When to sow eggplant seedlings. The best time to sow eggplant seedlings

When to plant eggplant seedlings in 2019 lunar calendar? How to take care of her? How to grow eggplant seedlings at home? My seedlings are always pretty, strong. Growing eggplant for me - favorite hobby. I always plant more than I need, so every year I share seedlings with my friends. For some reason, few people like to grow it. Then the seeds either do not germinate, or hatch and immediately die. I grow it at home, on the windowsill. I joke all the time that I really love eggplant, so they pay me the same. I really don't have any secrets. Let me tell you about planting eggplant for seedlings, and you yourself decide what is useful from my experience, and what you know without me.

Planting eggplant for seedlings in 2019 in the Kuban

For many years, I have been using the usual formula to calculate the date of planting blue ones for seedlings. I present it in the article.

Do not be afraid, there will be no complex mathematical calculations. Let's calculate together the date of planting eggplant seedlings in open ground in 2019.

We will need to know when, in the opinion of agronomists, it is optimal to plant eggplants in open ground.

In the Kuban, this period is the first decade of May. The lunar calendar for 2019 advises planting eggplants on April 10, 11, 18-20, and in May on April 9, 10, 14, 18. Eggplants are thermophilic, they do not like cold. But we don't know what the weather will be like these days. For convenience of calculations, let's take the date - May 9. That is, we will plant eggplants in open ground on May 9th.

Blue seedlings are planted in open ground or a greenhouse 65-70 days after germination. We count from the date April 30 back 65-70 days. We get dates from February 27 to March 4. Eggplant shoots appear after 5-10 days. So, from February 27 and March 4, we count back 10 days. And we get the optimal dates for sowing seeds for seedlings in the Kuban - February 17-22. So we came close to the dates of sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings. But do not forget about favorable or bad days for sowing according to the lunar calendar.

In 2019 - an auspicious day for sowing blue - February 7, 10, 11, 14, 15. I think the sowing date should be adjusted. Two or three days of difference in terms of landing are insignificant.

Based on all these considerations, I personally chose February 14 and 15 for planting eggplant seedlings. So I will plant.

So, I advise you to plant eggplant (seeds) for seedlings in the Kuban February 14, 15, 2019.

Sowing eggplant for seedlings in 2019 in central Russia

But among the readers of our blog there are many who live much north of the Krasnodar Territory. Especially for central Russia, let's calculate the dates for planting eggplant seedlings in 2019.

For many years I lived in the Nizhny Novgorod region. That experience tells me that heat-loving eggplants are best planted outdoors after the danger of frost has passed. And this is about the first half of June. According to the lunar calendar, the days of June 11-15 are favorable. Let's take these dates as a basis. By repeating the calculations that we carried out above, we can calculate the date of planting eggplant seedlings for central Russia in 2019.

I got the following days - from March 23 to April 1. Again we look into the lunar sowing calendar. From March 23 to April 1, the Moon is waning. That is, these days it is preferable to plant root crops. Eggplants are best planted on the growing moon. Attention, April 4-6, 2019 are prohibited days for planting any crops. Let's look further. There are two options. It's March 21st and April 10th. Focus on the weather in your region where you live.

I would choose a later date. From experience I know that it is better to plant small seedlings than overgrown. But, of course, the choice is yours. auspicious days sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings in 2019 in middle lane Russia - March 21 or April 10.

To grow blue ones in a greenhouse, they need to be sown three weeks earlier.

The most common mistakes when growing eggplant seedlings

You have sown seeds that have lost their germination capacity due to long or improper storage. How to avoid such an error? Make it a rule to always germinate the seeds before sowing. In this case, it will be clear exactly which ones to sow and which not. Germinate seeds in any growth stimulator (sodium humate, heteroauxin, energen, HB-101 or strained infusion wood ash on aloe juice).
Do not use gauze to germinate seeds. Small, weak seedlings can get caught between the gauze threads and break during the extraction process.
Plant the seeds into the soil by 0.5 mm or a maximum of 1 cm.
Do not place containers with eggplant seedlings on a cold windowsill and do not fill the sown seeds with water. This is just the case when the seeds can hatch, but rot in the cold, wet ground. In addition, cold soil can delay seed germination by 20-25 days.

Rules for the successful cultivation of blue seedlings

Eggplant seedlings are very sensitive to temperature. Optimum temperature for seed germination - 20-25ºС, with it they germinate in 5-10 days. At a temperature of 13ºС, eggplants stop growing and gradually die. The optimum temperature for good seedling development is 22-25ºС.

After the appearance of the first shoots, gradually remove the shelter and transfer the containers with seedlings to a bright, cooler place with a temperature of about 18ºС. It contributes better growth roots. At higher temperatures, leaves begin to grow, which is undesirable, since the roots are still weak.

I think that everyone who has sowed eggplants at least once had such a problem - seedlings do not shed the seed coat. Why is this happening? Perhaps the sowing of the seeds was too superficial, or you hurried to remove the film or glass from the seedling box when it was just beginning to hatch.

Basically, seedlings with “hats” are usually removed, but what about when you sow some interesting variety for seedlings, the seeds of which are already so few? Will have to work hard! I several times (sometimes up to 5-7 times) every 10-20 minutes I moisten the “caps” with a brush with warm water. And then I gently pry the “hat” with a needle and it is very easily removed.

Eggplants are short day plants. Artificial lighting at 10-12 hours is enough for them. Lighting begins to be done when the seedlings are 3 weeks old. With this cultivation of eggplant, the budding phase will come 20-25 days earlier, which means that the harvest will be early.

Seedlings can be planted at the age of 60-65 days. Of course, after the threat of frost has passed and the soil warms up well.

Wish you big harvests at proper cultivation eggplant seedlings! When to plant them for seedlings, you know. Good luck!

B aplants, unlike most cultivated plants from Solanaceae family , come from the tropics of the Old World. There are several subspecies of eggplant, we use two in our culture: East Asian and West Asian. Of all known related plants: tomato , pepper ,potato and eggplant, the latter is the most thermophilic and demanding. In the open ground in a temperate climate, eggplant cultivation is possible only through seedlings.

It depends on the climatic conditions of the region when to plant eggplant seedlings. The colder the climate, the longer the seedlings can not be planted in open ground. On the other hand, keeping eggplant seedlings for a long time is also bad. Seedlings that have already thrown out buds do not take root well, usually drop flowers and die more often.
The dates when eggplants can be planted for seedlings are indicated on the seed bag, for each variety they may differ. It is important to consider that the variety has been zoned for your area.
Depending on the variety (early or late) and the method of cultivation (greenhouse or open ground), seedlings are planted 9-11 weeks after sowing the seeds. In central Russia, you can plant eggplant for seedlings according to the following scheme:
- if it is planned to grow eggplants in open ground without shelter, planting of seedlings is carried out after the threat of frost in early June, therefore, it is necessary to plant eggplants for seedlings in mid-late March;
- growing eggplants in a home greenhouse or under temporary shelter requires early sowing in February, plants are planted in the ground in mid-May.

5 rules for growing eggplant seedlings

To get healthy viable seedlings, follow 5 basic rules:

Rule 1: Seeds for best germination must be stimulated before landing

Eggplant seeds are considered difficult to germinate. To improve germination and to reduce the period of development of the seedling, it is necessary to carry out pre-planting treatment of seed material: bubbling, stimulation, calibration (sorting by size), preventive disinfection.
The use of bubbling will accelerate the germination of eggplant seeds by 2-2.5 times. At home, treat the seeds dissolved in water can be oxygenated using an aquarium compressor. The water temperature should be +19 - 21 °. The duration of the procedure is 24-30 hours (depending on the size of the seeds). Soluble trace elements, as well as disinfectants, can be added to the water. This will allow to combine bubbling and disinfection.
Can be used as a stimulus scarification - damage to the seed coat. To do this, the seeds are mixed with coarse sand.
Soaking is another way when you can plant eggplant seedlings with prepared seeds. There are several options for soaking:
- for 2-3 days in a damp warm cloth;
- for 15 minutes in hydrogen peroxide t + 37-40 ° C, then rinse with warm water;
- V warm water until they settle to the bottom, after - in a weak warm solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water;
- for a day in aloe juice, diluted by half with water;
- in a warm infusion of onion peel and ash for 6 hours, combine two infusions: (a handful of peel per 1 liter of boiling water, leave to cool) + (2 tablespoons of ash per liter of water).
Effective modern way pre-sowing treatment - the use of preparations Zircon, Baikal EM-1, Reakom, Kendal, Rost concentrate, MS cream, Ivin, Emistim S, succinic acid and others according to the instructions.
Important! Seeds can be already prepared for sowing by the manufacturer (primed, encrusted, coated, processed). These seeds are not soaked.

Rule 2: The substrate must be rich in organic components

Eggplants are not the kind of plants whose seedlings will grow well on sawdust or perlite. The composition of the substrate, in addition to peat, must necessarily include compost or humus, you can add perlite or sand. As a percentage, part of the sand should be no more than 13%.
For growing eggplant seedlings, purchased soil with an acidity of 6.0-7.0 (that is, from slightly acidic to neutral) is suitable.
At self-cooking substrate, lowland peat (about 50%) and compost (37-40%) can be used. Microelements are added to the prepared soil, for this you can use ash (200 g per 8-9 liters of substrate).

Rule 3: For seed germination and seedling growth, you need heat

Eggplant seeds germinate at a temperature of + 22-26 ° in 7-15 days after sowing. After that, they are transferred for a week to a cool (+17 °) and bright place (for example, closer to the window frame) so that the sprouts do not stretch, but roots form. A week later, the seedlings will again need a high temperature of + 25-30 °. During the entire period of growing seedlings at night, it is desirable to provide a temperature of +13 ° C. A cool temperature prevents the appearance of a black leg, pulling seedlings, promotes its hardening, and increases stress resistance of plants.

Rule 4: Sprouts love good lighting

When seeds germinate in February, additional illumination can be used. In March, provided that the seedlings grow on the sunny side near the window, additional lighting is not required.
Eggplants are light-loving plants with short daylight hours. Lighting more than 12-14 hours a day is not good for plants, nor is growing eggplant seedlings on a north window or in the shade.

Rule 5: Avoid Overfilling

Seeds are planted in a moist but not wet substrate. To avoid waterlogging, the soil is well watered and left for several hours. Experts say that it is better to moisten the substrate with rain or snow water.
Before planting, you need to check the soil for excess moisture. To do this, take a handful of earth and squeeze it tightly in a fist. If the substrate sticks together into a dense lump from which water does not flow, the soil is ready for planting. And if, when squeezed, water begins to drip from it, then such soil should be given time to dry out more.
Seedlings do not like high humidity, especially when the temperature drops. Various fungal infections immediately appear on them (rot, powdery mildew). The soil should not be allowed to dry out either, eggplant is a moisture-loving plant. For irrigation use warm settled water t + 20-22 °.

How to plant eggplant seedlings

Seeds are sown in pallets or boxes with earth. If several varieties of eggplant are planted, the crops are signed, or each variety is sown in different containers. When the first real, and not cotyledonous, leaves appear, the seedlings are transplanted into separate containers.
Eggplant seedlings have a very delicate root system, so they are sensitive to transplants. In order to avoid injury, seeds can be planted immediately in hotel containers. In this case, the dates when eggplants can be planted for seedlings are shifted by one to two weeks, since the plants do not need time to take root after picking. For growing eggplant seedlings, special peat or paper cups are suitable - in this case, the plants are not taken out, but planted immediately in the ground.
Special seedling trays with cells are also a good option, plants can be easily removed from them without damaging the roots. You can use plastic glasses of medium or large size (0.3 and 0.5 l). Before pouring soil into them, a couple of holes must be made in the bottom to avoid stagnant water.
Seeds are sown to a depth of 1 cm, moistened with a sprayer. With its help, in the future, crops and young seedlings are carefully watered so as not to erode the soil. Crops are covered with cellophane to create a greenhouse effect. Ventilate daily for 10 minutes, moisturize if necessary. After the emergence of shoots, the cellophane is removed.
If there are a lot of seeds (or inexpensive), practice sowing 3 seeds in 1 cup. The strongest seedling is left, and weak sprouts are pinched off at the base, without disturbing the roots.

We recommend reading:
How to grow potatoes from seeds Pepino: growing at home from seeds
Growing physalis An easy way to grow tomato seedlings

How to care for seedlings

When growing eggplant seedlings, top dressing is carried out. The signal for this will be the leaves losing their brightness. Feed the plant with a soluble fertilizer for seedlings after watering, so as not to burn the roots. The worse the soil was prepared for planting, the more often fertilizers are applied, but not more than 1 time in ten days.
Eggplants may need to be potted as they grow. bigger size. It is believed that for a 25-centimeter seedling with a stem half a centimeter in diameter and seven leaves (this is what is planted in the ground), a 5x5 cm container is enough. At the same time, the containers should be placed at a sufficient distance from each other so that the seedlings do not stretch. If conditions permit, last step it is possible to grow seedlings in larger containers.
Before planting in the ground, the seedlings are hardened. With the onset of warm days in April, they are rearranged to glazed balcony or taken outside for a short time.

Planting seedlings in the ground

Landing in the ground is carried out when warm weather is established. The air temperature should not be lower than + 20 ° during the day, the soil is warmed up to at least + 12 °. At an air temperature below +12 °, the eggplant will stop growing.
In central Russia, seedlings are planted in film greenhouses or tunnels in mid-May, in open ground - in early June. Often eggplant grown in greenhouses . Depending on the variety, a distance is observed during planting, usually 30 cm between plants and 70 cm between rows.
Landing is carried out without disturbing the earthen clod, so as not to damage the roots, in well-filled soil and in holes spilled with warm water, preferably in the evening or in cloudy weather.
When planting, the seedlings are buried so that the soil level in the soil is 3 cm higher than the soil level in the container. After watering, the plantings are mulched (compost, humus, dry grass or black spunbond ), the seedlings are temporarily shaded. If there is a threat of frost, a non-woven covering material is additionally used. Growing eggplant in greenhouses and greenhouses

"Site about plants" www.site

Eggplant, or as it is also called “blue” in the south of Russia, is a heat-loving plant. The seeds of this nightshade culture begin to germinate only when the soil temperature is above 15 degrees, and for the full development of the plant, the temperature should be even higher, about 25-28 degrees. In this article, we will tell you when to plant eggplant seedlings in 2019, according to the lunar calendar, and how to do it correctly.

Given the short summer in most regions of our country, it is difficult to grow this crop in open ground, except in the southern regions. In any case, it is better to grow eggplants in seedlings - this significantly increases their survival rate.

In order to obtain good eggplant seedlings, in addition to high-quality seed material, the following conditions must be provided:

certain composition of the soil;
optimal placement of boxes with seedlings;
careful care of sprouts.

Also important point is right choice seed planting time. Let's take a closer look at these requirements.

The ripening of this crop depends on its variety:

early - 3-4 months;
medium - up to 5 months;
late - more than 5 months.

Late-ripening eggplants are suitable for growing in the southern regions - Volgograd and Astrakhan regions, Crimea, Krasnodar Territory.

Seedlings are planted in the ground at the age of 75 days. Germination time - up to 14 days.

For growing in a greenhouse, eggplants are sown 2 weeks earlier than for growing in open ground.

Lunar calendar for planting eggplant in 2019

To select the optimal time for planting seeds for seedlings, a proven system is often used, based on observations of changes in the phases of the moon and their effect on plant growth.

Table auspicious days when to plant eggplant according to the lunar calendar in 2019:

On the full moon and new moon (+ 12 hours before and 12 hours after them), transplantation is not carried out.

When to plant eggplant seedlings: choosing a date

To choose the right day for planting seedlings from the proposed options, you must additionally take into account several factors:

The period between planting a seed and planting a grown seedling in the ground (greenhouse) must not be less than 80 days. Only by this time the seedlings will be strong enough to painlessly survive the difficult stage of transplantation for it.
The day of transplanting seedlings is selected depending on the region and other conditions (in a heated greenhouse, greenhouse or open ground).
It is necessary to take into account the growing season of ripening of the selected eggplant variety.

Landing date determination example

Based on the conditions voiced, we will determine this year the most favorable day for planting eggplant for seedlings, for example in the Leningrad region. For this region, the transition of the average daily temperature through 15 degrees of heat usually takes place on June 16, and the first frosts are possible already 115 days after this date.

Starting from the third decade of September, the average daily temperature drops below 10 degrees, and in the hottest month of July it rarely reaches 20 degrees.

Obviously, in order to grow a good crop in such climatic conditions, a greenhouse is necessary. In this case, May 31 can be used as the best day for planting seedlings in the greenhouse. Seedlings need to start growing on another auspicious day, namely March 10th. A period of 86 days (from March 10 to May 31) is sufficient for the seedlings to grow well and become stronger.

On March 10, 2019, the Moon is in the growing phase and in the zodiac sign Taurus. This is one of better days for landing!

If, in addition, pick up early ripe eggplant varieties, then the period of time from May 31 until the start of a significant decrease in the average daily temperature is quite enough to grow good harvest even in the conditions of the Leningrad region.

The same principle is used to determine optimal timing for other regions. In the middle lane, in the Moscow region and in the Volga region they can be moved a few days earlier. In the Urals, it is permissible to leave the same as for the Leningrad region.

It should be recalled that here we considered the case of planting seedlings in a greenhouse, in which it is possible to implement it without waiting for a consistently high average daily temperature. If there is a heated greenhouse, then naturally seedlings can be planted even earlier (and, accordingly, you need to start growing them earlier).

As practice shows, it is possible to sow eggplants, tomatoes and peppers (their seedlings) in a polycarbonate greenhouse in the middle zone 2-3 weeks earlier than in open ground.

This is due to the fact that polycarbonate, due to its honeycomb structure, perfectly retains heat and at the same time passes well sunlight, which creates almost ideal conditions for heat-loving crops.

Soil composition for seedlings and seed preparation

Loose and nutritious soil is suitable for eggplant. You can purchase a ready-made substrate in the store (“Universal” or “For Tomatoes”) or prepare the ground yourself. Below you will find two mix options.

Blend 1

A good soil for seedlings is a mixture of fertile soddy soil with humus and sand in an approximate ratio of 5: 3: 1 with the introduction of phosphorus, potash and nitrogen fertilizers into it.

Blend 2

Before sowing, the mixture is watered with a hot (about 70 degrees) solution of potassium permanganate to prevent fungus.

Preparing seeds for sowing

First of all, the damaged seeds are rejected and checked for completeness. To do this, eggplant seeds are poured into a special saline solution (30 g of salt per 1 liter of water).

Seeds that have sunk to the bottom are suitable for sowing.

Before planting, seeds are recommended to be disinfected just in case. It can be done by heat treatment, for which they are kept for 30 minutes in water with a temperature of 50 ... 55 degrees, followed by cooling in cool water.

The second option is soaking in a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

It is also shown that they are kept in a warm infusion of ash (up to 30 degrees) during the day.

The seeds are then germinated in a wet patch. Approximately 6-10 days pass before the appearance of the first sprouts. All this time, it is desirable to keep the temperature in the range of 23 ... 25 degrees.

Growing seedlings

eggplant do not tolerate transplant very well, therefore, if possible, it is better to immediately plant them in separate containers (cups, peat pots). A good option- sowing in the "snail".

It is convenient to use peat glasses with a volume of 400-500 ml. It is not necessary to get a plant from such a container when transplanting eggplant into open ground. The walls of the pot quickly soak in the soil and do not interfere with the growth of the roots.

1 cm sowing depth
7-10 days Emergence of seedlings
60-70 days seedling age

After the emergence of seedlings, boxes with seedlings must be placed in a well-lit place, and the temperature should be reduced to 14 ... 16 degrees.

Thanks to this, a kind of “hardening” of plants occurs, their root system develops and strengthens.

After a week, the daytime temperature should be raised to 18 ... 20 degrees. To accustom the seedling to the natural growth regime at night, the temperature should be lower.

However, it is important not to allow it to decrease below 14 degrees. At this temperature, especially if there are drafts, seedlings can wither. It is also necessary to monitor the level of illumination, it may be necessary to purchase special phytolamps for this. They allow you to illuminate plants in the desired spectrum of waves.

Light day for seedlings should be at least 9 hours.

Naturally, regular watering is necessary. However, this requires some caution. Excessive moisture can provoke a disease such as “black leg”, and water on the leaves can cause other fungal diseases.

As a preventive measure, seedlings are watered twice with Fitosporin solution.

Feeding eggplant seedlings

Even the most properly prepared soil will not be able to provide the seedling with nutrients for the entire period of its growth. Therefore, it is necessary to add to the water for irrigation complex fertilizer at the rate of 25 g per 10 liters of water.

Feeding times:

2 weeks after germination,
2 weeks before transplanting seedlings into the ground.

Planting eggplant seedlings in the ground

If all the recommended requirements were met, then approximately 80 days after planting the seed, the seedling will reach a height of 16 ... 20 cm, will have 6 ... 10 full-fledged leaves, a strong and developed root system, and it can be successfully transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground.

Good predecessors: pumpkin, legumes, green manure.

Bad predecessors: all nightshade.

Transplantation of plants from pots is carried out, trying not to damage the earthen clod with horses. After transplanting, the plants are watered and the surface of the earth is mulched with straw cuttings, wood shavings.

Useful video from the Garden World channel: how to sow eggplant for seedlings

Video lesson: Sowing eggplant in a snail

Recommendations for growing seedlings from Oktyabrina Ganichkina

A well-known popularizer of eggplant cultivation is the writer and TV presenter Oktyabrina Ganichkina, who, in her own words, is “in love” with this culture. She is a candidate of agricultural sciences and it is worth listening to her opinion.

Here are some of her answers.

Question: Eggplant seedlings build up the root system, but do not grow. I water, fertilize, but the leaves do not develop. What could be the issue here?

Answer: Possible reason this is a lack of light, due to which growth can be very slow.

Question Q: Is it necessary to soak the seeds?

Answer: If the seeds are fresh, then dry ones can also be planted. But the soaking procedure will not be worse.

We tried to provide as complete information as possible about the timing of when to plant eggplant seedlings in 2019, as well as how to do it correctly. Have a rich harvest!

Of course, many summer residents would like to know when to sow eggplant for seedlings. It is supposed to plant the seeds of this crop in boxes and cups approximately 2-2.5 months before transferring the plants to open ground.

You cannot break this rule. Eggplants planted ahead of schedule will stretch and subsequently be poorly accepted in the garden, will hurt and develop slowly.

If the gardener is late with planting seedlings, at the end of the season he may not get a crop of this crop at all. After all, the eggplant plant is southern and it actually takes quite a lot of time to ripen its fruits.

The growing season for eggplant, in comparison with other types of garden nightshade, is the longest. The fruits of this crop ripen no earlier than 110-150 days after planting. The seeds of this garden plant can be collected at all only for 130-170 days.

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, in the Urals and Siberia, this is done later.

When to sow eggplant for seedlings in central Russia

Summer residents of the middle lane most often plant eggplants for seedlings in the second decade of March. You can plant this crop in such areas from the 10th to the 20th of this month. Exactly the same terms are provided for planting eggplant seeds for seedlings in the Moscow region.

For central Russia, they are great as early ripe varieties of this culture, and mid- or late-ripening. If the seedling planting period 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-ripening or mid-ripening eggplant varieties are grown.

Landing dates in the Urals and Siberia

In regions with a cool climate holiday season usually starts a little later than in the middle lane. In mid-May, frosts often occur in the Urals and Siberia, and the weather is still not too warm. Eggplant, on the other hand, is a rather whimsical culture in relation to cold weather. Therefore, seedlings of this crop are planted in Siberia and the Urals somewhat later than in the middle lane.

The answer to the question of when to sow eggplant for seedlings in such regions is the second - third decade of March. That is, the optimal planting dates for this crop for summer residents of Siberia and the Urals are the numbers from March 15 to March 31.

Varieties for these regions are suitable mainly only for medium and early ripening. Late eggplants, even grown by seedlings, in cold summers in such regions of the country, unfortunately, may not ripen.

When to plant in the south

In the southern regions of Russia, summer, of course, comes earlier than in the middle lane and in the north. In such areas, eggplant seedlings can be planted even in February. In the open ground, this culture in the south is usually transferred already at the end of April.

Of course, absolutely any eggplant is perfect for growing in such regions. Even the latest varieties can be planted in a dacha in southern Russia. Early eggplants in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories are often grown not even by seedlings, but directly in open ground.

To get a rich harvest, you need to sow eggplant seeds for seedlings on time. It is extremely important to observe the length of daylight hours. Mistakes made at the seedling stage often lead to problems with the formation of ovaries in June-July.

Buying seeds

An inexperienced summer resident often makes the first mistake already at the stage of buying seeds. You should not buy seed in the markets, and, moreover, from unknown private traders. It's always a lottery. In addition, seeds purchased in specialized stores, in most cases, have already undergone the necessary processing and are completely ready for planting.

If you are using planting material home collection, then you must be sure that it is collected from varieties, and not from hybrids. The latter will not retain the qualities of mother plants.

The following information should be indicated on the package with seeds:

Date of collection (it is desirable to plant relatively fresh, not stale seeds).
Whether the seed has been pre-treated.
If you take a hybrid, then take only 1 generation (F1).
Address, phone number of the manufacturer.
The number of seeds in the package.

Seed preparation

In order for the seeds to germinate better, a number of measures should be taken to improve their germination:

For 4 minutes, hold the seeds in gauze in hot water heated up to +45…+50 C.
Next, soak the seeds in a 1% potassium permanganate solution for 15-20 minutes, then rinse. For disinfection, the preparations "Alirin-B", "Gamair SP", "Trichodermin", "Fitosporin-M" are also suitable.
Since eggplants germinate slowly, they should be soaked in a growth stimulant solution for 10-12 hours before planting. At home, aloe juice diluted in warm water is suitable as a substitute.

After all the above work, the seeds are hardened within 5-6 days. During the day they are kept at room temperature, and at night they put it in the refrigerator with a temperature of about + 3 ... + 4 C.

Before sowing, the prepared planting material is laid out on wet wipes in saucers, covered and cleaned for 2-3 days in a warm, dark place.

When the seeds germinate, they are dried a little and begin to sow.

Soil preparation

Eggplants prefer to grow in light fertile soils with a neutral pH.

Popular recipes:

2 hours of mature humus + 1 hour of soddy land (or 1 hour of high-moor peat) + 1 hour of sand (or 1 hour of semi-decayed non-coniferous sawdust).
1 hour of humus (or 2 hours of high-moor peat) + 2 hours of soddy land + 1 hour of sand.

Mix all components thoroughly with each other. Ignite the resulting mixture in the oven, scald with boiling water or freeze in freezer. Introduce the biopreparation "Baikal EM-1" into the disinfected substrate. For 1 bucket ready ground add 15 g of potassium sulfate (or a glass of finely ground wood ash), 30 g of granular superphosphate, 15 g of carbamide.

After mixing, fill the seedling container with the resulting soil mixture.

Optimal landing time

The period of reaching technical maturity:

in early ripening - from 85 to 90 days from the appearance of full shoots;
in mid-season - from 90 to 120 days;
in late-ripening - from 120 to 150 days.

In the southern regions of our country, seeds are sown from the end of February to the second decade of March. In the OG, seedlings are transplanted from the end of May to the second decade of June.

In the middle lane, seeds are planted in mid-March. Preference here should be given to early-ripening and mid-ripening varieties and hybrids (later ones need additional lighting). In the first decade of June, the grown seedlings are transferred to a permanent place.

Cultivation and care

Eggplants are sensitive to picking, so it is better to do without this procedure altogether. In each peat-humus pot 8x8 cm, 1-2 seeds are planted to a depth of 1-2 cm.

Until seedlings appear, crops should be kept in a dark, warm place.

Temperature regime:

from sowing to germination - from +20 to +28 C;
the first week after germination - from +8 to +10 C at night and from +14 to +16 C during the day;
in the future - from +17 to +18 C at night and from +20 to +22 C during the day.

Watering should be done at intervals of 1 time in 2-3 days with slightly warm water (from +20 to +25 C) under the root (without getting on the stems and leaves). It is not worth over-wetting the soil. Twice a month, antifungal biofungicides "Planriz" and "Trichodermin" should be added to the water. Air humidity can be reduced by ventilation (no drafts).

The first top dressing is carried out in the phase of 3 leaves. Superphosphate (30 g per 10 l) and carbamide (7 g per 10 l) are added to the water for irrigation. At the end of feeding, seedlings need to be sprayed clean water from a sprayer.

The next top dressing should be done a week before planting seedlings. You should use a comprehensive mineral fertilizer"Kemira".

14 days before planting, you need to start hardening seedlings. In the early days, take it out to the glazed balcony for several hours, then leave it cool for a longer period.

Healthy eggplant seedlings ready for planting should meet the following parameters: