Growing eggplant is a challenging task for both beginners and experienced gardeners. In this article you will learn how to properly grow this vegetable in greenhouse conditions, how to avoid possible problems and get an excellent harvest.

Greenhouse requirements

An excellent greenhouse option for growing eggplants in all respects is a polycarbonate structure. It can protect against low temperatures, provide vegetables with a sufficient level of sunlight, and you can easily construct it yourself. In addition, the material has another advantage - it warms up well in the sun, which helps reduce heating costs.

For additional insulation, sheathing with anti-condensation film can be used.

There is no need to build a high greenhouse for growing eggplants, since these vegetables are not distinguished by large bushes. The best option would be a greenhouse with a height of 1.8-2.5 m.

If you live in the northern regions, it is recommended to install the greenhouse on a foundation that goes approximately 20 cm into the ground. The base of the greenhouse can be either wooden or made of a metal profile. Window windows are necessary in a greenhouse to provide ventilation and temperature regulation.

Disembarkation dates

Young eggplants are planted in the ground only when night frosts stop. This period begins approximately at the end of May-beginning of June, if we consider the middle zone. When growing vegetables in a greenhouse, this all happens earlier due to the presence of shelter, which negates the possibility of young shoots freezing at too low a temperature, and the sun's rays can warm up the walls of the greenhouse, creating optimal conditions for the development of young plants. To plan dates for planting vegetables, it is necessary to take into account the climate of the area and the characteristics of a particular greenhouse.

On the scale of industrial crop production, seedlings are planted from the 15th of February to the first ten days of March. As a rule, at least 65 days pass before the seedlings are transplanted into the ground; therefore, the transfer of plants should be planned in early May. If certain conditions exist, a shift in the timing of sowing and transplantation by 7-10 days is allowed.

If the greenhouses have heating, then it is possible to plant eggplants in the second half of January. In this case, the timing of transplantation shifts from the beginning of May to the first days of April. However, it should be borne in mind that this cultivation technology is quite expensive, so before starting it, the profitability should be calculated.

In the Moscow region and Krasnodar region, eggplant seedlings are planted in greenhouses before May 10-15. In Siberia and the Urals this is done a little later - in the second half of May and sometimes even in early June.

How to plant?

When planting seedlings, the bushes should not be too close to each other. Such planting will contribute to unpleasant consequences: reduced yields and an increased risk of infection with all kinds of fungal diseases. It would be correct to plant 5 plants per square meter of bed when growing in a heated greenhouse and 3 when there is no heating. If the bed is formed in rows, then these intervals must be adhered to:

• between rows – 60-65 cm;
• holes at a distance of 30-35 cm.

Seedlings are placed 15-18 cm deep from the soil surface. To adapt young plants, it is necessary to maintain the correct temperature regime. An indicator of 18-20° is considered optimal.

It would be more expedient to plant varieties with wide bushes, placing the plants in a checkerboard pattern with a distance between holes of 60 cm. Low-growing varieties are usually placed in two rows with an interval between rows of 65 cm and 40-45 cm between the plants themselves in the row.

How to care?

If you properly care for these plants and use the correct watering and fertilizing scheme, then even not the most experienced gardener can grow eggplants.

The main care of eggplants consists of watering, fertilizing, maintaining optimal conditions, preventing and controlling diseases and pests.

Eggplant is a southern plant. Therefore, it is extremely important to maintain temperature conditions. If the air and soil temperatures are too low, the bushes may die. The optimal temperature will be 20-25° when growing seedlings and 17-20° in the future. At night, a decrease to 10-12° is acceptable.

For the proper development of young eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse, it is necessary to provide 12 hours of daylight. In order to ensure this condition, the installation of fluorescent lamps will help. Artificial lighting should be evenly distributed throughout all containers with seedlings.

Excessively abundant watering can lead to the death of plants, so eggplants should be watered sparingly. Watering should be done once every 3-5 days and every other day in hot weather. It is necessary to water the soil itself, not the sprouts.

The agricultural technology of this vegetable crop necessarily includes the use of fertilizers and fertilizing at all stages of growth. For the first time, it is necessary to fertilize when the first shoots appear. It is necessary to choose a fertilizer wisely, since the further development of this vegetable crop largely depends on it.

Many people prefer to use liquid solutions for these purposes, for example, potassium nitrate (used at the rate of 3 g of fertilizer per 1 liter of water). Also a good alternative is an ash solution (prepared at the rate of 200 g of ash per 7 liters of water). “Kemira Lux” is also a good fertilizer (prepared in the proportions of 2 g of product per 1 liter of water). The most important thing when applying fertilizer is not to get it on the plants themselves, so as not to burn them.

The second time, fertilizer should be applied after 3-4 weeks. Such products as “Biohumus”, “Healthy Garden”, “Bioton” have proven themselves well. They do their job perfectly and at the same time are completely safe for vegetable crops. If eggplants do not grow well, then you can use the following products: “Agricola Forte”, “Signor”, ​​“Ideal”. The latter is used to regulate growth.

Eggplants have bisexual flowers, which means they pollinate themselves. But for the most efficient process, you can walk between the beds in the first half of the day and slightly move each plant. You can use a brush for the same purposes.

To increase the yield of eggplants, pinching is used. There are 3 varieties of this procedure - one, two or three stems. And the choice of method depends primarily on the characteristics of the variety being grown. Pinching involves removing excess shoots that take nutrients from the bush and thereby prevent the good development of other fruits.

Pruning is carried out half a month after planting the seedlings in the greenhouse. During the pruning process, the ovaries growing below the main branch are removed. When 4-5 shoots have already formed, you need to pinch the top of the bush. You can also focus on the height of the plant - it should be 25-30 cm. Eggplants of tall varieties may need to be tied up, but their low-growing counterparts do not require this, since they already have a dense and even stem that can hold the plant.

Garter can be done in several ways.

• To the pegs. Many gardeners use exactly this method, placing a massive peg equal to the height of the formed plant to each bush.
• To the trellis. This is the simplest option.
• To the stretched wire. The fastest way. To secure the bushes, a wire is stretched over the row, and a rope is attached to it with a sliding knot, which goes to the bottom of the stem. If another shoot begins to form on the bush, then it should also be tied up.

To maintain the necessary soil moisture, the procedure of mulching the beds has proven itself. It, unlike loosening, does not damage the delicate roots of this vegetable crop.

Possible difficulties

Eggplant is a whimsical and capricious plant, and when growing it, gardeners will face a number of difficulties: it is susceptible to many diseases, the fruits are poorly formed and developed, an attack by insect pests is likely, and much more. One of them may be the folding of leaves. Depending on various factors, this can happen throughout the day or only at specific hours. The following may contribute to this problem:

• the soil is too dry or, conversely, too wet;
• inadequate lighting level;
• insufficient enrichment of the soil with minerals;
• excessive soil salinity;
• action of pests.

If the leaves of eggplant bushes grown in a greenhouse curl, then pay attention to the light conditions. This vegetable crop is demanding in observing the changes in light during the day and night. During the day, use a fairly bright, but not direct light source. Direct rays can damage the plant, so it is better to use soft, diffused light. Since this vegetable crop is a heat-loving plant, do not forget to monitor the temperature. Try to keep the temperature inside the greenhouse at least 25 degrees.

Excessive soil salinization can occur due to insufficient soil moisture. Watering should be done 2 times a week and 4 times in hot weather. Due to excessive soil salinity, the leaves of this vegetable crop can curl into a tube during the daytime and return to normal some time after watering. This happens because due to the evaporation of water, the concentration of salts and potassium in the soil increases. Another reason for this phenomenon may be the abuse of fertilizers, especially those containing salts of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium.

Flushing the soil with a sufficient volume of water can help solve this problem. Like excess, lack of minerals can cause leaves to curl. The vital minerals for this plant are nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. With a phosphorus deficiency, the leaves are directed upward, pressed against the stem. If there is insufficient potassium, the eggplant leaves take on a boat shape, and a brownish border forms at the edges.

If the plant does not receive the required amount of nitrogen, the leaves become lighter in color. Phosphorus deficiency affects not only foliage, but also the process of fruit ripening. Early signs of potassium deficiency are wrinkling of young leaves and brown spots on old ones, which can later lead to complete loss of leaves. In this case, the fruits will not be able to ripen evenly.

Another cause of leaf damage may be spider mite infestation. These insects suck the sap from the plant, which causes it to dry out. To identify this pest, pay attention to the leaves. You can easily see the small webs and the brown insects that live in them.

Preventive measures against mites include regular watering and spraying eggplants with plain water. But if pests do appear, then all sorts of chemicals or folk remedies come into play. Of the latter, a decoction of potato tops, tobacco waste, and garlic tincture have proven themselves to be effective. If you do nothing and let everything take its course, the plant may wither and then die due to a lack of vital substances.

Sometimes it happens that nightshade flowers fall off. This is often due to a lack of boron. However, this problem is easily solved by spraying plants with boron solution. It is prepared in the proportion of 5 grams of product per bucket of water. Boric acid is a fertilizer based on boron - a necessary element for the harmonious development of plants.

You can also apply boron fertilizers to the soil, but this is done no more than once every 3 years. Flowers may also fall off due to irregular watering, fertilizing and short daylight hours.

Harvest and storage

The eggplant harvest occurs during the ripening period. If you go by days, this vegetable is considered ripe 25-40 days after the completion of the flowering stage.

Fruit color is not the most reliable way to determine the level of ripeness, because it takes on a characteristic color long before the vegetable ripens. And the method of pressing on the fruit will help you check the level of ripeness: after pressing on the skin with your finger, a small depression should remain, which will soon quickly smooth out.

It is extremely important not to let the eggplants get too ripe. When overripe, the skin will lighten, lose elasticity, and the vegetable itself will be too tough and acquire a bitter taste. Unripe fruits also do not need to be removed; they, unlike other crops from the nightshade family - tomatoes and peppers, will not be able to ripen on the windowsill, but will only wither and dry out.

Bitterness in the pulp of an eggplant harvested on time may indicate that the plant was not provided with the required amount of liquid and it accumulated a substance that is toxic (if consumed in large quantities) to humans - solanine (a glycoalkaloid).

In order to speed up ripening, you can force the vegetable to use all the nutrients to form the fruit by blocking their flow to the leaves using a cut on the stem, carefully pulled apart with a wooden stick. But this trick will bring the desired result only with tall varieties. Another way to speed up the onset of fruit ripeness is to cover the bushes with film.

Fruits on the same bush reach maturity at different times, so harvesting is carried out selectively. It would be optimal to check every 2-3 days. To cut eggplants, it is convenient to use a well-sharpened knife or pruning shears. When cutting the fruit, do not forget to leave a part of the stalk about 3-5 cm long.

Eggplants do not store as well as, for example, potatoes, but if the proper conditions are met, they can easily remain suitable for consumption for a couple of months.

Before storing eggplants, you must wipe each vegetable with a dry cloth. It is not recommended to wash them, as the protective shell is washed off and such fruits will not remain fresh for very long. Then they are placed in a dark room with a temperature of 0 to +2 degrees. At first, you just need to spread the eggplants in 1-2 layers, and then select the best preserved fruits. They are then wrapped in paper, laid out on straw and covered with thick, breathable fabric. Similarly, eggplants can maintain their freshness for 60-90 days.

It is important to know the following.

• Don’t miss the right moment to plant seedlings; you can’t be late with this task. It is best to plant plants that have reached the age of 2 months; if this is delayed by 15-20 days, then the yield from such bushes is reduced to 25%.
• Due to the delicate root system, which can be easily damaged, this vegetable crop does not tolerate picking. To prevent damage to the roots, you can plant eggplants in peat pots. In this case, there will be no need to replant young plants and there will be no detrimental effect on the root system.
• Growing eggplants and tomatoes together is unacceptable. Despite the fact that they all belong to the same family (like peppers, potatoes and other vegetable crops), it is not desirable to be in proximity to tomatoes. Despite their relationship, eggplants grow very poorly in the same greenhouse as tomatoes. It is also associated with common diseases and pests. It is recommended to place these crops away from each other. This applies not only to adult plants, but also to seedlings.

• As mentioned above, for proper growth and good yield for eggplants, proper watering and fertilizing are of primary importance.
• Loosening the soil has a good effect on the growth and development of eggplants. The most important thing is to loosen the top layers of soil so as not to damage the delicate roots of these plants. This procedure promotes the penetration of oxygen into the soil and improves air microcirculation in it.
• To increase yield, it is necessary to remove excess eggplant branches, since instead of going to the fruit, nutrients are distributed along the shoots. The best option would be to leave 3-5 branches on each bush. It is also necessary to remove dried, wilted, yellowed and curled leaves. After the flowering phase has passed, it is better to prune the shoots located lower down the stem from the flowers.
• It is best to use pruning shears to trim shoots, leaves and collect fruits.

To learn how to grow eggplants in a greenhouse, watch the following video.

Vegetables belong to the nightshade family and their care is typical for representatives of this family (tomatoes, peppers). Comes from the Latin name - eggplant (lat. Solanum melongena).

They love fertile soil, light, warm and moist. They cannot do without water, especially at the beginning of the growing season and during fruit set. It attracts with its appearance due to its decorative leaves and shiny purple fruits.

In a greenhouse, eggplant fruits can be obtained 2-4 weeks earlier

The variety of eggplant varieties is great. Good care provides 10-12 fruits from each plant.

Growing undercover

The greenhouse creates ideal conditions for growing edible heat-loving plants, for those that, due to the climatic conditions of our region, are quite difficult to plant and care for: the plant does not grow in open ground. Culture loves proper care and warmth. The most comfortable temperature for growing is 20-30 degrees, and at temperatures below 15 degrees, eggplant growth is inhibited, flowers and fruit buds are lost.

Temperatures of 0 degrees are lethal for plants. When planting seedlings in a polycarbonate greenhouse, the fruits appear faster and the plants live longer.

Eggplant seedlings for the greenhouse are grown in advance

Seeds are planted in the spring, at a temperature of 20 ° C. When the seedlings grow up, they are transplanted into small pots and allowed to grow a little before planting in the target containers. The fruits are harvested from late summer to early autumn.

Why polycarbonate

High light transmittance and insulation are some of the features that favor polycarbonate. It is readily used as a so-called covering material or for roofing. In addition to large areas, it can be used for dormer windows. The positive properties of polycarbonate include rigidity and dimensional stability when the temperature increases or decreases.

A polycarbonate greenhouse provides the best conditions for all vegetables

Polycarbonate is durable, odorless and provides the necessary light and warmth to greenhouses and conservatories. Guarantees the desired growth of fruits and vegetables.

Growing planting material

Eggplant cultivation begins in early spring, in late February - early March. Germination takes about 2-4 weeks. Seeds are sown in boxes with compost soil. When the first leaves develop, the seedlings are planted in pots with a diameter of at least 8 cm. Planting is carried out carefully and carefully, holding only by the leaves, otherwise the stem can be irreparably damaged. In late spring, the seedlings are transferred to the greenhouse or planted in large, dark containers set inside greenhouses made of high-strength, transparent polycarbonate. On a sunny day, they heat up, causing the temperature inside to be up to 10 degrees higher than the soil temperature. On cold days, unique greenhouses, if they are located outside the greenhouse, are covered with plastic film.

Popular eggplant varieties for greenhouses

When the air temperature warms up to 25 degrees, the greenhouse is opened to allow bees to pollinate the flowers.

When the plant reaches a height of 15 cm, pinch the main stem so that it bushes well. The soil must be fertile and sufficiently moist. Eggplant loves warmth and moisture, so care involves sprinkling the plant with water and feeding it with fertilizers quite often.

Soil preparation

Immediately before planting, the soil must be leveled, moistened and disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate. Two spoons of copper sulfate per 10 liters of warm water. The plants are also fed with a mixture of organic fertilizers: brown peat, sawdust, ash, potassium sulfate.

Eggplants are responsive to organic fertilizers

Dolomite flour helps reduce soil acidity (2 tablespoons per 1 sq. m).

Planting

At the end of May, in the phase of the first 8-9 leaves, and with a plant height of 15-20 cm, the bushes are transplanted into a greenhouse at the age of 75 days, in warmer regions 1-2 weeks. To preserve the root system, seedlings are moved into the ground along with clods of earth. A few hours before planting, water the seedlings so that the soil does not fall off the root system. Planting is only possible if the soil has been heated to 15 ° C.

Leave a distance of 60 cm between rows and 45 cm between bushes.

Growing eggplants in special beds

Ash mixed with soil and 0.5 liters of water are poured into all holes (depth 15 cm). The soil can be mixed with other organic fertilizers in the proportions indicated on the label. Add 5 cm of compost to retain moisture and fertilizer in the soil. After planting, the soil is lightly watered. If it is very hot, the seedlings should be shaded.

When planting in the ground, seedlings are buried deep enough so that the first leaf is at ground level. Before covering with soil, sprinkle with mulch well. A depression is made in the ground near the bushes, which facilitates the absorption of moisture by the roots. When transplanting, you need to be especially careful, since the culture does not tolerate it well.

If planted in well-drained soil, the crop develops well, grows and bears fruit.

Tall varieties of eggplant in a greenhouse are standardized at 1 stem

Garden beds with plenty of fertilizer are ideal for growing eggplants. These plants do not neglect any fertile soil with a pH of 6.3-6.8. Despite the rough, hard leaves, eggplants can withstand high temperatures well. Covering the plant with a large layer of hay, shredded leaves, or other biodegradable material will keep the ground relatively cool and moist and prevent weeds from interfering with the plant's development.

Cultivation conditions

Eggplants are tropical plants with high requirements for light, heat, water and soil. They love soils with a high content of humus, compost and other fertilizers; they grow and bear fruit better under cover, in greenhouses and polycarbonate greenhouses, which provide a favorable microclimate for growing crops.

Eggplants can be irrigated

During plant growth, care consists of regular weeding and watering. It is not recommended to plant eggplants in cold weather; it is better to wait for warm days. During the day, the seedlings should be kept in a sunny place, and taken to the greenhouse at night.

Without water, eggplants will grow small and bitter.

• Maintenance involves providing a constant dose of moisture to keep the soil wet. Drip or hose irrigation is ideal. The water should only be warm.
• Water the first time five days after planting, the second time after seven days. Water must penetrate to a depth of more than twenty centimeters. Care consists of moistening the soil after each loosening and applying potassium-rich fertilizers every 10 days.
• Subsequent watering is carried out 2 times a week, preferably early in the morning. After watering, ventilate the greenhouse.

28°C is the most comfortable temperature for growth and development; at a higher temperature, the plant may die. Two thermometers are installed in the greenhouse, one closer to the ground, the other at half the height of the greenhouse.

Liquid nutrition based on herbal infusion

Feeding is carried out 4 times per season. The first feeding is carried out 2-3 weeks after planting. During this period, the root has time to grow and absorb maximum nutrients from the soil. It is preferable to use special mineral fertilizers and complex fertilizers - ammonium nitrate and superphosphate.

Under the weight of the fruit, the bushes bend and break. To prevent this, they are tied to posts. They dig in at a distance of 2.5-5 cm from the seedlings so as not to interrupt their development and growth, and tie them up at a later time.

Pests and diseases

Small black midges are a real nightmare for eggplants. Despite the numerous small holes in the leaves that midges make, a mature, healthy plant is able to bear fruit without problems. Other pests that attack eggplants may include: aphids, spider mites, thrips, and Colorado potato beetles. The plant is also sensitive to gray rot.

Eggplant pests - leafminer moth (left) and whitefly

What to remember

• The temperature for germination of eggplants is 25-30 ° C, and during cultivation 20-30 ° C. Temperature changes negatively affect the growth and development of plants.
• Eggplants have a long growing season, so seedlings are prepared in advance. Sowing is carried out in February - March. Germination can take up to 4 weeks. You can speed up germination by soaking the seeds in milk overnight before planting.
• Eggplants require fertile and moist soil. The plant must be fed throughout the growing season.
• Eggplants are susceptible to gray rot. They are also loved by black mites and midges, but when cultivated in the ground, these pests are not dangerous.
• They do not like replanting, so replanting must be done very carefully so as not to damage the root system.

Decorative eggplants are delicious and can become a decoration for the balcony.

Purple balcony

If you have a balcony facing south or west, you can plant eggplants in pots with a diameter of 25 cm, lining them along the wall. Purple flowers and purple berries will be a great decoration.

Eggplant is a demanding and heat-loving crop, so in Russian conditions its cultivation in open ground presents certain difficulties. If you have a greenhouse made of good sealed material, for example, polycarbonate, you can grow these capricious vegetables even in the Siberian regions all year round. But in order to reap a decent harvest, you need to follow the rules for selecting eggplant varieties, caring for them, and growing them in a greenhouse. Information on how to properly grow these vegetables in closed ground conditions will be useful for both beginners and experienced gardeners.

Before growing eggplants in a greenhouse, choose the appropriate variety. In this case, take into account several important criteria: ripening time, estimated yield, degree of thermophilicity, requirements for growing conditions: soil, lighting, etc. Preferred varieties are early ripening, with large fruits (these ripen faster). The height of the eggplant bush also matters - the yield of tall plants is always greater. But vigorous-growing eggplants are more demanding to care for - they definitely need to be tied up and the bush formed correctly. Please note that greenhouse varieties are mainly low- and medium-growing, while hybrids, on the contrary, are tall.

According to their ripening time, they are divided into 3 groups:

• early ripening - 3.5 months pass from the moment of planting to harvesting the fruits;
• mid-season - the growing season is 4 months;
• late-ripening - more than 4 months pass from planting to fruit ripening.

There are a sufficient number of varieties of this vegetable suitable for planting indoors. Here are some of the hybrids and varieties for a polycarbonate greenhouse:

When choosing eggplants for growing in a greenhouse, pay attention to several more selection criteria. These are the climate of the area, the type of greenhouse, the resistance of the variety or hybrid to diseases and the desired harvest volume. The selected variety must meet all these requirements as best as possible.

Preparing the greenhouse for growing eggplants

The first phase of growing eggplants in a greenhouse is preliminary soil preparation. This is a very important moment that needs to be given special attention. After all, only in properly prepared soil is this vegetable able to show its full potential.

Start preparing the soil for the next season in the fall:

1. Remove all plant debris.
2. Water the soil generously so that the remaining unused fertilizers go along with the water into its lower layer.
3. Disinfect the soil by pouring boiling water on it or treating it with hot steam.
4. When it dries, dig it up, going at least as deep into the soil as a spade bayonet. Select weed rhizomes from it.
5. At the same time, add manure or humus to the arable layer. By spring, it will saturate the earth with oxygen, make it airy and normalize acidity.
6. Level the soil with a rake.

Do not mix manure with lime or wood ash. These fertilizers cannot be combined, since in this case nitrogen is lost from the manure, and this is its most valuable element. Apply lime fertilizers in the spring before planting seedlings.

Planting seedlings in a greenhouse

If you decide to grow eggplant seedlings with your own hands, start sowing them approximately 70 days before the intended planting. Use peat pots to avoid damaging the roots of young plants when replanting.

Before planting eggplants, dig up the soil again and water it with manganese solution. Then add organic matter or ready-made complex mixtures with a predominance of nitrogen and phosphorus to the soil.

The timing of placing seedlings in the greenhouse depends on:

• weather;
• type of greenhouse (with or without heating).

The main condition for the successful start of the eggplant growing season is the air temperature from +17...+19°C and the soil temperature from +15°C. For different climatic regions, the start time of work will be different. For example, in the Moscow region, such conditions for planting eggplant seedlings approximately occur in mid-May, in the southern regions - in April. But these data are given for unheated greenhouses. In heated areas, seedlings can be planted earlier.

Another important condition for the successful development of eggplants is the correct distance between them. These tropical plants love space, so plant them using a 50 x 60 cm pattern, meaning there should be at least 50 cm between two bushes in a row and 60 cm between rows.

Make shallow holes in the ground, water them, plant plants in them, sprinkle soil on top and compact it a little. It is best not to plant any other vegetables next to eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse, as they do not tolerate anyone’s proximity well. The exception is tomatoes.

Growing and care

Eggplants will grow quickly and bear fruit only if proper agricultural cultivation techniques are followed. Its main stages are: proper planting of seedlings, temperature and humidity control, weed control, disease and pest control. Growing eggplants in a greenhouse will be successful only if all the necessary conditions are properly organized.

Temperature

When growing eggplants in a greenhouse, it is important to pay attention to the air temperature. Maintain it within +25...+28°C and do not allow it to fall below +14°C or rise above +34°C - at this temperature eggplants will not grow well. To monitor the temperature in the greenhouse, buy 2 thermometers and place one at soil level and the other at the tops of the plants. Adjust the temperature according to their readings: open or close doors, sprinkle paths with water, whiten the roof with lime on the hottest days to prevent plants from getting sunburned.

Equally important when caring for eggplants is soil and air moisture. Eggplants love moisture in the soil, but do not tolerate it in the air (maximum 70%). Therefore, water your plants in the morning, then cover the ground near them with hay or straw and immediately ventilate the structure.

Carry out the first watering 5 days after planting the bushes. Pour water under the roots in such a volume that it saturates approximately a 20-centimeter layer of soil. Be careful not to let the liquid get on the leaves. When the soil is slightly dry, loosen it slightly.

Next, water the plants moderately so as not to over-moisten the soil (about 2 times a week). In too damp soil they will produce small and not very tasty fruits. The water should always be warm, settled and heated in the sun, but not hot. Cold water should also not be used.

Loosening

Loosening is another prerequisite for proper care of eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse. Vegetables will not grow in heavy soil without access to air. Do not forget to loosen the beds the next day after the next watering to make the soil light and airy. At the same time, try not to go too deep so as not to touch the roots of the plants.

Feeding eggplants

In the care and cultivation of eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse, fertilizing plays a very important role, because it is impossible to get a decent harvest of fruits in poor, unfertilized soil. Apply the first feeding 2 weeks after planting. Prepare the Azofoska solution: dissolve 3 tbsp in 1 bucket of water. l. fertilizers Pour 0.5 liters of liquid under each eggplant.

When the ovary appears on the eggplant bushes, feed them with organic matter: pour mullein infusion in a ratio of 1 to 10. As the fruit grows, carry out 1-3 more such feedings. It is important not to overdo it here, since oversaturation of the soil with nitrogen leads to the accumulation of nitrates in plants, their overgrowth and poor quality of fruits.

Formation of bushes and garter

The next stage of caring for eggplants in a greenhouse, which cannot be avoided, is the formation and tying of bushes. After all, if you leave mature bushes lying on the ground, then the ripening fruits can quickly rot, and you will not get a harvest. This is especially true for tall varieties. Forming eggplants in a greenhouse can be done in 3 different ways:

1. Place a long stick in the center of a group of 4 grown eggplants and tie them to it with twine. This method is suitable for low and medium-growing varieties.
2. Remove all growing stepsons, leaving only the central stem. Tie it with twine and tie it to a support.
3. Pinch the growing point and leave 2-3 of the strongest branches on the bush and remove the rest. Tie them to the trellis too.

Also remove all drying and yellowing leaves and deformed fruits from the bushes. Continue formation until the end of the growing season and harvest. Cut stems, shoots, leaves and fruits with a knife or pruning shears, rather than tearing them off with your hands.

Prevention of diseases and pests

Eggplants, like all nightshades, can suffer from late blight, anthracnose, rot, and tobacco mosaic. These diseases especially often affect them in greenhouses, which is facilitated by a sharp change in temperature, insufficient ventilation of the bushes, and moisture getting on the leaves.

To prevent diseases or pests from interfering with the development of the bushes, monitor the health of your eggplant plantings. To do this, in the spring, disinfect the walls of the greenhouse and the equipment with which you will care for the eggplants in the greenhouse with bleach, copper sulfate or formaldehyde. While the plants are growing, sprinkle the beds with mustard powder or black pepper, and spray the plants themselves with tobacco or garlic tincture. The most suitable preparations for treating bushes in a greenhouse are Fitosporin and Zircon.

Thanks to such a useful invention as the greenhouse, the area for cultivating eggplants seems to be limited only by permafrost. Having grown strong seedlings, all that remains is to transplant them into the garden bed in time, do not forget to water, fertilize, and protect from diseases. But these are small things compared to the luxurious harvest of exotic vegetables that will result.

Eggplants start as seedlings

Eggplants are such heat-loving plants that they are planted in a permanent place only in seedlings, both in open ground and in a greenhouse. It is convenient to sow seeds in ready-made bagged soil enriched with the necessary additives. Before sowing, the seeds are soaked in a biostimulant (Zircon, Energen, Baikal Em, Epin), sown in cassettes with soil or boxes to a depth of 0.5–1 cm, and lightly compacted. Before emergence - this will take approximately 2 weeks - the containers are kept under film at a temperature of +25–28 °C.

Soaking eggplant seeds in a biostimulant before sowing improves germination

When most of the seeds germinate, the containers are moved to a well-lit place, and the temperature is reduced to approximately +20–23 °C. To the credit of eggplants, with some lack of light they do not stretch like, for example, tomatoes, but additional lighting will benefit them. When the first true leaf appears, the seedlings from the box are picked (transplanted) into separate cups or peat pots.

On a note. To reduce stress, plants are sprayed with Epin-extra and Zircon on the eve of picking.

After 1–2 true leaves appear, eggplant seedlings are plucked

1. Before picking, the soil is slightly dried, since it was a ready-made soil mixture, it remains quite loose.
2. The sprouts are scooped up with a rounded-edged tablespoon, moving from the side of the box. Semi-dry soil is light, does not stick together the earth ball, so the hanging roots do not become heavier and do not break off.
3. The plant seems to be “poured” from a spoon into a glass half filled with soil.
4. If the root lobe is too large for a glass, lift the sprout, holding it by the stem, and lay the roots in a spiral in a circular motion.
5. The glass is filled with soil, which is compacted and watered.

During 2.5 months of “pot” life, the seedlings are fed twice to choose from:

• ready-made complex fertilizer (Lux, Orton, Gumi-Omi, Lignohumate Joy);
• a self-prepared complex of 3 g of superphosphate and 1 g of urea or 4 g of Nitrophoska, dissolved in 1 liter of water;
• infusion of ash (1 glass of ash is infused overnight in 1 liter of boiling water, filtered, diluted in 10 liters of water), 20 g of infusion is poured under the plant.

The first time fertilizer is applied 20 days after picking. For seedlings sown in cassettes or cups, the feeding time is counted from the appearance of the first leaf. The second feeding is 20 days after the first. About 2 weeks before planting in a permanent place, eggplants are hardened by ventilating the room at an outside temperature of 12–15 °C. The finished seedlings have thick stems with 5–7 leaves, reach a height of 10–12 cm, and the roots completely entangle the earthen ball.

Strong eggplant seedlings will withstand transplantation better and adapt faster to the greenhouse

When to plant eggplants in a greenhouse

Eggplant seedlings for planting in a greenhouse should be 70–75 days old. The timing of planting on greenhouse beds is calculated according to the opposite. First, determine the time period when the region (region, city, village) becomes warm and the threat of return frosts passes. From this approximate time, the age of the seedlings is counted back. For example, stable warmth occurs at the end of May. The following equation is obtained: May 25–29 (end of frost) - 70–75 days (seedling age) = March 15–19, i.e. eggplants are sown in mid-March. In each region, dates vary depending on climatic conditions. It should be warm enough outside that, regardless of any temperature fluctuations, the temperature in the greenhouse remains +15 °C, and the soil warms up by about 20 cm.

Eggplants are planted in the ground only after stable warm weather has established.

Add a handful of wood ash to the hole, mixing it with soil, pour in 1.5 liters of warm water or a pale solution of potassium permanganate (optional). When planting, eggplants are not buried, sprinkled with soil up to the cotyledon leaves, and pressed with soil. If, after planting, dry, hot weather sets in, the seedlings are shaded with agrofibre and polyethylene until they are fully established. As for watering seedlings, many gardeners advise watering the hole before and after planting.

For information. Some practicing gardeners use the so-called Korean method of planting seedlings. Its essence lies in the fact that plants are planted in beds that have been watered the day before and are not watered for a day or two after that. This is explained by the fact that the earth remains looser and it is easier for the roots to spread out in such conditions.

Wood ash enriches the soil with potassium, which has a beneficial effect on eggplant seedlings

Comfort zone or planting pattern

Eggplant leaves are very large, the plants provide continuous shade, especially varieties with spreading bushes. Therefore, when the plantings are dense, the seedlings are sorely lacking in light and the ventilation between them is disrupted. 45–50 cm are left between adjacent plants in a row. If the bed is designed for 2 rows, the seedlings are planted in a checkerboard pattern with a row spacing of 60 cm.

Good and bad neighbors

If the agricultural technology of different crops is the same, and the pests are different, they will not oppress each other. The best neighbors for eggplants are:

• sweet peppers, because the tastes of both crops in terms of humidity, watering, time of application and frequency of fertilizing coincide. If the beds are located nearby, a distance of 70 cm is maintained between them;
• greens - basil, spinach, onions, lettuce, radishes;
• Chinese cabbage;
• legumes

The close proximity of hot peppers can negatively affect the taste of eggplant fruits. It is undesirable to place beds with tomatoes next to them, because dry air is harmful to them (tomatoes) during the flowering period and the formation of ovaries, as well as during the ripening of fruits. Eggplants will feel uncomfortable next to cucumbers, because cucumbers not only need a lot of water, but also love a humid atmosphere around them.

How to grow vegetables in a greenhouse

It is still possible to create the most comfortable conditions for antagonist cultures (opponents) in a limited area. For example, a couple of eggplants and cucumbers are planted against opposite walls of the greenhouse. Blue ones will do well on the south side, and cucumbers will do well on the north side. If you also need to plant tomatoes, they are separated from the eggplants by a row of cucumbers.

The proximity of eggplants to antagonist crops in the same greenhouse is possible when placing them in different zones

If possible, the greenhouse space is zoned using film, hanging it along the bed. If the greenhouse has 2 doors, the film is hung across - moisture-loving tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage are planted on one half, and eggplants, peppers and herbs are planted on the other.

Video: planting eggplants in the ground

Growing eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse

The honeycomb structure of polycarbonate seems to be specially designed for greenhouses for heat-loving crops. The air layer conserves heat, transparent sheets allow light to pass through, and the internal coating of some samples prevents the formation of condensation. The material is light and can be processed, so you can make a greenhouse yourself.

The thicker the polycarbonate sheets, the better they retain heat, therefore, fruiting is prolonged.

A polycarbonate greenhouse is ideal for growing eggplants

Greenhouse preparation

Agricultural work is completed, the harvest has been harvested - it’s time to prepare the greenhouse for next spring. Consumables in the form of stakes, garters - cords, ropes, utility furniture, containers, and equipment are removed from the room. They do not leave old things for storage, organic remains (tops, spoiled fruits) - anything inside or under which fungi, harmful bacteria, pest larvae, etc. find refuge. Periodically check the safety of the coating and supporting structure. In spring, wash the walls and ceiling with any neutral product, such as laundry soap. After outbreaks of diseases, the inside of the structure is treated with a steam generator or bleach, which is washed off with clean water. After drying, the object is ready for use.

Disinfection

Treatment of a greenhouse with sulfur bombs is carried out as a last resort, because their repeated use has a detrimental effect on the polycarbonate coating.

Disinfection is carried out if:

• crops with common pests and diseases were grown for several seasons in a row;
• an epiphytoty (the same as an epidemic in humans) of fungal and bacterial diseases was observed nearby;
• insecticides did not help;
• A difficult-to-remove spider mite was spotted.

The work is carried out at the end of the current season around the end of September or in the spring 2 weeks before planting the seedlings. The air temperature during processing should be +10 °C. In the spring, if the groundwater is high, wait until the ground dries to a depth of 10 cm. Otherwise, sulfurous acid penetrates deep into the soil and destroys beneficial bacteria.

Gas disinfection with sulfur bombs is used infrequently, as it destroys the greenhouse coating

For gas disinfection, sulfur bombs are used, which consist of tablets with wicks. The instructions for the checker describe the method of its use and dosage. For example, one 300-gram “Climate” block is enough to treat a greenhouse with a volume of 20 m 3 . After disinfection, the beds are watered with solutions of biological products prepared according to instructions: Emochka, Organic-Balance, from the BakSib K series - Baikal EM-1, Siyanie.

Important! They light sulfur bombs while wearing a gas mask, then leave the greenhouse, leaving the windows and doors tightly closed.

Soil disinfection

If greenhouse soil is contaminated with late blight, nematodes, clubroot, or rot, it is disinfected. The most gentle disinfection methods include:

• watering - with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water), a fungicide (Aktara, Fundazol) or a microbiological preparation, for example, Fitosporin;
• heat treatment - using a steam cleaner, the internal walls and supporting structures are treated; pour boiling water over it and cover the ground with film (it helps against clubroot and late blight). Unfortunately, beneficial microorganisms die along with the eggs and larvae of pests, so after treatment, the beds are watered with biological products and the soil is “diluted” with humus;
• freezing - remove the top layer of soil about 30 cm, pour it into bags that are stored outside all winter;
• a natural method (conditional name), which uses environmentally friendly ingredients - sawdust or manure plus biological products. In the fall, before digging, 4–5 kg of manure or rotted sawdust is added to each square, watered with a solution of a biological product prepared according to the instructions, and covered with several layers of film. The soil is enriched with beneficial bacteria, and most fungal spores die.

Treatment of the internal walls of the greenhouse - prevention of the spread of soil diseases

After all the activities, before planting, 2 ½ or ¾ buckets of brown lowland peat, 1 cup of ash and 1 tbsp. are added to the ground per 1 m2. l. potassium sulfate. If there is not enough fertilizer to scatter over the bed, they are applied to the hole. Heavy loam in the beds is generously seasoned with compost and rotted manure at the rate of 10 kg per 1 m2.

Caring for eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse

The microclimate in the limited space of the greenhouse is specific: the air stagnates and overheats, high humidity, condensation forms on the inner surface. Since eggplants need abundant watering, a lot of light, heat and a minimum of moisture in the air (up to 70%), there are still some peculiarities in agricultural technology.

How to maintain a comfortable temperature

Pollination and formation of eggplant ovaries occurs at an average temperature of +25–28 °C, plus or minus a few degrees. At +15 °C and below, eggplant development stops, and above +34–35 °C, pollination and formation of ovaries stops. Temperature control is carried out using two thermometers - closer to the ceiling and in the ground. To make the room cooler, it is ventilated by opening transoms and windows, and only on one side, because drafts are contraindicated for eggplants. If the greenhouse has two entrances located opposite each other, do not open both doors at the same time to avoid turbulence. This phenomenon is known to everyone who has ever been in a walk-through yard - random air currents tear hair, raise dust and debris from the ground. In a ventilated room, normal air humidity is maintained and there is no condensation, which leaves cloudy stains on the walls or drips from the ceiling onto the eggplant beds.

In a greenhouse, sharp gusts of wind threaten to knock down a plant or break stems or leaves.

There are several other ways to reduce the temperature in the greenhouse, especially in calm weather. Some of them seem strange, but in practice they give good results:

1. Watering the paths between the beds. Energy is spent on evaporation of moisture and it becomes cooler.
2. The outside of the greenhouse is sprayed with chalk, which is then washed off with water from a hose.
3. If the greenhouse is not high, cover it with lutrasil, spunbond, a special shading mesh or ordinary white fabric. Sunlight is dispersed and does not oppress plants. The edges of the fabric are attached with clothespins to the ends of the greenhouse or weighted with slats.
4. In a room with a high arch, an additional frame is installed above the beds, onto which the same covering material is stretched.
5. If the greenhouse is oriented from south to north and the woven covering does not help, the southern end is covered from top to bottom with sheets of cardboard about halfway. It is enough to determine which plants growing closer to the end are exposed to the hot rays. In lean-to greenhouses located from west to east, the southern wall is partially covered with cardboard.

Photo gallery: ways to protect a greenhouse from the sun

A shading agro-net for a greenhouse protects from the bright sun. Partial shading with an agro-net disperses sunlight inside the greenhouse. If the greenhouse is high, a lutrasil canopy is installed under the roof of the greenhouse

Watering

Tap water is not suitable for irrigation at all; it is better if it is settled and warm - approximately +25 °C. Cold water - tap water, and especially well water or from a well - is not absorbed by plants; they experience a kind of shock. A trolley, plastic containers, a children's pool, or a dug tank are suitable for this purpose. Water should wet the ground to a depth of 20 cm, where most of the roots are located. They try to leave the plants dry, because eggplant leaves are covered with small hairs and water droplets do not roll off, and excess dampness is a paradise for fungus. It is convenient to water from a watering can with a long spout, a bucket under the root, and a drip irrigation system is simply an ideal option.

The drip irrigation system in the greenhouse is optimal for eggplants

A sharp temperature contrast between water and soil plus some stagnation of air contributes to the disease of plants and fruits with gray mold, fusarium, late blight, and the appearance of spider mites.

Water and fertilize eggplants in the morning. During the day, the soil dries out enough to allow the crust on the surface to be broken down in the afternoon. Loosen the soil no deeper than 3–5 cm, so as not to tear the roots, which are located close to the surface. Loosening prevents the evaporation of moisture from the soil, which is why this procedure is also called “dry watering.” Mulching the beds with straw, old sawdust, cardboard, peat, grass without spikelets, and humus will help reduce the amount of loosening and weeding. Thanks to morning watering, the air in a closed greenhouse space maintains optimal humidity, which is extremely important for eggplant.

Watering schedule:

• after planting - 4–6 days, when the seedlings have taken root;
• during the period of growth, flowering and fruit formation - once a week;
• during fruiting - twice a week, and even more often in hot weather.

A watering can with a long spout is convenient for watering eggplants at the root

Feeding

During the season, eggplants are fertilized 3-4 times. Do not forget that a large amount of organic matter fattens the plant, so priority is given to complex fertilizers. When the fruits set, eggplant needs potassium. If flowering leaves much to be desired, the plant is sprayed with boric acid (1 g per 5 liters of hot water).

Approximate feeding scheme:

1. The first time is 2–3 weeks after planting the seedlings. Use ready-made complex fertilizer (Kemira, Agricola, Gumi-Omi, Mortar) or Nitroammofoska (3 tablespoons per 10 liters of water, 0.5 liters each) at the root.
2. The beginning of flowering, the appearance of buds - take a complex fertilizer or mixture: for 10 liters of warm water, potassium chloride + 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 50 g of superphosphate. Apply 0.5 liters to the bush.
3. When forming ovaries - nitrogen-phosphorus (superphosphate and ammonium nitrate, 1 tbsp per bucket of water) or mullein 1:10, 0.5 l per bush.

Agricola complex fertilizer increases the resistance of eggplants to fungal diseases

Do not forget about folk recipes, such as green fertilizer made from fermented grass (nettle has no competition here) and based on yeast. To prepare it, dissolve 100 g of fresh yeast and 2 tbsp in a bucket of warm water. l. Sahara. The fermentation process takes place within 3 hours, after which the solution is ready for use. Dosage: 250 ml per bush.

Green fertilizer from fresh nettle increases productivity

Formation of eggplants after planting in a greenhouse

Low-growing varieties do not need to be formed; nature took care of this itself. Dried leaves and damaged fruits are removed from them. Medium and tall eggplants are tied to trellises so that the shoots do not break under the weight of the fruit. Formation is carried out 2 weeks after transplanting the eggplants into the greenhouse. Weak plants form 1–2 weeks later.

In one stem

This formation is used for dense plantings, in which the usable area is used to the maximum if low-growing varieties or greens are planted nearby. It turns out to be a multi-tiered bed. Forming into one stem helps to “stretch” a weak plant. The absence of side shoots does not take away nutrition from the main stem, which has a positive effect on its growth and the quality of the fruit.

How to form into one stem:

1. All side shoots and ovaries are removed up to the 3rd or 4th leaf.
2. At the level of the 6th–8th leaf, the stepsons are pinched and half of the ovaries are left.
3. From the 10th leaf and above, a leaf with an ovary is determined, above which the side branches are pinched.
4. Above the 10th leaf, shoots with an ovary are left on two leaves, at the top - on three.

How to form two stems

When the eggplant reaches a height of 30–35 cm, pinch off its top, which stimulates the active growth of side shoots. A fork of two strong shoots is left, and the leaves, stepsons (side shoots), and ovaries growing below are removed. On the remaining shoots, the stepsons and some of the ovaries are removed. For example, from an inflorescence consisting of 5 flowers, 3 are removed.

How to create a bush with several stems

As in the previous case, pinch the top of a plant 30–35 cm high, leave a fork in the shoots, freeing the lower part of the stem from vegetation. On each shoot fork, leave one stepson, pinching the rest after the second leaf. The ovaries are not touched. With each new branch the procedure is repeated. A month before harvesting, the top shoots (growth points) are pinched so that all the fruits have time to ripen.

The formation of eggplant bushes is carried out only for medium and tall varieties

Features of growing greenhouse eggplants in the regions

The further from the southern fertile regions, the more popular early ripening varieties are. The agricultural technology of the little blue ones is the same for any region, the main difference is the timing of sowing the seeds and planting the seedlings in the greenhouse.

Greenhouses near Moscow

In the region, it is customary to plant seedlings in an unheated greenhouse at the end of May. The following varieties received good reviews among local gardeners:

• Bagheera - can be stored for a long time without compromising quality, the fruit weighs up to 350 g;
• Balagur - medium-sized, not damaged by root rot;
• Sophia - mid-season, few thorns, fruits are not bitter;
• Epic is an early fruit, resistant to the tobacco mosaic virus, the taste of the fruit is incomparable.

The little eggplant secret is to water them after August. At this time, the contrast between hot days and the temperature of the earth, which does not have time to warm up, increases. Watering from the afternoon or very early time is postponed to approximately 10 am with mandatory ventilation.

The pulp of eggplants of the Bagheera variety does not have a bitter aftertaste

Siberian eggplants

The following varieties have become truly Siberian:

• Swan - yellowish fruits, with a unique yield - up to 18 kg per 1 m 2;
• Matrosik - resistant to mosaic, without bitterness;

Swan eggplants have an unusual color

Specifics of Ural eggplants

Although in the Urals eggplants are grown both in greenhouses and in open ground, the first method is preferable. Popular varieties in the region include Rotunda, Donetsk Harvest, Delikates Gribovsky-752, and Dwarf Early-921 (the growing season is only 85–95 days). The threat of return frosts passes only at the beginning of summer, so around June 10–12, the seedlings can be transplanted into the greenhouse. If the weather is favorable, in the twentieth of July the first fruits are already harvested in the greenhouse; an average of 4–8 kg per 1 m2 comes out. For comparison, eggplants in open ground begin to ripen only in mid-August.

Eggplant variety Dwarf Early-921 has good yield and disease resistance

Precision is not only the politeness of kings, but also of a real gardener. Agrotechnical techniques carried out exactly on time will be the key to a good harvest. Growing eggplants in a greenhouse is similar to growing them in open ground. The undeniable advantages of greenhouse cultivation are protection from bad weather and prolongation of fruiting.

Eggplant is a plant of the Solanaceae genus that produces tasty and juicy fruits. They are collected and eaten when somewhat immature. The ripe eggplant fruit has a gray-green or yellowish color, but is harvested when the skin of the fruit turns purple.

In warm climates it is grown in open ground, but in those regions not spoiled by heat, eggplants are planted only in greenhouses. This is one of the most capricious and demanding crops in terms of growing conditions.

Eggplant is a plant that is grown in seedlings. It will not be possible to grow it in open ground or even in a greenhouse “from scratch,” that is, from seeds. However, even when cultivating eggplants in seedlings, you have to work a lot with them. An important role is played by the correct preparation of seeds for seedlings, as well as the selection and preparation of the soil in which they will sprout.

First of all, you should take care of preparing the seeds for planting. Note that most manufacturers offer seeds that have undergone all processing and are fully prepared. But if you decide to save some money and buy untreated, then carry out this procedure yourself - it will increase germination and allow you to destroy possible pathogens that have settled on the seeds.

Step 1. Open the bag of seeds and sort them. Throw away damaged specimens, leaving only the most beautiful and neat ones, with a characteristic shape and color.

Step 2. Check the seeds for germination. To do this, take a few pieces, soak them in plain water for 10-12 hours and wrap them in a damp cloth. Place the package in a warm place. After 4-5 days, check the seeds - if at least half of them have begun to hatch, then they are perfect for sowing.

Step 3. Dilute a weak solution of potassium permanganate (1%) and place the selected seeds in it for 20-25 minutes.

On a note! You can also soak the seeds in a solution of hydrogen peroxide. Dilute about 3 ml of this substance in 100 g of water, heat it a little on the stove (to about 40 degrees) and place the seeds in the resulting liquid. Soak them in it for about 10 minutes.

Step 4. Rinse the seeds with water at room temperature, or boiled.

Step 5. Place eggplant seeds in a solution of a growth stimulant substance, diluted in accordance with the instructions for the drug. This could be “Kornevin”, “Zircon” or any other product.

On a note! Stratification (hardening of seeds by changing the temperature regime) is not necessary for crops such as eggplants.

By the way, when choosing seeds, make sure that they are not old. Good germination is observed only in specimens collected no later than 3 years ago.

It is also very important to carefully consider the soil in which the seedlings will be grown. It makes no sense to plant eggplants in the first soil you come across - they may simply not sprout.

On a note! The optimal soil for eggplant seedlings is leafy, turfy soil mixed with peat and vermiculite (1:1:1) or humus, sand and turfy soil (1:1:2). In the latter case, it would be a good idea to add a couple of glasses of ordinary ash to 10 liters of such soil.

Prices for eggplant seeds of different varieties

eggplant seeds

Preparing soil for seedlings

Step 2. Swipe. The easiest way is to bake it in the oven at a temperature of about 40 degrees for 30 minutes. You can also steam it for a couple of hours in a water bath and freeze it thoroughly, leaving it on the balcony or garden.

Step 3. In the latter case, about a month before planting the seedlings, bring the soil into a warm room, mix it with sand or vermiculite and take it back outside.

Advice! If your soil is wintering outside, do not forget to cover it with a lid so that precipitation containing various foreign substances does not fall on it.

By the way, the soil for eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse is prepared in the fall. The first stages are no different from the standard one: all garbage is removed and burned, then the soil is spilled a couple of times with ordinary water, the room and the soil itself are disinfected.

Table. Disinfection of soil in a greenhouse for eggplants.

On a note! In the spring, the soil cultivated in the fall in the greenhouse for eggplants does not need to be dug up again - just loosen it. The exception is loamy soil.

In order for eggplants to grow well in the summer, the soil in the greenhouse for them should be well fertilized in the fall. The culture responds well to organic fertilizers. You can add manure, compost, peat or other organic matter to the soil - the eggplant will be happy with everything. Consumption - a little more than half a bucket per 1 m2. Fertilizer is applied and incorporated to the depth of the arable layer.

Hall can be applied as a mineral fertilizer - about 1 cup per 1 m2.

To reduce the acidity of the soil, and at the same time enrich it with magnesium necessary for eggplant, it is sprinkled with dolomite flour. Consumption - only 2 tbsp. l. per 1 m 2.

Prices for dolomite flour

dolomite flour

Dates for sowing eggplants

To be successful in growing eggplants in a greenhouse, you should adhere to the timing of sowing and planting seeds and seedlings of this crop. So, seeds for seedlings are planted in the soil around the end of February or beginning of March. And grown plants are moved into the ground only when the threat of frost has passed. From the moment of sowing the seeds until planting in the soil, the seedlings are in warm conditions for about 80-100 days. The average period of fruit ripening after moving eggplants to a polycarbonate greenhouse is about 110-120 days.

We grow seedlings

So, the soil is prepared, the seeds have undergone the necessary processing and are ready for planting. All that remains is to germinate them, wrapping them in a damp cloth for several days (the same way you checked germination). Then you can get to work.

Step 1. Take care of the container for seedlings. Rinse the boxes or cups thoroughly to prevent the plants from becoming infected with pathogens.

Step 2. After this, fill the containers with the prepared soil and lightly moisten it.

Step 3. Place the germinated eggplant seeds in the soil to a depth of about 5 mm at a distance of about 10 cm from each other if the seedlings are planted in boxes. Of course, it is more convenient to immediately sow seeds in cups at the rate of 1 piece. per container.

Step 4. Sprinkle the seeds lightly with soil or sand (about 2 cm thick).

Step 5. Cover the containers with film and place in a bright and warm place. The soil/air temperature should be maintained quite high - not lower than +23 degrees (for grown seedlings, the optimal temperature would be +16 degrees). Every day, open the film for 10 minutes so that the seeds can “breathe.”

On a note! Eggplants require long daylight hours - about 10-12 hours, so they should be additionally illuminated with a lamp.

Step 6. Water the seedlings once every 6 days. Eggplant seeds germinate in about 12-15 days. After this, the frequency of watering can be increased to 2 times a week.

Advice! A couple of times during the entire growing period, feed eggplant seedlings with tincture with eggshells.

Step 7 If you grew seedlings in a box, then over time they will require picking, that is, planting in separate containers with a volume of about 800 cm 3. Picking is done when each plant has 3 true leaves. Before picking, water the seedlings well.

Advice! Do not use peat pots. Eggplants need good watering after picking, and such containers quickly become limp.

Step 8 Carefully remove the seedlings and place them in containers filled with soil. Lightly pinch the main root - this will help the root system to form correctly.

Step 9 Water the seedlings well. The picking is completed.

Step 10 Picking is stressful for plants, so give them a couple of days to rest in a warm but lightly shaded place.

Before planting seedlings in a greenhouse, harden them. It begins approximately 2 weeks before disembarkation. Polycarbonate greenhouses retain heat quite well, which means that after some time the seedlings can be moved out of the house. But do not plant them in the ground, but place pots of seedlings around the greenhouse. This will help the plants harden off.

Video - How to sow eggplants

Planting seedlings in a greenhouse

When the seedlings grow up and the weather is warm outside, it’s time to plant young eggplants in the greenhouse. The air temperature in the greenhouse must be at least 18 degrees so that the plants do not die.

Step 1. Level the soil in the bed and make holes for plants about 15 cm deep at a distance of at least 0.6 m between rows and at least 30 cm between bushes in the same row. You should get no more than 5 plants per 1 m2. It is best to plant them in a checkerboard pattern.

Attention! Dense plantings can negatively affect the quality of the crop. Eggplant bushes are quite lush and spreading.

Step 2. Fill the holes with water with a small amount of potassium permanganate added. You can also use regular clean water (about 2 liters per one). You can add a little ash to the hole - about 1/2 cup.

Step 3. Carefully remove the seedlings from the pots and place them in the holes, without deepening them too much (maximum 1 cm deeper than the seedling pot was).

Step 4. Compact the soil, once again water the hole and the plant to the very root.

By the way, eggplants are extremely capricious towards neighboring plants, so be careful about what crops will grow next to them. They can be planted together with tomatoes, melons, onions, and beans.

Eggplant care

In order for the eggplant harvest to be good, it is important to create favorable living conditions for the plants. This culture reacts very sharply to temperature, humidity, watering and other factors.

1. As soon as you plant the seedlings, do not disturb them for about 20 days - this time is necessary for the plants to adapt to new conditions. During this period, shade the plant and avoid situations where drafts are created in the greenhouse.

2. The ideal temperature in a greenhouse for eggplants is no more than +28 degrees. Therefore, in hot weather, ventilate the greenhouse, but it should always be closed at night.

Attention! At a temperature of only +15 degrees, eggplants refuse to grow, and at +13 they begin to die. Zero temperatures during frosts will simply kill them. But extreme heat also negatively affects them: at +40 degrees, ovaries will not appear on them.

3. Periodically loosen the soil around the stem, but not deeply, so as not to damage the root system. Rake the soil towards the plant. By the way, in order to conserve soil moisture, which eggplants need so much, add a little peat to the soil, and in hot weather, cover them from the scorching sun. You can also mulch the soil.

4. Water the eggplants at the root in the morning with warm water, which should be heated almost to the air temperature - this is about 28-30 degrees. It’s great if you find time to create so that moisture is constantly supplied to the roots. After watering - about half a day - loosen the soil. Remember that excessive watering contributes to the development of fungal diseases, and a lack of water will result in unpalatable fruits for you.

Attention! Freshly grown seedlings are watered no earlier than 5 days after they move to the greenhouse.

5. Eggplants should be fertilized for the first time no earlier than 14 days after planting the seedlings. This is done with any nitrogen fertilizers in accordance with the instructions (eggplants are big fans of nitrogen-containing fertilizers).

After the ovaries appear, it would be a good idea to feed the eggplants with a mash of yeast and weeds (the ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 5:1).

Attention! Don't get carried away with organics. Eggplants love it, but because of it the green part of the plants will grow, and the fruits will be small and frail. If the greenery is developing rapidly, switch to fertilizing with potassium fertilizers.