Eggplant seedlings growing at home. Growing eggplant seedlings at home: step-by-step instructions. Prices for copper sulfate

Eggplant is always associated with purple and an oblong fruit. But in lately Breeders offer such an abundance of varieties and hybrids, unusual in external color and structure, that it makes it difficult for the buyer to choose: round, white, striped, black, they delight and alarm. The taste, yield, and technology for growing seedlings and adult plants are unknown. To grow big harvest, and the eggplant bush is capable of forming up to 25 fruits, you need to know some biological features these Indian newcomers. By fulfilling the requirements for cultivation (creating familiar conditions), you will always have a high-quality harvest, regardless of the variety or hybrid growing in your garden.

Eggplant seedlings. © Joel Ignacio

The main requirement of eggplant is the length of daylight (no more than 12-14 hours). Eggplants are plants with short daylight hours, and lengthening them even by 1-2 hours leads to the fact that during the main warm period (June, July) the formation of ovaries does not occur. With a decrease in the length of the day (August, September), eggplants intensively form a harvest, but it is much smaller, since 2 main summer months are missed, when it is warm and other necessary conditions enough.

Eggplant varieties, especially old ones, are tied to day length and this feature is unchanged in old varieties. Currently, new generations of plants have been created - hybrids and varieties that are insensitive to day length. They can grow in any latitude. Therefore, before going to the market, look at the calendar, where the day length of your area is clearly indicated. Check out the varieties and hybrids of eggplant that experts recommend for your area and go purchase seeds or ready-made seedlings.

Content:

Technology for growing eggplant seedlings

Seed preparation

Beginning gardeners often purchase ready-made seed material on the market or from private traders. This is the first mistake. It is unknown what quality and variety the seeds will sell you. Always purchase seed from specialized stores and centers. They have already been processed and prepared for sowing. Home-harvested seeds must be varietal; hybrids will not produce the desired yield. In this case, it is better to purchase ready-made seedlings in specialized shopping centers.

Choosing eggplant seeds when purchasing

When purchasing seeds, carefully read the instructions on the bag:

the name of the variety or hybrid, legal information about the producer (telephone, physical address, etc.) must be clearly indicated,
when buying a hybrid, give preference to the first generation (label F1). Seeds of this generation are the most resistant to temperature conditions, diseases and pests,
number of seeds in a bag,
date of seed collection,
readiness of seeds for sowing (processing).

Independent preparation of seeds for sowing eggplant seedlings

To awaken the seeds from biological dormancy and speed up the emergence of eggplant shoots, warm them in a thermos or hot water. At a water temperature of +45..+50 °C, lower the seeds in a gauze bundle into hot water for 3-5 minutes (be careful not to cook them).
After heating, we pickle (disinfect) the eggplant seeds in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate to protect against diseases. Place the seeds in a gauze bag into the solution for 15-20 minutes and rinse under running water. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can treat seeds from bacteria and fungi in a solution of one of the biofungicides phytosporin-M, alirin-B, gamair SP, trichodermin, albite according to the recommendations. In this case, the seeds are not washed, but immediately dried until they flow.

Eggplant seeds germinate slowly and need initial stages in sufficient quantities of nutrients. Therefore, they still need to be treated with growth stimulants and nutrients. To reduce the number of seed treatments, you can combine disinfection with biofungicides, growth stimulants (epin, ideal, zircon and others) and microfertilizers (microvit, cytovit) in a tank mixture.

When preparing a tank mixture, dissolve each drug separately according to the recommendations, and then pour it into one container and mix. After warming up, the seed material is immersed in the solution for 10-12 hours. Then, without washing, dry at room temperature until free-flowing.

Eggplant seedlings. © Hey! Sam!

The last stage of preparing eggplant seeds for sowing is hardening

We keep the prepared dry eggplant seeds indoors during the day at a temperature of +18..+22 °C, and at night we transfer them to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator at a temperature of +2..+3 °C. We repeat this procedure for a week (5-6 days).

After hardening, the seeds are almost ready for sowing. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, eggplant seeds are germinated 2-3 days before sowing. To do this, they are scattered on a damp cloth in a saucer, covered with the same damp cloth on top and placed in a warm place. dark place. As soon as the seeds grow, they are transferred to a dry litter, dried and sowing begins.

Preparing the soil for sowing eggplant seeds

The soil mixture for sowing eggplant seeds must be neutral in acidity, light, air- and water-permeable, moisture-absorbing, saturated with nutrients, and disinfected from fungi, viruses, bacteria and pests.

mature humus 2 parts,
turf land 1-2 parts or 1 part of high-moor peat (neutral),
1 part sand or semi-rotten sawdust (not pine).

You can use another combination:

1 part humus (vermicompost) or 2 parts high-moor peat,
2 parts of turf or leaf soil,
you can add 0.5-1.0 part of sand.

We must disinfect the prepared mixture in the way that is most convenient for you (by heating, calcining, scalding, freezing or otherwise). After drying the disinfected soil mixture, we revive it by mixing it with biological products “Baikal EM-1”, trichodermin, planriz and others. They promote the rapid proliferation of beneficial or effective microflora (EM drugs) and at the same time destroy microbial and fungal pathogens.

If the soil was tilled wet method(solutions), then dry the substrate again and add fertilizers for 1 bucket of soil mixture, 30-40 g of nitrophoska and a glass wood ash. You can add a mixture of fertilizers: 15-20 g of urea, 30-40 g of granulated superphosphate, 15-20 g of potassium sulfate or a glass of wood ash. Mix the mixture thoroughly and fill the prepared container with soil.

Eggplant seedlings. © Chris Traweek

Time for sowing eggplant seeds

Eggplants have a long growing season and a slow rate of development. Depending on the duration of the period from germination to technical maturity, eggplants are divided into 3 groups:

early,
average
late.

For early eggplants, the technical ripeness of the fruit occurs 85-90 days from germination, for middle ones 90-120 and for late ones 120-150 days.

In the southern regions of Russia and other regions, eggplant seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of February - the first ten days of March. IN open ground Seedlings are planted from mid-May to the first ten days of June. Depending on the timing of fruit ripening, sowing of seedlings is shifted relative to the first date by 10-12 days.

You can simultaneously sow early, middle and late varieties of eggplants for seedlings, but the timing of transfer to open ground will be different: early eggplants at the age of 45-55 days, middle 55-70 days and late 70-80 days. You can plant seedlings in more early dates permanently if it outgrows (stretches) and weather conditions are suitable.

IN middle lane And northern regions In Russia, when planting seedlings in open ground or unheated greenhouses, under temporary shelters, eggplant seedlings are planted at the age of 60-70 days, that is, sowing of seedlings is carried out on the 15th of March. Permanent planting is extended until the first ten days of June, when stable warm weather sets in. Late varieties can also be grown in these regions, but they require heated greenhouses, additional lighting and others. additional conditions(which is unprofitable).

Eggplant. © Brittany Hotard

Technology for sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings

Eggplants do not tolerate transplantation well, so it is better to grow seedlings without picking. In the prepared container, I moderately moisten the soil mixture. In waterlogged soil, seeds may suffocate and will not sprout. I apply a special lattice with nests 6x6 or 8x8 cm (depending on the habit of the future bush). In the middle of each nest I sow 1-2 seeds to a depth of 1-2 cm. With such schemes, from 1 sq. m total area The seedling yield will average 250-150 seedlings.

After sowing, I sprinkle the eggplant seeds with the same soil mixture layer 1-2 cm. If sowing is carried out in separate containers (cups, peat-humus pots, special cassettes), I place them in a common box and place them in a warm, dark place. If sowing is carried out in greenhouse soil, I cover the sowing with lutrasil. Shoots appear in 1.5-2.0 weeks.

If you decide to grow eggplant seedlings through picking, then it is carried out in the phase of 2-3 true leaves. Water 2-3 days before picking to reduce damage to the root system. Transplanted into containers or containers with larger area nutrition, deepening the plants to the cotyledon leaves. The pick is shaded and the soil is kept moist. Watering is carried out with warm, settled water.

Temperature conditions for eggplant seedlings

Temperature plays a significant role in growing healthy seedlings. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the recommended temperatures:

the soil temperature from sowing to germination should be maintained within +20..+28 °C.
During the first 2 weeks after germination, the soil temperature drops to +17..+18 °C at night, and is maintained within +20..+22 °C during the day.
Subsequently, until the seedlings are hardened, the soil temperature at night and during the day is maintained within the limits of post-emergence temperatures.
The air temperature in the first week after emergence drops to +8..+10 °C at night, and is maintained within +14..+16 °C during the day.
Subsequently (from hardening of seedlings to hardening of adult seedlings), the air temperature is +11..+14 °C, and during the day it depends on the lighting. On sunny days you can raise the temperature to +25..+27 °C, and on cloudy days it can be lowered to +18..+20 °C. A change in air temperature is necessary so that the seedlings do not stretch.

Eggplant seedlings on day 43. © janetho88

Caring for eggplant seedlings

During the period of growth and development of eggplant seedlings, except temperature regime, it is necessary to monitor soil and air humidity, feed seedlings in a timely manner, protect them from pests and diseases, and harden them. Unhardened seedlings when planted in changed conditions environment gets sick and may even die.

When pests (aphids, caterpillars, whiteflies) appear, eggplant seedlings are sprayed with bioinsecticides according to the recommendations (fitoverm, bitoxybacillin, lepidocide and others).

Watering eggplant seedlings

I water after 2-3 days with moderate amounts of settled water heated to +20..+25 °C. After watering, I mulch the soil with dry sand to prevent root rot.

When watering twice a month, I add antifungal biological products (trichodermin, planriz and other biofungicides) to the irrigation water. They are harmless to humans, which is especially important when growing seedlings in a residential area. I reduce air humidity by ventilation without drafts.

Feeding eggplant seedlings

I carry out the first feeding in the phase of 2-3 leaves or 1.5-2.0 weeks after picking. I apply fertilizing with irrigation water. I prepare a nutrient solution per bucket of water: 5-10 g of urea and 30 g of water-soluble superphosphate. You can prepare a solution from a complete mineral fertilizer by dissolving 30-35 g of nitrophoska in 10 liters of water. After feeding, I wash the leaves with a spray bottle. clean water to prevent chemical burns to young plants.

I carry out the second feeding with the same composition 7-10 days before permanent planting, but without nitrogen. It is better to carry out the second feeding with Kemira fertilizer, intended for comprehensive care for plants. This fertilizer contains, in addition to the main nutrients, microelements boron, manganese, molybdenum, iron, which will give the plants additional energy.

Eggplant seedlings. © jesse keen

Hardening off seedlings

Before permanent planting (2 weeks in advance), I accustom the plants to new environmental conditions. I gradually reduce the frequency of watering, lower the temperature in the room, for which I take the container with eggplant seedlings out into the corridor or on glass balcony, loggia. At first, I keep the seedlings for 2-3 hours, gradually leaving them for a longer period in a cool room. If there is not enough lighting in the corridor, I turn on additional lighting.

Hardened seedlings prepared for planting should be 16-25 cm high, with 7-9 dark green leaves, 1-3 buds, a well-developed fibrous root system, and a straight stem.

Eggplant varieties and hybrids

Early ripening eggplants

Bibo F1 (87-93 days);
Black handsome (60 days);
Fabina F1 (40-50 days);
Mileda F1 (66-75 days).

Early eggplants

Alekseevsky (from germination to harvesting 90-100 days);
Valentina F1 (90-95 days);
Behemoth F1 (100-105 days);
Quartet (107-122 days);
Maxik F1(90-100 days);
Nancy F1 (75-85 days);
Lilac fog (102-105 days);
Purple miracle (95-100 days).

Eggplants are medium

Diamond (109-150 days);
Comet (118-125 days);
Swan (100-130 days);
Sailor (104-110 days);
Surprise (116-120 days);
Ping Pong F1 (116-117 days);
Pelican F1 (116-117 days).

Late eggplants

Mishutka (133-145 days);
Sophia (134-147 days).

Early ripening and early eggplants can be grown through seedlings in northern regions Russia. When creating appropriate conditions for protected soil. Medium and especially late ones are suitable only for the southern regions and warm temperate zones of the Russian Federation. When choosing planting material, select zoned varieties and hybrids. They are close to climatic conditions area, longitude daylighting, are more resistant to damage by diseases and pests.

Attention! As usual, we ask you to write in the comments to this article about your methods and tricks for growing eggplant seedlings. Please do not forget to indicate in which region you grow them and at what time you sow and plant them permanently. Thank you!

Today we will look at a topic such as planting eggplants for your garden. In the south, this vegetable has always been planted, but in the north and central part of the country they began to cultivate it only recently. And this is due to the fact that many people now have polycarbonate greenhouses. Of course, this crop was grown in film greenhouses, but in those days one could only dream of such harvests as they get now.

This vegetable, like tomatoes, belongs to the nightshade genus, and is essentially a berry. But this is only in a botanical sense. We consider it a vegetable, and therefore we prepare very tasty main courses from it, in which we often use other vegetables. Although I personally had attempts to make jam from it.

No matter what they call it, gardeners in all regions of the country want to have this annual shrub on their site. Therefore, despite the long period of its cultivation, heat-loving nature and “capriciousness”, it is sown for seedlings in the early stages and quite good yields are successfully obtained.

And today I will tell you how to plant eggplant seeds, get seedlings and bring the plants to the state when it’s time to plant them in the ground. So that the plant is strong, strong, healthy and ready to bear fruit.

When to plant eggplants according to the 2019 lunar calendar

Most often, before planting any vegetable or any other crop, we rely on the lunar calendar. Eggplants are no exception to this. To plant them, it is also important to determine days that are favorable for work, and to exclude so-called “forbidden” and unfavorable days from work.

We won't go into too much detail about lunar time today. This is a whole science, and a topic for a separate article. Usually we ourselves do not particularly follow the phases of the Moon, and do not observe its movement. We buy ready-made calendars at Soyuzpechat kiosks, or print them from a computer. And everything is already written and described there in great detail. Just look and choose a day that is convenient for you to plant.

in January – 10, 11, 19 and 20
in February – 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17
in March – 10, 11, 12, 15, 16
in April – 7, 8, 11, 12
in May – 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18

Unfavorable days (waning moon):

in January – from 1 to 5, from 22 to 31
in February – from 1 to 3, from 20 to 28
in March – from 1 to 5, from 22 to 31
in April – from 1 to 4, from 20 to 30
in May – from 1 to 4, from 20 to 31

Unfavorable days do not mean forbidden. For example, you can plant eggplant seedlings in the first days of the waning moon.

Prohibited days:

in January – 5, 6, 7 and 21
in February – 4, 5, 6, 19
in March – 5, 6, 7, 21
in April – 4, 5, 6, 19
in May – 4, 5, 6, 18

Basically, forbidden days fall on the days of the full moon or new moon. It is not recommended to work with the soil these days. As “experienced” people say, “the earth should rest these days.” Those days are unfavorable when the Moon is not in those zodiac signs that are favorable for planting work.

Of course, this material is only a recommendation. You can even check this information and plant a test batch of seeds on one of the prohibited days. By the way, my mom tried it. And now he always plants seeds for seedlings only according to the calendar.

How and when to properly plant eggplant seeds for seedlings

To correctly determine the time for planting eggplants, it is important to combine several dates at once and take into account several different criteria.

favorable landing days
ripening time of the desired vegetable crop
timing of its planting in open ground or in a greenhouse

WITH favorable days we have decided. Now let's look at other issues.

Since this crop is one of those vegetables that require a lot of time from growth and development to harvest, they must be planted at the end of January, beginning of February. This is especially true for the central and northern parts of Russia.

For these areas, it is best to plant early and mid-season eggplant varieties. In this case, the harvest can be obtained - for early varieties after 4 months, and for medium-sized ones - after 5.

In the northern regions, seedlings grow more slowly and take longer. Therefore, they begin to sow seeds at the end of January and the first ten days of February. At this time there is still little sunlight, and the daylight hours are quite short. In addition, it can also be quite cold on the windowsill, especially at night. And all this slows down the growth of seedlings.

For good seed germination and plant development, you need an air temperature of more than 20 degrees, and ideally 23 - 24 degrees. In addition, it is desirable that the seedlings are illuminated by the sun, or an artificial lighting device, for at least 16 hours a day.

There are also late varieties, but they are best planted in the southern regions of our country. In a colder climatic zone they do not have time to produce a harvest.

In the southern regions, seeds are sown at the end of February. At this time, it is already much warmer in the south, and thanks to this, the plant will develop much more comfortably in such conditions. But you shouldn’t forget about lighting here either, and it is advisable to install an additional lamp above the seedlings.

You should also take into account the fact when the seedlings will be transplanted into open ground. If you are planting seedlings in a greenhouse, then you should sow the seeds about two weeks earlier. And if you wait warm weather and plant them immediately outside, you can plant them a little later.

And so we think that the seeds will germinate in a maximum of two weeks. After about two months, the seedlings can be planted in a greenhouse or open ground. And the average time for fruit ripening from the moment the seeds are planted is 120 - 140 days. This is under the most favorable conditions.

Therefore, for each region, the timing of planting seeds can be calculated independently. You also need to take into account the fact that weather conditions may not be the same year after year, and therefore you need to take a few days in reserve.

In addition, when seedlings grow longer in the house, they gain more strength, become stronger and stronger, and are easier to transplant. It is best to plant in open ground already large plant with a developed root system. It will hurt less and take root better. It must be said that eggplants are quite capricious and do not like it when their roots suffer, which is why they do not like transplanting.

Seedlings are planted in open ground when it is already quite warm during the day and there is no threat of frost at night.

What is the best way to grow

This is an important question that interests many beginners in gardening. Eggplants are quite capricious to all kinds of picking and transplanting. They don't like it when their roots are damaged. Usually, after any transplant, the plant gets sick and takes a very long time to get used to the new growing conditions. Naturally, at this time the growth of seedlings stops.

Therefore, it is advisable to plant them immediately in a separate pot, in which the plant will grow and develop until it is planted in open ground. The pot should not be quite small. The seedling grows quite large, sometimes up to 30 - 40 cm, and with a well-developed root system. Therefore, this should definitely be provided for.

But unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity and space to plant plants in large containers at once. And after all, they all need a lot of sun, light and warmth. Where can I get all this? large quantities in winter?! And therefore, many go to initially plant the seeds in a common container. Moreover, not all of them can germinate.

Used for planting plastic containers, long pots that are convenient to place on the windowsill.

And if these are separate containers, then you can use ready-made ones plastic containers, or sour cream glasses. And some even use kefir packets for this. Just remember to make holes at the bottom so that when watering, excess liquid does not stagnate in the pots.

Seedlings are grown in peat pots. Although many people believe that such containers are not particularly suitable for growing. And there are several reasons for this

Moisture evaporates very quickly through the walls of the pots and the soil dries out quickly because of this.
at frequent watering The roots grow quickly, and the leaves are poorly developed. That is, the plant as a whole does not develop harmoniously
when the plant becomes large, the roots grow through the walls, and you have to plant the plant directly with the pot
in the ground, the material from which the container is made does not dissolve well, although it has organic composition, which interferes with the growth of roots and the plant as a whole

Although it must also be said that supporters of such pots will find just as many advantages in planting them.

And I told you everything about what you can grow in, and the choice will now be only yours.

What soil to use

The land for planting seeds and growing seedlings should be prepared in the fall. It is usually prepared and immediately mixed in the required proportions for summer cottage. To plant seeds we will need 1 part of turf soil, 2 parts of humus or compost soil and 1/3 part river sand. You can take not 2 parts of humus, but only one, and supplement the second with peat. Ideally, the prepared mixture should be light and loose.

It is advisable for the soil to stand outside, or on a cold balcony, so that it freezes. If there were pathogenic microorganisms in it, they would die. The soil should be brought into the house only 7 - 10 days before planting. She will thaw in natural conditions and you can continue to work with it.

If you doubt the quality of the soil, it can be further processed. These methods include activities such as fire-roasting in a bucket, roasting in the oven, or steaming.

A day or two before planting, you can prepare containers and pour soil into them. But first, drainage must be provided. The same sand or expanded clay is suitable for it. You need to pour it onto the bottom in a layer of at least 1 cm.

Then add the prepared soil. If you have ash, you can add that too. It is added at the rate of 1 tablespoon per kilogram - one and a half soil. Scatter it on top, and then mix it with your hands directly into the prepared container.

Despite the fact that the land was in the cold, it still needs to be processed further. Mold does not die in the cold, just like some mushrooms. Two days before planting, the soil should be watered with a solution of potassium permanganate. It should be pretty strong. And the day before planting, you can additionally treat the soil with a fungicide.

Immediately before planting, it can be additionally treated, for example, with a product such as Alirin B. It will also combat possible pathogens of rot or fungi. But you don’t have to do this; the two previous stages should be quite enough.

Seed preparation

We have already touched a little on the topic of early, middle and late varieties seeds Choose the variety that suits you for each region. But I would like to advise you to choose among them those that have medium-sized fruits, and the bushes do not grow very tall.

Eggplant seeds take quite a long time to germinate. Therefore, in order to shorten this period, they, like the seeds of other crops, are soaked. Their germination time in this case occurs twice as fast.

But at first, many still soak the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for about 15 minutes.

Many people are concerned about the question of how to soak them correctly? Very simple. And there are several different ways to do this.

1. You need to roll up the gauze in several layers, put the seeds on one half, and simply cover with the other half. Place the gauze in a saucer or small flat plate. And pour in some settled water at room temperature. The gauze should only be moistened; it does not need to float in water.

Place the saucer in a bag and tie it at the top, but not tightly. There should be enough air left in it, so just tie it at the top with a bow, making sure there is space between the bow and the saucer itself. free space. Place the plate with the seeds in a warm place for 3 days. Make sure the gauze does not dry out every day. It must be constantly wet. At the same time, there should be no water under it.

Thus, at sufficient temperature, with access to oxygen and the presence of moisture, the most favorable conditions for germination are created for the seeds. And after just 3 days, some of them may “hatch” slightly, that is, the shell will open slightly and a tiny seedling will appear in this place.

2. There is another method in which, when soaking, the seeds can be treated with drugs that stimulate their germination. The same preparations are subsequently watered on the seedlings to stimulate their growth.

Such drugs include Ecopin, Energen, Zircon. As a rule, they are mixed with a small amount of water, for example, only 1 gram of the drug is needed for 50 ml of water. Then the seeds are placed in gauze and filled with the prepared solution for 5 - 6 hours. Or you can leave them like this overnight.

3. The seeds are also treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide.

4. For better and faster germination, the seeds are scalded with boiling water. To do this, they need to be placed on gauze and placed in a bowl. Pour in a small stream around the edge of the bowl in small portions. It is advisable not to get on the seeds. You can see how to do this in the video, which will be at the end of the article.

And recently, already processed seeds have appeared on sale. They are processed accordingly by the manufacturer himself. They are very convenient because they can be planted in the ground immediately.

Planting seeds

And so we have everything ready for landing. Before it, about two hours before, we can treat the soil with a special biological preparation “Alirin B”. As mentioned above, it will not only additionally treat the soil from any pathogens, but will also nourish the soil with biologically useful components.

To do this, the soil must be sprayed with a diluted solution (see the instructions for use for how to dilute), then loosen the soil to mix the layers.

Then it will need to be slightly compacted. To do this, use a regular ruler or board. Do not compact too much, just lightly, so that the seeds do not fall into the ground to a great depth.

If you plant in a common die, it is better to make several grooves with a distance of at least 5 - 6 cm. Place the prepared seeds in the grooves with a distance of 1.5 - 2 cm between them. And lightly sprinkle them with earth. Seeds should be planted at a distance of 0.5 - 1 cm.

Place one or two seeds in separate pots. And also sprinkle with earth. Once they have sprouted, the weaker plant can be removed.

Also, recently, many people have been planting seedlings in a “snail”. This is a method in which toilet paper, and the treated seeds are laid out on it. Then they are sprinkled with earth, which should be slightly moistened.

Then roll the entire structure into a snail shape and place it in a small container. Periodically add water to it. The principle is quite simple and we discussed it in detail. In the article you will find a video on this topic.

Spray the soil with a spray bottle. Watering in the usual way is not recommended due to the fact that a stream of water can deepen the seed and it will be very difficult for it to germinate through the thickness of the soil. It happens that it is for this reason that not all sown seeds germinate.

For faster germination, cover the container with glass or place a plastic bag over it. At first, put it somewhere warm. Not necessarily on the windowsill. If the house is cool, then before placing the pots in cellophane, wrap them with covering material.

Every day it is necessary to remove the cellophane and ventilate. And also monitor soil moisture. If necessary, spray it with a spray bottle. After about a week, check the plantings every day. As soon as the first shoot appears, the pots should be exposed to light, on a windowsill, or under lamps.

And another planting method that produces very good germination is planting in peat tablets. We have already talked a lot about this method when we planted seeds and seedlings.

IN in this case you can also use it. The method is quite easy and effective.

And don’t forget to sign where you planted which variety. And also write down the planting date to make it easier to navigate and analyze later.

How to care for plant seedlings

While we are waiting for the shoots to emerge, do not forget to ventilate our mini greenhouse. We also water if the soil dries out. As already mentioned, we do this by spraying. In this case, try to use settled water, which will stand at room temperature for 2 - 3 days. Water for irrigation must have a temperature of at least 20 degrees.

Optimal temperature for emergence of seedlings 24 - 26 degrees. The fastest seedlings may appear in about a week. Well, mostly shoots appear on the 9th, 10th day.

At night, the temperature usually drops, so you can additionally wrap the seedlings with film or covering material. This is especially true for seedlings that stand on the windowsill. If it is quite cold outside, then a blanket or something warm should be placed between the glass and the pots.

Light and temperature

Light is as important to plants as heat. Small seedlings that sprouted in February especially need it. During this month, daylight hours are still very short, and plants need light for at least 12 hours, and preferably 16. Therefore, after the seedlings appear, they need to be provided with this light.

At first, it is better to hang the lamp at a distance of 10 cm from the ground. And if there is no sun outside the window, then it needs to be turned on for the whole day. It’s even better to take some of the time in the evening. You can use both ordinary fluorescent lamps and special lamps, which everyone who plants seedlings currently has or dreams of having.

If during the day the sun pleases us with its light, then the lamps can only be turned on in the evening. And the plants can be turned to the sun, first on one side, then on the other. While they are very small, this can be done. But when the plants grow up, this can only be done selectively, since not all plants like such rearrangements.

If the seedlings have a long, thin, elongated trunk with undeveloped leaves, it means they simply do not have enough space. Or they are very closely planted. In the first case, add lighting to them; in the second case, sort out the seedlings, removing the weakest of them.

Also important criterion plant growth and development has a temperature. To germinate seeds under the film, it should be, let me remind you, 24 - 26 degrees. The same temperature is most optimal for the first 7 days after germination. The temperature can then be lowered a degree or two. And at night it should not be lower than 17 degrees. Keep an eye on this, and your seedlings will thank you.

Watering

To get good seedlings, it is very important not to overwater them. Throughout the entire period of plant growth and development, the soil should be moist. Therefore, it is necessary not to water the plant, but only to moisten it. While the seedlings have not yet appeared, the soil can be sprayed with a spray bottle only if necessary.

After the emergence of seedlings, watering can be done once every 4 - 5 days. At the same time, carefully water only the soil around the seedling. To do this, they most often use a rubber bulb or a syringe without a needle. And water literally droplets, slightly moistening the soil.

When the first leaves appear, you can water less frequently, about once a week. And also quite a bit, for each plant no more than two tablespoons of settled water.

For irrigation, be sure to use water at room temperature, not lower than 20 degrees. And try to defend it for at least 2 - 3 days.

Along with watering, moderate fertilizing can also be done. Again, if necessary.

Picking

Eggplant is a very vulnerable plant, and it does not like interference in this process during its growth and development. And therefore, seedlings are always very difficult to tolerate picking and transplanting. Therefore, if you planted plants in general containers, and you can’t do without picking, you should do it extremely carefully and carefully.

Don't miss the time when picking seedlings is not so painful. This is done when the plant has its first true leaf. Do not confuse them with cotyledon leaves. There are two of them, they are paired, slightly elongated and narrowed. The real leaf has a more rounded shape and is single.

The soil mixture used is the same as what we prepared in advance in the fall. And we have already talked about this in the corresponding section.

The only thing is that, in addition to ash, you need to add complex granular fertilizer to the soil. It should be added according to the instructions. Approximately 1/3 of a tablespoon should be added to about a bucket of the mixture.

Mix the soil mixture and place it in cups, or small pots, or special cassettes. But it is desirable that their diameter be at least 10 cm, and their height even greater.

Two hours before planting, spray the prepared soil from a spray bottle with a growth regulator diluted in accordance with the instructions. Then use a thick stick or a screwdriver handle to make deep holes where we will transplant the seedlings.

You can not remove all the plants from the main die, but leave them every 10 cm. And carefully remove all the seedlings that are between them and plant them. You can remove them using a nail file, a fork, or the handle of a spoon. The main thing is to try not to damage the thin roots.

Place the remaining plants in a checkerboard pattern. This way it will be more comfortable for them - both for the roots, and so that sunlight can better reach each of them.

When planting, the stem can be deepened. At this time it is quite thin, and this will make it easier for the seedling to adapt. You can deepen it up to half. Lightly press the earth around it with your finger, but so as not to block the access of air to the roots, that is, very lightly, so that the trunk can hold on well.

If you sow the seeds in small-sized cassettes, then when the seedlings grow in them, they should also be transplanted into pots larger size. In this case, it is considered that the plant is not transplanted, not picked, but “rolled over”. That is, the contents are taken out entirely with a lump of earth. And the whole thing is transferred into a larger pot. Where to first pour the soil up to half. And after transplanting, add it as much as needed.

Transplanted plants should be watered moderately.

Immediately after picking, try not to place the plants in the sun. It's better to leave them alone indoor lighting for a day. The air temperature should be no lower than 20 degrees. If the room temperature is lower, then you can cover the seedlings with a thin covering material, especially at night. You can cover them at night for 3-4 days until they get used to the new conditions.

Top dressing

As for feeding, many gardeners believe that until the plant is transplanted into the ground, this procedure is not mandatory. That in the soil itself there is already enough of all the substances necessary for development and growth.

However, sometimes plants do not develop as desired. For example, the leaves of the seedlings are not green enough, the plant itself is rather lethargic and weak. In this case, you can feed them a little. And one of the main ways of such fertilizing is adding wood ash to the soil. To do this, mix a tablespoon of sol in 1 liter of water. Let it sit for a while and then water the plants. Again, quite moderately.

This organic feeding can be done once every two weeks, and in some cases once a week.

Gardeners also use such fertilizer as hydrogen peroxide, stirring it in the same proportions, that is, pour 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide per liter of water. Also water once or twice a week.

Soon, after such procedures, the plants will become more cheerful and strong. Their leaves will turn green and their trunks will become thicker. And the seedling itself will look very positive. And as a result, we will reap an excellent harvest in the summer.

Video about how to grow eggplants from seedlings to harvest

And at the end of the article, I offer you a video to watch, where in a fairly short time a lot of useful knowledge is given on how to grow seedlings and how to get an excellent harvest from them.

This video only partially addresses the issue of planting plants in the ground and caring for them until harvest. And I will have a large article on this topic, where I will try to talk about everything in as much detail as possible. Now it is important to plant seedlings on time and care for them properly.

There is a lot of work. But she is interesting and very grateful. Therefore, I sincerely wish you success in this.

All the best to you!

Hello to all summer residents and gardeners. I hope you have already planted bell pepper seedlings; if not, here are recommendations for sowing pepper seeds for seedlings. And today we'll talk about delicious vegetables from the nightshade family - eggplant, or blueberry (another popular popular name for this vegetable). This vegetable will be useful for you delicious dish-, caviar light, delicious, as well as other salads and winter preparations.

Eggplant is very useful for its beneficial influence on the functioning of the heart, it is recommended for weight loss and atherosclerosis, as it breaks down fats well. To get a great harvest, you need to properly grow blueberries at home, and this is not difficult if you follow the recommendations for growing and caring for them. But you need to start preparing for growing seedlings now, because time flies quickly, and it will take about 2 months to prepare eggplant seedlings.

Eat different ways calculate the timing of planting seedlings directly into the ground at the dacha or in the garden. If you have a planned planting date, you need to correctly calculate the time for germinating seeds and growing seedlings from it. For eggplants this period will be about 65 days.

Little blue ones are grown in greenhouses and in open ground, but as a rule, only by seedling method. You can start seeds closer to mid-February or early March - it depends on the growing method you choose (greenhouse or open ground), as well as on the region of residence.

In the seedling phase, eggplants should be 50 days from the appearance of cotyledon leaves and plus 12 days for germination, i.e. After the seeds have sprouted, plant them in the ground after 50 days. The air temperature by this time should be at least 15 degrees at night. It is also necessary to take into account that the blue ones do not like picking, so we don’t count the days for recovery after a picking.

So, taking into account your region and the experience of past years, we count 62-65 days from the intended planting of seedlings in the ground and sow the seeds.

We sow eggplants according to the lunar calendar 2018

By lunar calendar Eggplants need to be planted as seedlings:

in February 2018 – 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 23rd of the month,
in March - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

Not everyone has the ability to adjust to these numbers.

It is not advisable to sow on full moon. The main thing is to do it in a good mood.

There are early, medium and late varieties of eggplant. You need to carefully study the manufacturers' recommendations for sowing and ripening dates indicated on the back of the packaging bag. See the example in the photo below:

Recommendations for planting eggplant seeds for seedlings relative to regions of residence

Blue ones are a very heat-loving plant. The optimal growing and ripening temperature is 25-28 degrees. Planting seedlings in the ground should be done only when the air temperature warms up to +15 degrees at night.

Southern regions (including Ukraine): we sow seeds for seedlings at the end of February - then by mid-April the earth and air will warm up enough and the little blue ones can be planted in the garden.
Middle zone (Moscow region): the optimal time for planting eggplant seedlings is in mid-March, then the seedlings will be ready at the end of May.
In the Volga region we sow eggplant seedlings at the end of February - at the beginning of March.
In the Urals and Siberia, it is better not to rush: for early varieties, we plant seeds for seedlings in late March - early April and early June, when the air temperature is at least +15, your seedlings will be quite ready for planting in open ground.

We remember the basic rule: to plant eggplants in open ground, the air temperature must be above +15!

Video about how to properly grow blueberry seedlings from seeds

Step-by-step instructions for growing homemade eggplant seedlings

Proper planting of eggplants guarantees a high percentage of seed germination and also has a beneficial effect on their future development. Ignoring the rules reduces the chances of getting strong seedlings.

Let's consider the main stages:

we reject and disinfect the seeds;
then we germinate them;
fill the prepared containers 2/3 of the total volume with prepared soil;
Water generously and allow the moisture to be completely absorbed;
place the germinated seeds at a depth of 1-2 cm;
cover with a 1 cm layer of soil;
compact and moisten the soil;
cover the containers with a transparent lid or film;
then put it in a dark place at a temperature of 25-30 degrees;
7-9 days after the emergence of friendly shoots, we move it to a well-lit (but not southern - it will be too hot for the shoots) window sill;
After 2 months, we transplant the finished seedlings into open ground.

And now all the processes are in more detail.

So, we buy seeds in the store, choosing the desired variety. Eggplants are blue and white, there are eggplants for grilling. The main difference between blue and white is that the blue fruit, when overripe, accumulates toxic substances, while white does not accumulate them. Growing and caring for plants different varieties no different.

The first stage - preparing seeds for germinating seedlings - is very important. First you need to discard unsuitable seeds. To do this, soak all the seeds in salt water for 3-5 minutes; the bad seeds will float to the surface of the water. They need to be collected and thrown away. We take away those seeds that have sunk for sowing and work with them further.

First of all, the selected seeds must be treated with a strong solution of potassium permanganate (or a suitable chemical for disinfection, carry out this according to the manufacturer’s instructions), dipping the seeds into such a solution for 30 minutes, then rinse with running water and dry. The solution should be dark purple, as in the photo on the right:

Then the seeds need to be hardened. This will help the seedlings be more resistant to changes in air temperature. This procedure should be carried out as follows: for several days we alternate the conditions of detention - from room temperature 25 degrees, we transfer it to the refrigerator on the bottom shelf for a day, and then back to room temperature.

This needs to be done 2 times, while the seeds should be moderately moist.

After this procedure, the eggplant seeds need to be soaked in warm water and place on damp gauze or napkin in a warm place. To keep the napkin with seeds moist, close it in a bag or glass jar (mold) and cover with a lid.

In this form, the seeds will lie until light sprouts appear from them. This is a sign that they are ready for planting in prepared soil. Covered seeds should be kept in a warm place with a temperature of +25 degrees.

Since eggplant seeds do not germinate well, they can be soaked in growth stimulants such as epin, baikal, zircon. Better yet, budget and effective remedy– 3% hydrogen peroxide. It will also be for them additional protection from fungal diseases.

We plant the sprouted seeds carefully (preferably with tweezers, so as not to damage the sprouts) in the prepared soil.

To do this, choose a soil mixture for planting; it is better to prepare it at home, here is the recipe:

1 part – turf land
2 parts – peat compost or humus
1/3 part sand
1 tbsp. ash

10 g of potassium salt, superphosphate and 3 g of ammonium nitrate are also poured here.

It is better to store the mixture prepared in the fall outside, in the cold.

You can buy coconut substrate - loose, light soil.

The soil in which the seeds will be sown must be disinfected. To do this, you can bake it in the oven.

You can use sand as drainage - pour 1 cm at the bottom of the mold. Plant the seeds to a depth of 0.5-1 cm and cover with film. Considering that eggplants do not like picking, we plant them in separate cups that can be torn and transplanted into the ground. For an example, see the photo below:

After the sprouts appear, the film is removed, and the dishes with the plants are transferred to a cool place or the temperature is lowered to +20 degrees during the day and +18 degrees at night. This coolness should last at least a week to slow down the growth of the above-ground part and allow the root system to develop.

After the emerging sprouts have been kept at a cool temperature for a week, the temperature must again be raised to +25 degrees during the day and +20 degrees at night. There should be no drafts in the room. The seedlings need to be watered with warm, settled water in the morning, turned different sides to the light source, feed. The seedlings need to be placed in the most illuminated place, where the light will shine as long as possible during the day. If the process of growing seedlings occurs early spring or even at the end of winter, then you need to install additional lighting using fluorescent lamps to extend the daylight hours to 11-12 hours.

During the period of growing seedlings at home - 2 months, they are fed 2 or 3 times. You can pick up special mixtures for seedlings in the store and use complex mineral fertilizers by dissolving them in water.

62-65 days after sowing, the seedlings will be ready for planting in open ground.

Video on planting eggplant seedlings in open ground

Have a rich harvest!

Proper cultivation of seedlings is the key good harvest in the future, so it’s better not to buy seedlings, but to grow them yourself.

Eggplant - pretty capricious plant, when growing its seedlings it will be necessary, temperature, water regimes and other requirements for this plant.

When to sow eggplant seedlings?

From the moment of sowing to planting eggplant seedlings, 55-60 days pass. If you plan to plant seedlings in a greenhouse, sowing can be done in mid-February. In case of planting in open ground, eggplant seedlings should be planted in the first half of March.

Rules for planting eggplant seedlings

Soil preparation

The soil in which the seeds will be sown must be disinfected. To do this, you can bake it in the oven.

The root system of eggplant seedlings is very sensitive, so it is important to correctly compose the soil mixture. It’s better not to buy soil, but to make it yourself. There are several well-proven options for preparing it. Choose one whose components are available to you.

Humus (8 parts), mullein with the addition of urea, potassium salts and superphosphate (1 part), turf soil (2 parts).
(3 parts) + sawdust (1 part) - since the mixture does not contain nutrients, any solution for growing seedlings should be added.
Humus (2 parts) + turf soil (1 part).
Humus (2 parts) + peat (1 part).

Whichever option you choose, be sure to stir the mixture until smooth.

Seed preparation

2-3 weeks before sowing, check the seeds for germination: 10 seeds are soaked in warm water for a day, then placed on a moistened cloth or gauze folded in several layers. The seeds are kept for up to 6 days in a warm place, keeping them moist, and then the number of germinated seeds is counted.

Seeds with a germination rate of more than 50% are considered suitable for sowing.

Before sowing, the seeds should be disinfected. To do this, they are placed in a strong solution of potassium permanganate (“potassium permanganate”) for 30 minutes. Recently, this drug has disappeared from pharmacies, so you can treat them thermally: pour hot water into a thermos (temperature 52-55 o C), place the seeds in gauze bags there for 30 minutes, then remove and cool for a few minutes in a cold water.

In order to speed up germination, the seeds are left for a day in a warm nutrient solution (special fertilizers or ordinary wood ash can be used), and then soaked in clean warm water for 1-2 days.

Sowing eggplants for seedlings

You can grow seedlings in different containers: boxes, pots or cups.

When sowing in cups or pots, you need to fill them ¾ full with soil mixture, sow seeds in the center, lightly moisten with water and sprinkle with a thin layer of soil. After sowing, the cups should be covered with film. The substrate should not be compacted to saturate the soil with oxygen.

When sowing in a box, it is filled with soil mixture to 7-8 centimeters and the eggplants are sown in furrows located at a distance of 5 centimeters from each other. Next steps the same as when sowing in pots.

Caring for eggplant seedlings

Until the first shoots appear, the containers in which eggplants are sown should be kept under film at a temperature of 25-30 o C. Shoots should appear no later than in a week. After this, the seedlings are placed in a bright place and the temperature is reduced to 14-16 o C. If this is not done, the seedlings will stretch out, their root system will develop worse. This temperature regime should be adhered to for the first week after emergence. Then you should set the daytime temperature to 16-26 o C, and the night temperature to 10-14 o C.

If there is low air humidity in the room with seedlings, the plants must be covered with film.

Plants should be moistened moderately, being careful not to wash away the soil. To prevent blackleg damage, it is better to do this in the morning; the temperature of the water or irrigation solution should be within 26-28 o C.

During growth, seedlings should be turned 2 times a week so that the seedlings do not stretch.

Feeding seedlings

When growing eggplant seedlings at home, you should alternate watering and fertilizing. If a mixture rich in nutrients was chosen as a growing substrate, and the seedlings are developing well, light fertilizing is carried out. To do this, pour 1 glass of tea leaves with 3 liters of boiling water, leave for 6 days and pour the resulting infusion over the seedlings. In the same way, you can infuse the finely crushed shells of 10 eggs.

If a mixture containing large number peat and sand, or the plants develop poorly and their leaves turn light green - more significant feeding is required.

You can use ready-made complex fertilizer for seedlings or prepare it yourself. To do this, mix superphosphate (1 teaspoon), potassium sulfate (1 teaspoon), complex fertilizer (2 teaspoons) and dissolve the mixture in 10 liters of water.

You can also use ordinary wood ash as a fertilizer for eggplant seedlings. It is carefully scattered in a thin layer on the surface of the soil, trying not to get on the leaves and stems.

Picking up eggplant seedlings

After 2 true leaves appear on the seedlings, the plants can be planted in pots or cups measuring 10x10 centimeters.

Containers must have holes at the bottom to avoid water stagnation. It is better to fill the pots with the same mixture in which the sowing was done. Before diving, the soil should be watered with a solution of wood ash, potassium sulfate or complex fertilizer. For 10 liters of water you should take 1 teaspoon of any fertilizer.

Seedlings are watered with water 2-3 hours before diving. Carefully select the seedling, trying not to damage the root ball, and along with it the roots, transfer the plant to a new container and sprinkle the soil mixture up to the cotyledon leaves. Attention: there should not be an uncovered section of the stem between the cotyledon leaves and the soil.

After diving, the seedlings slow down their growth, at which time they form a more powerful root system. The first few days they need to be protected from direct sun rays, and if the seedlings are on the windowsill, you should cover the window with a newspaper.

The first watering is carried out on the 6th day after the dive. Subsequently, the seedlings are watered abundantly once every 5-6 days.

Planting eggplant seedlings in open ground

A month before planting, the plants begin to harden: during the day they open a window or take the plants outside fresh air. For 2 weeks, seedlings are sprayed with a 0.5% solution of copper sulfate - this will protect the plants from fungal diseases.