended because a stream of water can deepen the seed and make it very difficult for it to germinate through the soil. It happens that it is for this reason that not all sown seeds germinate.
For more rapid germination The container should be covered with glass, or a plastic bag should be placed on it. At first, put it somewhere warm. Not necessarily on the windowsill. If the house is cool, then before placing the pots in cellophane, wrap them with covering material.
Every day it is necessary to remove the cellophane and ventilate. And also monitor soil moisture. If necessary, spray it with a spray bottle. After about a week, check the plantings every day. As soon as the first shoot appears, the pots should be exposed to light, on a windowsill, or under lamps.
And another planting method that produces very good germination is planting in peat tablets. We have already talked a lot about this method when we planted seeds and seedlings.
IN in this case you can also use it. The method is quite easy and effective.
And don’t forget to sign where you planted which variety. And also write down the planting date to make it easier to navigate and analyze later.
How to care for plant seedlings
While we are waiting for the shoots to emerge, do not forget to ventilate our mini greenhouse. We also water if the soil dries out. As already mentioned, we do this by spraying. In this case, try to use settled water, which will stand at room temperature for 2 - 3 days. Water for irrigation must have a temperature of at least 20 degrees.
The optimal temperature for germination is 24 - 26 degrees. The fastest seedlings may appear in about a week. Well, mostly shoots appear on the 9th, 10th day.
At night, the temperature usually drops, so you can additionally wrap the seedlings with film or covering material. This is especially true for seedlings that stand on the windowsill. If it is quite cold outside, then a blanket or something warm should be placed between the glass and the pots.
Light and temperature
Light is as important to plants as heat. Small seedlings that sprouted in February especially need it. During this month, daylight hours are still very short, and plants need light for at least 12 hours, and preferably 16. Therefore, after the seedlings appear, they need to be provided with this light.
At first, it is better to hang the lamp at a distance of 10 cm from the ground. And if there is no sun outside the window, then it needs to be turned on for the whole day. It’s even better to take some of the time in the evening. You can use both ordinary fluorescent lamps and special lamps, which everyone who plants seedlings currently has or dreams of having.
If during the day the sun pleases us with its light, then the lamps can be turned on only in the evening. And the plants can be turned to the sun, first on one side, then on the other. While they are very small, this can be done. But when the plants grow up, this can only be done selectively, since not all plants like such rearrangements.
If the seedlings have a long, thin, elongated trunk with undeveloped leaves, it means they simply do not have enough space. Or they are very closely planted. In the first case, add lighting to them; in the second case, sort out the seedlings, removing the weakest of them.
Also important criterion plant growth and development has a temperature. To germinate seeds under the film, it should be, let me remind you, 24 - 26 degrees. The same temperature is most optimal for the first 7 days after germination. The temperature can then be lowered a degree or two. And at night it should not be lower than 17 degrees. Keep an eye on this, and your seedlings will thank you.
Watering
To get good seedlings, it is very important not to overwater them. Throughout the entire period of plant growth and development, the soil should be moist. Therefore, it is necessary not to water the plant, but only to moisten it. While the seedlings have not yet appeared, the soil can be sprayed with a spray bottle only if necessary.
After the emergence of seedlings, watering can be done once every 4 - 5 days. At the same time, carefully water only the soil around the seedling. To do this, they most often use a rubber bulb or a syringe without a needle. And water literally droplets, slightly moistening the soil.
When the first leaves appear, you can water less frequently, about once a week. And also quite a bit, for each plant no more than two tablespoons of settled water.
For irrigation, be sure to use water at room temperature, not lower than 20 degrees. And try to defend it for at least 2 - 3 days.
Along with watering, moderate fertilizing can also be done. Again, if necessary.
Picking
Eggplant is a very vulnerable plant, and it does not like interference in this process during its growth and development. And therefore, seedlings are always very difficult to tolerate picking and transplanting. Therefore, if you planted plants in common containers, and you cannot do without picking, then you should do this extremely carefully and carefully.
Don't miss the time when picking seedlings is not so painful. This is done when the plant has its first true leaf. Do not confuse them with cotyledon leaves. There are two of them, they are paired, slightly elongated and narrowed. The real leaf has a more rounded shape and is single.
The soil mixture used is the same as what we prepared in advance in the fall. And we have already talked about this in the corresponding section.
The only thing is that, in addition to ash, you need to add complex granular fertilizer to the soil. It should be added according to the instructions. Approximately 1/3 of a tablespoon should be added to about a bucket of the mixture.
Mix the soil mixture and place it in cups, or small pots, or special cassettes. But it is desirable that their diameter be at least 10 cm, and their height even greater.
Two hours before planting, spray the prepared soil from a spray bottle with a growth regulator diluted in accordance with the instructions. Then do it with a thick stick or screwdriver handle deep holes where we will transplant the seedlings.
Not all plants can be removed from the main die, but left every 10 cm. And all the seedlings that are between them should be carefully removed and planted. You can remove them using a nail file, a fork, or the handle of a spoon. The main thing is to try not to damage the thin roots.
Place the remaining plants in a checkerboard pattern. This way it will be more comfortable for them - both for the roots, and so that sunlight can better reach each of them.
When planting, the stem can be deepened. At this time it is quite thin, and this will make it easier for the seedling to adapt. You can deepen it up to half. Lightly press the earth around it with your finger, but so as not to block the access of air to the roots, that is, very lightly, so that the trunk can hold on well.
If you sow the seeds in small-sized cassettes, then when the seedlings grow in them, they should also be transplanted into pots bigger size. In this case, it is considered that the plant is not transplanted, not picked, but “rolled over”. That is, the contents are taken out entirely with a lump of earth. And the whole thing is transferred into a larger pot. Where to first pour the soil up to half. And after transplanting, add it as much as needed.
Transplanted plants should be watered moderately.
Immediately after picking, try not to place the plants in the sun. It is better to leave them in room light for a day. The air temperature should be no lower than 20 degrees. If the room temperature is lower, then you can cover the seedlings with a thin covering material, especially at night. You can cover them at night for 3-4 days until they get used to the new conditions.
Top dressing
As for feeding, many gardeners believe that until the plant is transplanted into the ground, this procedure is not mandatory. That in the soil itself there is already enough of all the substances necessary for development and growth.
However, sometimes plants do not develop as desired. For example, the leaves of the seedlings are not green enough, the plant itself is rather lethargic and weak. In this case, you can feed them a little. And one of the main ways of such fertilizing is adding wood ash to the soil. To do this, mix a tablespoon of sol in 1 liter of water. Let it sit for a while and then water the plants. Again, quite moderately.
This organic feeding can be done once every two weeks, and in some cases once a week.
Gardeners also use such fertilizer as hydrogen peroxide, stirring it in the same proportions, that is, pour 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide per liter of water. Also water once or twice a week.
Soon, after such procedures, the plants will become more cheerful and strong. Their leaves will turn green and their trunks will become thicker. And the seedling itself will look very positive. And as a result, we will reap an excellent harvest in the summer.
Video about how to grow eggplants from seedlings to harvest
And at the end of the article, I offer you a video to watch, where in a fairly short time a lot of useful knowledge is given on how to grow seedlings and how to get an excellent harvest from them.
This video only partially addresses the issue of planting plants in the ground and caring for them until harvest. And I will have a large article on this topic, where I will try to talk about everything in as much detail as possible. Now it is important to plant seedlings on time and care for them properly.
A lot of work. But she is interesting and very grateful. Therefore, I sincerely wish you success in this.
All the best!
The question of how to properly plant eggplant seedlings is asked by every summer resident. This is due to the fact that eggplants are very demanding on growing conditions. Properly grown seedlings are a guarantee of good yield.
In order to get a good harvest of this vegetable, you need to comply with some requirements:
- Grow quality seedlings.
- Ensure soil fertility.
- Provide good lighting.
- Plant seedlings in open ground in consistently warm weather.
- Observe proper plant care.
How to choose seeds?
In order to choose the right variety of eggplant, you need to take into account climatic conditions. There are varieties that grow well and bear fruit in a particular region.
When choosing, everyone may encounter treated seeds:
- granular;
- inlaid;
- coated.
This means that each grain is treated with special nutritious fertilizers that prevent possible diseases plants and stimulate rapid germination.
If you purchased seeds that could not be processed, you will need to do this procedure yourself. This is done in order to exclude the possibility of infection and reduce the likelihood of disease.
To do this, it will be enough to soak the grains in a solution of 1% potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. At the same time, you should take this procedure seriously so as not to overexpose the seeds, otherwise they will get burned and nothing meaningful will grow from them.
When to sow eggplant seeds for seedlings?
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It’s not enough to know how to properly plant eggplant seedlings. It is important to understand when to do this, so as not to waste time and energy, but to get the desired result.
The time for sowing seeds depends on the variety and climate of the region. For those who are taking up this business for the first time, the information on the packaging of grains can serve as a hint.
The seedlings are ready for planting in open ground at about 60 days. But at the same time, the constant temperature outside by this moment should be at least +20°, and frosts should be excluded at night.
In warm regions, sowing of eggplants begins in the first ten days of March, and in cooler regions, at the end of March or early April.
How to plant seeds to grow seedlings?
The quality of seedlings directly depends on the quality of purchased seeds. If selected good seeds, then you can safely start sowing them. To do this, in order to properly plant eggplant seedlings, you will need:
- containers for seedlings;
- substrate;
- warm water;
- grains;
- film;
The substrate is poured into the seedling container and moistened warm water. Under no circumstances should the soil be compacted, otherwise its porosity will decrease and the seeds may be destroyed. If you place grains at a depth of more than 2 cm, there is a risk that they will not germinate.
Once the soil is moistened, you can begin planting the seeds. You need to make streams in the soil about 1 cm deep, no more. Place seeds in them approximately every 2-3 mm. Sprinkle soil on top, without deepening or pressing down too much, and water again. During secondary watering, you should pay attention to ensure that the stream of water does not wash the grains out of the substrate.
After the eggplant seeds are in the ground and watered with warm water, the containers should be covered with film and placed for germination in a well-lit room where the air temperature is not lower than 25°C.
In the calm mode, the eggplant seedlings remain until they grow 1-1.5 cm above the ground surface. After this, the film is removed and the crucial moment begins, which is proper care.
How to properly care for seedlings?
In order for eggplant seedlings to develop properly and subsequently enjoy a large harvest, you should take the time to care for them while growing them in containers. For good growth seedlings needed:
- maintain the correct temperature;
- ensure sufficient watering of plants;
- Fertilize on time and in the correct dosage;
- make sure there is enough light in the room where the sprouts are kept;
The temperature regime for seedlings that have already sprouted should be lowered from 25° to 16°C. At this air temperature, plants need to be kept for 7-10 days. After 10 days, it is necessary to artificially create conditions that simulate natural ones, under which the temperature during the day will reach 27°, and at night no more than 16°. This approach hardens the plants and prepares them for exposure to external factors. It has been observed that eggplant seedlings grown under such conditions are more resistant to stress and more fertile.
As for watering, you need to be an observer. As soon as it is noticed that upper layer When the soil is dry, it needs to be watered. Watering eggplants is carried out with warm, settled water, the stream of which is directed under the root of the plant, or sprayed using a spray bottle.
How to feed eggplant seedlings?
Feeding eggplant seedlings during the period of growing in containers is carried out twice. The first - with the appearance of the first leaves, and the second - 10 days before planting in open ground. Used for feeding organic fertilizers, or their special complex.
From purchased fertilizers, it would be better to take Plantafol or Master supplements. To make a solution, you need to dilute 10-15g. drug per 10 liters of water.
With proper care of seedlings, after 60 days they are completely ready for independent growth, development and fertility.
Hello, friends.
Today we’ll talk about planting seedlings of our favorite “little blue” eggplants.
Today we will touch on such topics as the time of planting seedlings, popular methods of planting seeds, as well as caring for seedlings before planting them in the ground. We will also recommend eggplant varieties.
From a seed to a seedling ready for planting, we will walk this path with you to get beautiful, healthy plants and so that the harvest in the coming season will please us.
When to plant eggplant seedlings in 2019
Eggplant is a plant that requires a lot of time to grow, develop and bear fruit.
This should be taken into account when planting this wonderful vegetable for seedlings.
In Siberia and Middle lane In Russia, you can start planting mid-season varieties at the beginning of February, and late-season varieties even at the end of January.
However, before you do this, make sure that you can provide your seedlings with good lighting (up to 16 hours a day).
Since the days are still too short at this time of year, there will not be enough light from the window for seedlings.
The seedlings will experience a lack of lighting, stretch out, and have weak immunity. In that case, about good harvest you don't have to think about it.
Use fluorescent lamps or special lamps for plants for additional illumination.
Early varieties of eggplants: Alekseevsky, Behemoth F1, Bibo F1, Valentina F1, King of the North, Kasatka, Quartet, Maksik F1, Gardener's Dream, Lilac Fog, Solaris, Purple Miracle F1, Black Beauty, Nutcracker F1.
From mid-season varieties The most recognized were: Almaz, Swan, Matrosik, Striped flight.
Planting eggplant seedlings according to the lunar calendar 2019
Favorable days for planting eggplants this year. And not only for planting, but also for any other manipulations with this crop, including picking, pinching, planting, etc.
- January – 20, 21, 25, 26, 29 and 30
- February – 18, 21, 22, 25, 26
- March – 1, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30
- April – 18, 21, 22, 25,26, 29
- May – 18, 19, 22, 23, 27, 28
Sowing eggplant seedlings in the traditional way
Let's look at the simplest "grandmother's" method of sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings.
It is very simple and always guarantees good results, tested by time.
Make furrows 0.5-1 cm deep in the soil.
Spread the seeds along the entire furrow. The distance between seeds should not be less than 1 cm. More is possible.
Cover the furrows with soil and moisten the soil well with a spray bottle. This method of moistening prevents the seeds from washing away and sinking into the ground.
When the ground is sufficiently moistened, cover the container with glass or film. Place in a warm place.
The temperature required for germination is 22-25 degrees.
As soon as the shoots appear, we gradually remove the glass, accustoming the seedlings to fresh air.
Sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings in a snail
Another popular way to plant eggplants is to save effort and space. This is sowing seeds into a snail.
A snail is a soil twisted into a substrate into which seeds are planted.
Let's look at the process step by step.
First, prepare the base of the snail. This could be a laminate backing or insulation.
Cut it into ribbons, approximately 12-15 cm thick. The length can be arbitrary, the more seeds you need to plant, the longer.
Prepare the soil for seedlings. Pour it over the tape and press it down a little with your palms. The thickness of the earthen layer should be 1.5-2 cm.
Lay the soil in this way and begin to roll it up so that the soil remains inside.
You should end up with a “snail” like this. We have a shortened version for clarity. Your tape can be longer and the snail from it will turn out to be larger in diameter.
Secure the roll with a rubber band. The earth inside needs to be crushed a little, from above, so that the sides are better visible.
This is convenient to do with your finger or pencil. It is advisable to spill the soil inside with Epin solution (3 drops per 0.5 ml).
Wait until the water saturates the ground well. Using the same pencil, make small depressions in the ground (0.5-1 cm deep), at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other.
Place a seed in each hole. Sprinkle soil on top, but do not press down any further.
There is also an option when we do not make indentations on purpose, but simply place the seeds on the surface of the “snail” and press them with a toothpick to the same depth of 1 cm.
Both of these seeding methods work the same, so choose whichever you prefer.
So, place the finished “snail” with seeds in a tray. Until the seedlings hatch, there is no need to water it anymore.
Cover the “snail” with a bag, creating a greenhouse. Place it in a warm place. When the first shoots appear, provide good lighting.
This should be backlit or a bright place on the window, without access to cold air and drafts.
We remove the greenhouse gradually when all the seeds have sprouted and become a little stronger.
This is a way to get a large number of seedlings in a very small area.
Sow eggplants in boiling water
Fast way quick receipt shoots Planting in boiling water significantly speeds up seed germination.
You will need a plastic greenhouse, soil for seedlings, eggplant seeds and boiling water (not steep, but a few minutes after boiling).
Place the soil in the greenhouse and level it, maintaining a thickness of 3-4 cm. Sprinkle seeds over the entire surface.
You don’t have to scatter them, but lay them out in even rows. Whatever you prefer.
We water the seeds with boiling water, but not too much. So that the earth is moistened, but a swamp does not form.
In this method, we do not bury the seeds; we leave them on the surface.
Cover the greenhouse with a lid and place it in a warm, bright place.
Shoots will appear in 3-4 days. If the seeds are of high quality and fresh, then the germination rate is 100%.
Like this good way, take note.
Eggplants in peat tablets without picking
Planting in peat tablets is easy and convenient. This method also does not require picking, which guarantees the preservation of the roots.
The seedlings grow completely stress-free, strong and healthy. Eggplants do not like picking, so this is very important for them.
But this method It is unlikely to suit you if you need a lot of seedlings.
Before planting you will need: a set of peat tablets in a tray with a lid, 500 ml of water, eggplant seeds.
To prevent diseases, add to irrigation water according to instructions.
You can first remove the side coating from the tablets, if any.
Fill each tablet evenly with water and give them time to soak and swell.
Place a seed in each tablet.
Bury the seeds about 1 cm and cover the top with soil from tablets. Do not tamp tightly.
All that remains is to cover the box with the included lid. Or, if it is not there, then any package will do to create a greenhouse.
We put the tablets in a warm place and wait for shoots.
Sowing eggplants without soil
The landless method is no less popular among gardeners than the others.
How to plant eggplant seedlings without soil in this video:
When to pick eggplants
So, when we used one of the above methods for planting eggplants, we got the first shoots and now we are faced with the question of picking.
If you planted eggplants in a “snail” or peat tablets, you will not need picking.
Because the plant can stay in the “snail” for quite a long time and grow to a decent size, then they are planted in individual glasses.
The same thing happens in peat tablets, the seedling grows and forms a good root system, and then, together with the tablet, it is sent to a larger pot using the transfer method.
Picking is required when sowing was done crowded: traditional way or in boiling water, when a lot of seeds are in some small area and they interfere with each other.
In the phase when the plant has two true leaves, you can begin to dive. To do this, we prepare an individual glass for each seedling.
Convenient to seat in peat pots, with which it is then easy to plant seedlings in the ground.
It is important to remember that when picking eggplants, it is important for us to prevent damage to the roots.
Therefore, if it is possible to dig up a ball of earth along with the plant and pull it out without disturbing the roots, you need to do this.
We carry out all manipulations very carefully. If you damage the root of an eggplant, its growth will be stunted for a long time and it may begin to hurt.
We place the seedlings in cups, bury them down to the cotyledon leaves, while moistening them with warm water. The first few days after picking, the seedlings should be protected from direct sun and shaded.
Overcooling of plants should also be avoided.
Let's look at the most important factors to maintain proper development and growth of eggplant seedlings.
Let's talk about what conditions the seedlings need to create.
Lighting
Eggplant seedlings need intense light for at least 14 hours a day.
For illumination, you can use fluorescent or LED lamps.
Turn the pots from time to time so that the eggplants do not begin to lean towards the light source and grow evenly.
Temperature
The optimal temperature for eggplant seedlings is 20-24 degrees. Protect seedlings from cold and drafts.
Watering
Eggplants cannot tolerate drought, but they won’t forgive you for a swamp either.
Therefore, we water after testing the soil with our finger; if the top layer is dry, then water.
The amount of watering water depends on the size of the seedling: we water very small ones a little, and water the larger ones more heavily.
The water temperature for irrigation should be at least 22 degrees, because... cold water will negatively affect the development of roots and their absorption of nutrients.
Living space
As the seedlings grow, the cups with seedlings need to be moved apart from each other so that there is enough space for everyone.
The leaves should not touch each other. Crowding causes the eggplant to stretch.
Prevention of diseases of eggplant seedlings
Healthy seedlings grown in suitable conditions, as a rule, has good immunity.
She successfully resists viral diseases, and to protect yourself from fungal diseases and pests, use the drugs Fitosporin and Fitoverm according to the instructions.
Feeding eggplant seedlings
We begin to feed the seedlings after two to four true leaves appear, if the plants are planted without picking.
If picking was done, then we feed it 10 days after it. We dilute the first fertilizing more so as not to burn the still tender eggplant roots.
You can feed with complex fertilizers such as: Fertika Lux, Gumi Kuznetsova, Agricola according to the instructions.
If you took prepared store-bought nutrient soil for seedlings, then you may not need fertilizing at all. There is a lot of nutrition in such soils.
Look at the seedlings, if they grow well, have a good stem, and their leaves are green, then you can do without fertilizing.
Do-it-yourself universal fertilizing for eggplants:
For mineral fertilizing for the first time we make a solution: for 1 liter of water we take 1 g of potassium, 1 tsp. wood ash, 0.5 tsp. nitrate and 4 g of superphosphate.
The second time is done organic fertilizer 10 days after the first. To do this, take part 1 chicken manure(in granules or fermented) and 15 parts of water, leave for 1-3 days and water the seedlings.
1 week before planting seedlings in the ground, it is fertilized with superphosphate.
Also, a week before planting seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground, it is advisable to begin hardening.
You can use short-term episodes: for 5-10-15 minutes, take a box of seedlings to a covered loggia or balcony, if you have one.
- When planting, do not compact the soil; it should be moist, loose and breathable.
- The optimal germination temperature is 25-30 degrees
- While the seeds are under film (in the seedling greenhouse), no watering is needed
- The younger the seedlings, the easier it tolerates picking
- When watering, it is better not to top up than to overfill
- Cold is the enemy of eggplant; temperatures below 15 degrees are critical
- A plant suitable for planting has 10 true leaves (age 65-70 days).
- Before planting in the ground, spray with Epin-Extra.
That’s probably all about eggplant seedlings, dear friends. If the article was useful to you, save it to social media, using the buttons below.
