Heat-loving eggplant hybrid “Valentina f1” from Dutch breeders
Eggplant Valentina F1 of Dutch selection is one of the best hybrids grown in central Russia. Its unpretentiousness, early ripeness and productivity allow it to be recommended to both beginners and experienced gardeners. This is one of the earliest eggplants, bearing fruit as early as mid-July. It is famous for its delicate, mild taste.
Let's consider the detailed characteristics and agricultural technology of the crop.
Description of culture
The eggplant hybrid Valentina F1 was bred in the 90s of the last century by the Dutch company MONSANTO HOLLAND B.V. It was included in the State Register of our country in 2007. Eggplant is zoned for cultivation in all regions of the country and is suitable for greenhouses, open ground and temporary film shelters.
Distinctive features
The hybrid is tall, has thin and long fruits 20–27 cm long and 5 cm in diameter. Early ripening and productivity are considered valuable characteristics. The hybrid is resistant to unfavorable climatic conditions and does not shed buds and flowers. Fruit development continues even in cold weather. The fruits are identical in size and tolerate transportation well. The hybrid is resistant to tobacco mosaic.
Characteristics
Valentina F1 grows as a tall, spreading bush. In greenhouse conditions it reaches 1 m, in open ground - 70–80 cm. Large leaves are colored intensely green. The flowers are pale purple in color.
The fruits are oblong, pear-shaped, black and purple in color.Ripening begins 2–2.5 months after planting; the first eggplants are harvested in July. The weight of one fruit reaches 300 g. The pulp is white, with a yellow tint, without bitterness. The vegetable contains few seeds.
The yield in open ground is 2.8–3 kg, and in greenhouse conditions it reaches 5 kg per 1 sq. m.
How to grow your own
Eggplant has a long growing season, so it is grown through seedlings. The sowing time for planting in a greenhouse is the second or third decade of February, for open ground - early March.
Growing seedlings
The largest seeds are selected. Disinfect planting material in a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin. The seeds of Dutch hybrids are sold already processed, but some gardeners soak them in a biostimulant, for example, Heteroauxin, to improve germination.
The method of seed germination is often used. To do this, they are kept moist at a temperature of +25...+27 °C until sprouts appear.
You can prepare the soil for sowing yourself or purchase it ready-made in the store. Soil composition:
- turf land - 10%;
- humus - 20%;
- peat - 60%;
- sand or sawdust - 10%.
Attention! Any soil should be disinfected before use.
Eggplants do not tolerate picking well, so it is recommended to sow the sprouted seeds in small pots, and then, as they grow, transfer them with a lump of earth into a container of a larger diameter.
The seeds are sown to a depth of 1 cm, covered with glass or film on top and placed in a warm place with a temperature of about +25 °C.
After the emergence of seedlings, the film is removed and the pots with seedlings are placed in a bright place. Since the crop is sown in winter, additional lighting has a beneficial effect on the development of seedlings.
Feeding eggplant seedlings is required only if humus was not used during planting. If the soil is fertile enough, you don’t need to feed the seedlings before planting them in the ground.
Transfer
Two weeks before transplanting, young plants must be hardened off, starting with a few hours and gradually leaving them in the fresh air for a longer time. Hardening helps plants adapt to sunlight and daily temperature changes.
Seedlings ready for planting have a thick stem and at least five true leaves. The seedlings must be more than two but less than three months old. A sign that seedlings are ready for transplanting is the appearance of the first buds.
Growing eggplants in open ground can only be done by experienced gardeners. Usually this crop is planted in greenhouses or greenhouses.
The required soil temperature for planting this heat-loving plant is considered to be +19…+20 °C, which is problematic for open ground.
In the greenhouse, holes are prepared for planting eggplants at a distance of 50 cm; a handful of wood ash is placed in each hole. Before planting, the hole is spilled with water, the seedling is deepened to the cotyledon and the soil around it is lightly compacted.
Reference. Bell peppers, green crops and legumes will be good neighbors for the vegetable.
Further care
Temperatures considered favorable for growth and fruit set are +25..+28 °C. At temperatures below +15 °C, the plant stops growing, and when overheated above +35 °C, the pollen becomes sterile and fruits are not set. Adjust the temperature by airing, making sure that there are no drafts, which eggplant cannot tolerate.
When watering, moisten the soil to a depth of at least 20 cm.During the growing season, water once a week, and during fruiting - twice a week. Watering should be done with warm, settled water.
The row spacing is loosened no deeper than 3–5 cm, so as not to damage the delicate roots of the plant.
During the season, the crop should be fed 3-4 times. During growth, they are fed with complex fertilizers. During the period of fruit formation and growth, eggplant requires a lot of potassium. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are suitable.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
The peculiarity of growing eggplants is an indispensable condition for early sowing of seedlings.
Features of watering: eggplants are moisture-loving plants, but do not tolerate stagnant water.
When planting in a greenhouse, it is not advisable to plant eggplants together with tomatoes, since nightshade diseases easily spread to these delicate plants.
Important! The lack of fertilizing negatively affects the development of the bush and fruiting.
Experts recommend forming a bush: combating excessive foliage, removing excess shoots, especially from the lower part of the plants.
Diseases and pests
Eggplants are susceptible to many viral and bacterial diseases, and their delicate foliage suffers from pests.
Eggplant diseases:
- Black bacterial spot. Black spots with a yellow border appear on the leaves, and lesions with ulcers appear on the fruits. Fitoflavin-300 is used for treatment.
- Late blight. Brown spots first appear on the leaves, then spread to the stems and fruits, and the plant dies. A control measure is to spray plants with copper-containing fungicides.
- Gray rot (Alternaria blight). With high humidity in the greenhouse, gray wet spots appear on the leaves. They are controlled with contact fungicides, carefully spraying the lower leaves.
Eggplant pests:
- Whitefly. The 5mm white butterfly can cause damage when grown in a greenhouse. The plants are sprayed with the drug "Aktara" and watered at the root. Other drugs containing avermectins are also used.
- Spider mite. If the pest is small, it is enough to tear off the web and remove the damaged parts. Spraying with ammonia solution also helps.
- Colorado beetle. The preparations used are “Corado” 1 ml per 5 liters of water, “Aktara” 2 g per 10 liters of water, beetles are collected manually.
- Aphid. To combat, use solutions of laundry soap and ash, spraying the plants several times. In case of massive damage, the drugs “Strela”, Iskra”, etc. are used.
Harvesting and application
Eggplants begin to be collected as needed from the end of July. Mass collection is carried out with the onset of cold weather or when diseases appear.
Vegetables are used both fresh and for hot dishes. There are many vegetable and meat dishes with eggplants. They make caviar, various salads, marinate And salt.
Hybrid Valentina F1 tolerates transportation and is shelf-stable in cool conditions - more than 1 month without loss of taste.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of eggplant Valentina F1:
- early fruiting - harvesting begins at the end of July;
- high yield and fruit ripening;
- excellent taste and small number of seeds;
- unpretentiousness, ability to grow and bear fruit in unfavorable weather conditions;
- the hybrid is practically not affected by the tobacco mosaic virus.
The disadvantages include the small thickness of the fruit and the dense foliage of the bush, due to which it is necessary to trim off excess leaves.
Reviews
Gardeners growing Valentina f1 eggplant unanimously note its resistance to weather conditions and high yield.
Valentina, Yaroslavl region: “We plant these eggplants every year. Thanks to early ripening, there is always a harvest, even in cold summer conditions. I can recommend this hybrid to everyone."
Natalya, Moscow region, Ozyory: “I like the hybrid Valentina F1, we plant it all the time. The fruits are large, tasty, and not bitter. It can sit for a long time without spoiling, it’s good for preparations.”
Andrey, Kirov: “We live in a region with risky farming conditions; we have frosts even in June. We plant the hybrid later than indicated in the instructions, but it has time to ripen. Other varieties had to be picked unripe. I consider the Valentina hybrid one of the best for growing in the northern regions."
Read also:
An unpretentious variety of eggplant "Robin Hood".
Why do summer residents like the Black Beauty variety of eggplant?
Conclusion
Valentina F1 is an excellent hybrid for growing on a farm. It is unpretentious, resistant to diseases, and can withstand any unfavorable weather during the growing season. In addition, it is famous for its high yield and excellent taste. The only drawback is the need to buy seeds every year.