When and how to sow eggplant seedlings and how to properly care for them

It is believed that eggplant is a capricious and demanding vegetable that is difficult to grow. However, following correct agricultural techniques greatly simplifies the process and increases crop yield.

From the article you will learn how to easily grow healthy eggplant seedlings and what to do if difficulties arise.

Time for sowing eggplant seedlings

Sowing dates are counted from the expected time of planting in the garden bed. On average, seeds germinate in 10 days. The time for transplanting seedlings to the garden bed is 50-60 days from the moment of germination. Accordingly, in order to plant plants in the greenhouse in early May, the seeds are sown in early March.

In central Russia, eggplants are planted in open ground in mid-June, when the night frosts have already passed, so the seeds are sown at the end of March.

Planting according to the lunar calendar

It is recommended to plant eggplants in 2020 during the waxing moon:

If planted according to the lunar calendar, seedlings that are resistant to diseases, pests and temperature changes are formed, which at the end of the season will yield a tasty and abundant harvest.

Preparatory stage

It is recommended to choose seeds that are grown in your region: they are adapted to the local climate. If possible, seeds are collected from last year's harvest.

Seed preparation

Before planting, sort out the seeds and remove deformed and darkened ones. Separate large ones from small ones: it is better to plant them separately so that the plants develop equally and do not interfere with each other’s growth.

Then a slightly salted aqueous solution is prepared and the planting material is dipped into it. Stir with a spoon and wait a few minutes. The floating seeds are thrown away, those lying at the bottom are used for planting.

After this, the seeds are germinated: laid out on a plate in a thin layer in wet gauze. Cover the top with a plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect. Place the container in a warm place - the germination temperature for eggplants is +23...+25°C.

Important. Until the first shoots appear, it is recommended to keep the seedlings under film.

Disinfection of seed material is carried out with the drug “Fitosporin”: it will neutralize pathogens.

Preparation of containers, place, soil

There are several types of containers suitable for seedlings:

1. Plastic glasses. For planting, take a container with a volume of 200 ml, and 500 ml for picking. You will need a tray for watering. When transplanting, the root is practically not damaged, which reduces the period of adaptation of the plant to new conditions. The only drawback is the lack of drainage holes, but they are easy to make yourself.
2. Plastic cassettes. Cassettes are connected cells with drainage holes. There are kits with trays and even lids on sale. The main advantage of the cassettes is that the seedlings are easy to remove from the cells when transplanting without damaging the root. The disadvantage is that the cells break and bend easily. You should not sow different varieties in one cassette, since germination times may vary.
3. Peat pots. Most often, this type of container is used at the dive stage.Plus containers - the outer shell of the pot dissolves in the soil and nourishes the plants. The disadvantage is that you will have to water more often, and for this it is advisable to buy a tray.

As soon as the sprouts emerge, the seedlings are transferred to a place where the temperature is kept at 14-16°C. This is necessary to strengthen the root system of the seedlings. The sprouts are watered in the morning with warm water.

For planting, select soil that is light, neutral in composition, breathable, and enriched with nutrients. You can buy it in gardening stores or make it yourself by mixing turf, peat, ash, and humus. A ready-made substrate for growing eggplants is also suitable.

Important. It is advisable not to use soil in which other crops grew last season.

To make the soil safe for seeds, it is calcined in the oven and treated with steam or a solution of potassium permanganate.

How to plant eggplant seeds correctly

The container for seedlings is filled 2/3 with soil and watered with warm, settled water. Then small holes are made in the ground, into which 1-2 pieces are placed. seeds

The hole is sprinkled with earth and compacted a little. Water the soil again and cover with plastic wrap.

The container with seedlings is placed in a warm, dry place where there are no bright sunlight or drafts. On average, shoots appear after two weeks.

Periodically remove the polyethylene and ventilate the plants: start with half an hour a day, gradually adding time. Seven days after the appearance of the young seedling, the film is removed.

Unusual ways to sow seeds

There are many unusual ways to grow seedlings. Let's tell you more about the most interesting ones.

Into the snail

Snails are rolls of synthetic material on top of which soil is poured.They are carefully rolled up and placed in any suitable container. Seeds are planted on top and sprinkled with earth, watered with warm water.

For snails, use greenhouse film cut into wide strips, plastic bags, and a backing for laminate or linoleum. These materials are safe, keep heat inside and create the microclimate the plants need.

Planting eggplant seedlings in this way has its advantages:

• cheap and accessible;
• it is possible to germinate any amount of planting material;
• heat and moisture are retained;
• plants are not affected by black leg and root rot.

This method also has a drawback: since little light reaches the seedlings, they can stretch out. After the leaves appear, the seedlings will have to be plucked. You can’t do without land even with this method of sowing.

Into boiling water

The container is filled with soil, the seeds are laid on top, but they are not buried in the soil. Pour boiling water until the top layer of soil is moistened and cover the container with a lid. Place in a warm place and periodically water with warm water. After 3-4 days, shoots appear.

In peat tablets

Before sowing, the tablets are soaked in water for 5-7 minutes, this will increase their volume and saturate them with moisture.

When transplanting into the ground, there is no need to separate the seedlings from the tablet. A pot of seedlings is placed in the hole. The shell dissolves in the ground and additionally nourishes the seedlings with useful substances without interfering with the development of the roots.

Disadvantage: the moisture in the tablets evaporates quickly, so frequent watering is necessary.

Picking after germination

3-4 weeks after the sprouts appear, they are picked: each is planted in a separate container. It is advisable to take containers with a volume of 500 ml or more for comfortable development of the root system.

The soil is taken the same as for sowing seeds. 2 hours before diving, water the seedlings with warm water to quickly separate the soil from the container.

Picking procedure:

1. Fill the container with soil.
2. Make holes.
3. Remove the sprout along with the soil and transplant it into a new container.
4. Sprinkle with soil and compact.
5. Pour over warm water.

Landing method that does not require picking

To avoid picking, plant eggplant seeds immediately in separate containers. This method is practical, and the plants themselves feel better in a separate container, since the root system of the plant is not damaged by replanting.

Further care of seedlings

Further stages of care for eggplant seedlings: maintain light and temperature conditions, water and apply on time feeding.

Temperature and lighting

After the seedlings sprout, maintain the temperature at +15...+17°C for 7 to 12 days to strengthen the root system. Then the temperature is increased to +24…+26°C.

At night, maintain +17…+19°C, gradually lowering to +13…+14°C. This imitates natural conditions for plants.

Watering

Excessive watering provokes the appearance diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to water abundantly, but rarely - no more than once a week, with warm water.

Top dressing

The first feeding is suitable for growing with and without picking. It is carried out 10-12 days after the sprouts appear, using a solution of yellow “Kristalon” or potassium nitrate.

The second feeding is carried out after 7-10 days to stimulate vegetation with a mixture of 60-80 g of “Superphosphate” and 25-30 g of potassium salt, with the preparations “Kristalon special”, “Kemira Lux”.

Important. Before fertilizing, water the plants abundantly so as not to burn the plant roots.

Possible problems, diseases, pests and their control

If care conditions are violated, diseases affect the plant and prevent them from growing and developing normally.

Let's look at each problem separately.

Diseases:

1. Late blight. A fungal disease that appears in the first half of the season, affecting leaves, stems and fruit. The upper part of the plants becomes covered with rusty spots, and a whitish coating appears along the lower part of the leaf. The disease appears due to a violation of crop rotation, in the absence of immunity or excess moisture. They are treated with a solution of copper sulfate; the bushes are treated in the evening, in windless, dry weather.
2. Verticillium wilt. It develops with a sharp change in temperature and affects the entire plant: it becomes overgrown with a whitish coating - fungal spores. The main danger is that the pathogen remains in the soil and plant debris and can provoke re-infection. Treatment is carried out with fungicidal preparations “Previkur”, “Trichodermin”, “Topsin-M”.
3. Gray rot. Spreads through plant debris and soil, especially if air humidity is high. Watery brown spots appear on the leaves; after a few days, a gray coating forms on top of the spots. For prevention, eggplants are treated with fungicides and the soil is disinfected. To treat the disease, the temperature and humidity in the room are normalized. Remove the affected areas of the eggplants. Then the plants are treated with the drug “Antrakol” or “Chorus”.
4. Cercospora spot. Affected leaves curl and become stained. The larger the spots, the faster the affected areas die. The fungus lives in the soil and debris of affected plants.In warmth and moisture, the causative agent of the disease is activated and quickly spreads throughout the plants with the wind and drops of water. If a disease is detected, diseased leaves and shoots are removed, and the plants and soil are treated with fungicides.

Pests that threaten eggplants:

1. Aphid. Small insects that stick to a plant and feed on it. To destroy, they are treated with insecticides. But you shouldn’t use chemicals at home. Use folk remedies: spray with infusion of wood ash or soap solution.
2. Colorado beetle. Adult beetles are removed and placed in a salt solution. Beetle larvae are removed with a napkin if they are on the leaves. Spray the plants with a decoction of herbs: celandine, wormwood, garlic, horsetail, dandelion, hot pepper, elecampane. The ingredients are mixed in equal proportions and left for 2-3 days.
3. Spider mite. A microscopic insect that adheres to the plant, penetrates the stem and feeds on the juices of the eggplant. This leads to leaves curling and spots appearing on them. Insects weave a thin web around their habitat, which does not allow light to pass through and damages the leaf structure. To get rid of spider mites, spray with Envidor and Actellik.
4. Medvedka. A dangerous insect that lives underground. It gnaws plant roots, destroys stems and leaves, and can damage fruits. To eliminate the insect, the soil is regularly loosened. Burrows and passages are filled with a heated solution of copper sulfate or soap solution. Anti-mole cricket preparations are added to the soil: “Bankol”, “Medvetoks”, “Grom”.

When is it time to replant seedlings?

Eggplants are transplanted into open ground in early June, and into a greenhouse in the second half of May.Two weeks before transplanting, they are sprayed with a 0.5% solution of copper sulfate to prevent fungal diseases.

How to do it right

Before landing When transplanting eggplant seedlings into open ground, make sure that the spring frosts have finally receded and summer weather has settled in at least 10-15°C at night.

10-14 days before transferring the seedlings to the beds, they begin to harden them: they take the plants out into the open air, gradually increasing the time to several hours. The day before planting, the plants are watered abundantly. Choose plants with a strong trunk for planting.

Conclusion

Growing eggplant seedlings at home is not difficult. The main thing is to follow all recommendations for planting and care: prepare the seeds correctly, observe temperature and light conditions, water on time, apply fertilizing, monitor the occurrence of diseases and pest attacks.