How to form eggplants in a greenhouse correctly: instructions for beginner gardeners

Beloved by many gardeners, eggplant is a heat-loving plant that requires calm weather, high ambient temperatures and proper care. The formation of a bush is an important process that allows you to get a good harvest. We will tell you in detail how to properly form eggplants in a greenhouse and why it is needed.

Why form eggplants in a greenhouse?

If you leave eggplants to grow on their own, the fruits will be small and tasteless.. It is important not only to water and feed the plants, but also to form the bushes in time.

Stepchildren, weak ovaries, leaves must be removed, as they will take away the nutrients necessary for growth and fruiting.

Excess green mass obscures the sun, and eggplant is a light-loving plant. Therefore, the bush is formed so that every part of the plant receives sunlight.

When to do it

The time for the procedure depends on weather conditions, growing region and crop variety.

Eggplants grown indoors begin to form when the bushes will reach a height of 30 cm.

Reference. If eggplants are grown in open beds, the procedure is carried out 10-15 days after planting the seedlings in a permanent place.

Stepping is carried out in dry, windless weather early in the morning or late in the evening with breaks of 7 days.

Formation methods

Bushes formed using one of the methods described below.

In one stem

This is the most radical waywhich is chosen for the following reasons:

1. Adverse weather conditions, poor rooting and weakened bushes. In this case, one stem is left in order to direct all the nutrients to good growth and abundant fruit formation on it.
2. Dense plantings. Such cultivation is caused by a lack of space on the site. It is especially important to form bushes if tall varieties are planted.
3. Lack of light. Pruning helps the fruits ripen promptly and smoothly.

To form one stem on a bush, pinching is carried out 14 days after planting young eggplants to a permanent place. If the plants develop poorly, the process is postponed for another 7 days. Repeated pruning is carried out at intervals of 2-3 weeks until the fruits reach technical ripeness.

It can be useful:

What to do to prevent eggplant leaves from drying out

What to do if eggplant leaves turn yellow in a greenhouse

Formation into one stem:

• remove all ovaries and side shoots from the root zone to the fifth true leaf;
• at a height of 6-8 leaves, pinch the stepsons and remove 50% of the ovaries;
• all shoots are removed at the height of the tenth leaf;
• then all the stepsons with fruit ovaries are left on two leaves, with no more than three leaves on the top of the head.

In two stems

The first pruning of the bush is done in the second week after planting the seedlings. If the bushes are weakened and do not take root well, the process is postponed for one week.

The top of the plant is pinched after the crop reaches a height of 30-35 cm. This will stimulate the growth of strong side shoots, from which the two strongest are selected. All leaves and shoots up to the fork are removed.If the summer is hot, you can leave the two lowest leaves so that they shade the root system.

Further formation is done at intervals of 2-3 weeks.. All stepsons and half of the formed ovaries are removed from the stems. In the future, the procedure is carried out with the same frequency as in one stem.

Important! For tall eggplant varieties, both stems must be tied up, otherwise they will break off from the weight of the fruit.

Three or more stems

At the first stage, two stems are formed, as soon as the two strongest shoots are formed at a height of 35 cm. Two weeks later, the branches of the crown skeleton are formed - one strong stepson is left on each branch. The crown turns out lush, and the formation of ovaries will be more active.

All shoots that do not have ovaries are completely eliminated.

When there is less than a month left until harvest, pinch out the growing points on all stems. As soon as the growth of the bush stops, all nutrients will be directed to the growth and ripening of the fruit.

This the method is used for a small number of plants, rarely planted. If the plantings are thickened, this method of forming a bush is contraindicated - the plants will oppress each other.

How to carry out the procedure

Improper formation of bushes can lead to rotting of the root part or, if over-pruned, the death of the plant.

Eggplants are harvested manually, no tools are needed for this process as they may damage the delicate stems. Before treatment, wipe your hands with a disinfectant solution to prevent infection.

If a pruner is used, it is also processed and ash or potassium permanganate is prepared for processing the cuts.

Before you start removing the stepsons, the bushes are tied up. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the stems will break off under the weight of the crown, since pruning greatly weakens them.

If the bush is formed into two stems, the garter is made below the branching point.

Formation instructions:

• three weeks later, all stepchildren are removed for the first time (time is counted from the day of disembarkation);
• thereafter pruning is carried out every 14 days.

There is no point in delaying the procedure, as it depends on not only the formation of the correct crown, but also productivity.

Distinctive features of the formation of eggplants in open ground

2 weeks after planting the seedlings The top growing point at a height of 35 cm is removed from the garden bed.

As soon as lateral shoots appear, the required number of strong shoots is selected, and the rest are removed.

Important! If the weather is hot and sunny outside, the cut areas are sprinkled with wood ash to avoid burns.

Twice a week, new shoots that do not have ovaries are removed from the bush.

If it is not possible to water the plants in a timely manner in open ground, the lower leaves must be left so that they protect the soil from drying out. But the leaves should not lie on the ground - in rainy weather, rot may appear on them and the plant will become sick.

Do I need to pinch eggplants?

When growing crops on a production scale, pinching is not carried out.

In vegetable gardens, all tall varieties are pinched so that the fruits ripen faster.. However, this procedure is not necessary for low-growing plants.

Leaf trimming

As the bushes grow, the leaves are cut off. This can be avoided if the plants are short - they do not form extra shoots and begin to bear fruit early.

The leaves are trimmed so that the root zone is ventilated.. Those closest to the ground are removed first.As soon as the first ovary is formed, you can cut off all the leaves except the one that has grown under the fruit.

Read also:

Recommendations for caring for eggplants in a greenhouse

Secrets of feeding eggplants for a rich harvest

Instructions for growing eggplants from A to Z

Tips and tricks

Gardeners with experience give such Recommendations for getting a rich harvest:

• To prevent plants from becoming infected, pinching should be carried out in warm weather;
• in hot weather, it is not necessary to cut off the lower foliage, especially if the crop is grown in open ground;
• Before forming a bush, hands and tools must be disinfected, otherwise you can get infected;
• stepsons must be removed in a timely manner - overgrown cuttings will be more difficult to separate, and they will take nutrients from the plant;
• remove diseased plants and leaves immediately, otherwise they can destroy the entire crop;
• You should not use a lot of organic matter as fertilizers - this will lead to the growth of green mass, and the fruits will be small and tasteless.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Common among beginning gardeners misconceptions that prevent them from getting a good harvest:

1. Eggplants do not need to be pinched and formed into a bush. As practice shows, this process can be eliminated only when growing low-growing varieties.
2. Pinching plants is harmful, as it disrupts natural growth. However, removing the lower shoots helps fruit formation. In addition, plants are characterized by regeneration.
3. The lower part of the stem does not need to be formed. This misconception can lead to the death of the bush.If the root zone is heavily shaded, putrefactive bacteria will begin to develop, and the lower part of the plant will take all the nutrients.
4. All ovaries should be left at the bottom of the bush. In reality, the opposite is true - the closer to the top, the more fruits.
5. All eggplants in one bed must be formed according to a single pattern. This is wrong. For each bush, the type of crown will be individual, it all depends on the rooting of the plant, its quality condition and variety.

Conclusion

The formation of eggplants is an important condition for obtaining a bountiful harvest. If you follow the recommendations and trim the stepsons, shoots and leaves in time, you can get a large harvest of tasty fruits.