When and how to plant eggplants: a step-by-step guide for beginning gardeners

For a rich harvest of eggplants, you need competent and regular care for this very demanding vegetable crop. Its important component is stepsoning. If the rules are followed, the procedure stimulates the full development of the bush, strengthens its immunity and increases productivity.

Do I need to peel eggplants?

Stepping is the procedure for removing excess shoots so that the plant does not expend all its energy on the formation of foliage. Eliminating everything unnecessary stimulates formation and fruit growth, quality and quantity of the harvest increases.

The procedure is necessary for eggplants growing in a greenhouse or hot, humid climate. In such conditions, plants tend to produce abundant green mass and numerous lateral shoots. This threatens low yields.

Pinching is not an obligatory component of vegetable crop care. The procedure is not needed if:

• low-growing varieties of eggplants are grown, which are characterized by moderate leaf mass;
• plants are grown in open ground conditions, when foliage is necessary to maintain soil moisture and does not interfere with the normal formation of fruits.

It is recommended to remove excess shoots if the bushes create dense shade for each other.

Why is stepsoning needed?

Stepping gives the following results:

• bushes are formed stronger and more stable;
• large fruits grow;
• the root area and the plant itself are well ventilated;
• resistance to diseases increases.

What happens if you don’t plant eggplants?

If you neglect pinching in situations where it is necessary, the plants' growth will slow down and they will produce small and deformed fruits. There is a risk that the ovaries will not have time to ripen and will fall off.

Timing of the procedure

The procedure for eliminating excess shoots is resorted to on the 14-15th day after the seedlings are planted in a bed in open ground or a greenhouse. If the plants have taken root poorly and look weakened, pinching is carried out later, on the 20th day.

Important! Eggplants are planted until the buds appear.

How to properly peel eggplants

Stepping will have a positive effect if the first procedure is carried out in a timely manner and in compliance with the correct pattern of bush formation.

On the eve of removing unnecessary shoots, the plant is tied up so that the ovary that forms in large quantities does not break its stem. Experienced gardeners advise stretching wire over the tops of bushes. Plants are tied to it with twine under each of their branches.

Important! Pruning is not done on dry or rainy days in order to protect plants from possible diseases caused by infection.

What you will need

No tool is needed to remove small green parts of the bush. Manipulation is performed manually so as not to injure the plants. Large branches are removed with pruning shears.

Attention! After the procedure, the cut site must be treated with slaked lime.

Step-by-step instruction

The algorithm of actions depends on the stepsoning scheme. Nightshade plants shoot, forming a bush of one or several stems.

Instructions for a single-stem pinching pattern include the following steps:

1. Pinching the top of the stem when it reaches 30 cm in height.
2. Eliminate the top shoots after the lateral shoots grow (leave 1 ovary each).
3. Removing excess leaves and stepsons on each branch, performed once a week.
4. Removing flowers, tops, and small ovaries 30 days before the onset of cold weather stimulates the formation of large fruits.

Step-by-step instructions for pinching according to a scheme that involves creating a two-stem bush consists of the following steps:

1. Pinching the tops when the bush reaches a height of 30 cm.
2. Selecting 2 strong stepsons to keep.
3. Removing the smaller of the 2 branches where the stem bifurcates.
4. Removing excess fruit. 1 fruit is left on each shoot.

If it is hot and damp, remove the lower stepsons to protect the bush from fungal and viral damage. During drought, shoots close to the ground are left.

Eggplants growing in a greenhouse are planted following step-by-step instructions:

1. The ovaries and shoot primordia in the area of ​​the lower 4 nodes are removed.
2. The ears of the stepchildren are trimmed in the zone from 5 to 7 nodes.
3. Pinch the shoots, keeping 1 leaf with an ovary, in the area from 8 to 10 nodes.
4. Pinch the side shoots, keeping 2 leaves with ovaries, from the 11th node to the end of the branch.

You can leave 3 ovaries on the bush. The rest is removed.

Application of pinning schemes

A single-stem bush formation scheme is used if tall varieties of eggplant are grown in cramped conditions. The procedure is aimed at leaving the strongest branch for the formation of ovaries. The 1-stem scheme is also used if the plants are weakened.They are regularly inspected, only the largest ovaries are left, on which large and tasty fruits will appear.

The scheme involving the formation of a bush of 2 stems is more popular. When the bush reaches the required height, pinch the growth point and leave 2 strong branches coming from the branch. Other shoots are eliminated. Of the developing ovaries, full-fledged ones are left, the rest are disposed of, as well as yellowed, unnecessary leaves.

Multi-stem patterns are similar to the 2-stem pattern. Their difference is that several more strong stepsons are left on the bush.

Important! The pinching scheme for each bush is selected individually.

The nuances of pinching in a greenhouse and in open ground

Eggplants of medium-sized and tall varieties growing in a greenhouse are planted when the plants reach a height of 35 cm.

The procedure is performed step by step:

1. The bushes are inspected. Well-established and developing plants are pruned.
2. Select a scheme for each bush.
3. Eliminate unnecessary shoots according to the chosen scheme.

Greenhouse plants take root in the morning. It is important to monitor whether each remaining stem is getting enough light. It is unacceptable for the shoots and ovary remaining after pinching to be shaded.

Eggplants growing in a greenhouse must be tied to ceiling structures. When tying, try not to tie the shoot too tightly with twine. Keep in mind that as it grows, the stem will increase in diameter.

Reference. You can do without tying and pinching by growing in a greenhouse eggplant varieties, not growing more than 40 cm in height.

Tall eggplants growing in open ground require pinching on the 15th day after planting in the garden.When the bush reaches a height of 35 cm, pinch off the top. Removal of stepchildren and unnecessary leaves is carried out according to the chosen scheme in the morning or evening hours.

Useful tips

To get a positive effect from stepsoning, follow the rules:

1. Plants are picked by hand. It is not advisable to use scissors. If there is a need to use an instrument, it must first be disinfected.
2. Pinch off shoots and leaves from each bush, after washing your hands with soap. Otherwise, there is a risk of transferring the infection from a diseased bush to a healthy one.
3. A weakened plant cannot be pinched.
4. In dry climates, the lower leaves are not removed. They help the soil retain moisture.
5. Be sure to remove deformed leaves and ovaries.
6. If more lower leaves have been removed than necessary, mulch the soil around the bush to protect it from drying out.

Common Mistakes

When growing and planting eggplant bushes, gardening beginners due to inexperience may make some mistakes.

The most common of them:

• Refusal to tie up the bush and remove excess leaves. This is fraught with shading of each other by plants and deterioration in quality lighting. Because of this, the bushes develop poorly and are more likely to become infected with diseases.
• Incorrect tying of the bush before pinching. Correct manipulation should be carried out directly next to the branching, where the most fragile part of the stem is located. The measure is necessary to protect the eggplant bushes from damage.
• Formation of bushes in too dry or rainy weather. The risk of infection by bacteria and fungi through the damaged area increases.
• Wrong time during the day for planting eggplant bushes. It is recommended to carry out the procedure early in the morning so that the plant has time to recover by the end of the day.
• Lack of shading after pinching manipulation in open ground.
• Lack of disinfection of working tools (secateurs) after cutting a diseased bush. This risks infecting healthy plants.
• Pinching weak plants. This can lead to even further weakening of the bush. The manipulation is postponed until the bush gets stronger.

Read also:

Do low-growing tomatoes need to be planted and which varieties do not require this?

Why do you need to pincher peppers and how to do it correctly.

What is a nepas (non-grassroots) tomato and why is it good?

Conclusion

It is necessary to plant most varieties and hybrids of eggplant: a significant increase in the green mass of the crop can negatively affect both the quantity and quality of the ovaries. Proper care of eggplants and the mandatory formation of tall bushes guarantee a harvest of large and fleshy fruits.