Good afternoon, my reader. Heat-loving eggplants, when cultivated in regions with a changeable climate, require the creation of suitable conditions. The poor harvest of this vegetable crop indicates possible mistakes made at different stages of plant development. It is important to know the peculiarities of growing dark-fruited nightshade (this is the botanical name for eggplant), which naturally grows in the subtropics of Asia.
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1. Illiterate organization of supplementary lighting
Sowing eggplants for seedlings is practiced in the last decade of February or early March. The development of seedlings occurs when there is insufficient natural light, so experienced vegetable growers install additional lamps next to the seedlings.
But in such a situation, they often make such a mistake as an overabundance of additional illumination, which does not allow the sprouts to develop normally. It should be borne in mind that the optimal daylight hours for eggplants is 10-12 hours.
2. Weakening of seedlings after a dive
Eggplants are very sensitive to the slightest damage to the roots. Therefore, they do not tolerate a pick. Young shoots adapt for a long time after this procedure and develop worse.
It is recommended to plant the eggplant seeds in separate containers. This will allow the seedlings to be transplanted only once when transferring to the beds. By handling plants with a clod of earth, it is possible to avoid serious stress for them. If you use peat cups, then they are simply installed in the holes and sprinkled with soil, which completely eliminates damage to the roots.
3. Planting in cold ground
To move the seedlings of heat-loving eggplants to the prepared ridges, it is important to choose the optimal period. By this time, the soil should warm up to at least 20 degrees.
If the seedlings are transplanted into colder soil, the adaptation period will be unnecessarily long, which will not allow the plants to develop well.
4. Lack of light
As the eggplants grow, their large leaves begin to shade each other. Lack of lighting negatively affects the formation of fruits.
It is recommended in such a situation to create conditions for highlighting the bushes from below. For this purpose, the soil in the garden bed is mulched using reflective materials. It can be foil or white shiny film.
5. Shading flowers
At the stage of the formation of buds on eggplants, it is recommended to control so that they are well illuminated by the sun's rays.
Flowers, which are in constant thick shade, quickly dry up and fall off. To remedy the situation, prune the leaves that block the sunlight from the buds.
6. Insufficient air temperature
Eggplants will only thrive well with enough heat. This culture requires an air temperature in the range of 25-28 degrees.
If, due to the climatic features of the region, the summer season does not please with hot weather, then you should immediately plant the seedlings in the greenhouse. It is taken into account that when the temperature drops to 18 degrees and below, few buds are formed on the stems, and the ovaries that appear massively fall off.
7. Drafts
One of the conditions for the qualitative development of vegetable crops grown in greenhouse conditions is systematic ventilation. This precautionary measure avoids the risk of developing blackleg on young crops, causing reduced growth, weakening and even death of shoots.
It should be borne in mind that drafts can be detrimental for eggplants, therefore, when carrying out ventilation open a door with a window on one side, which eliminates the appearance of strong air streams.
8. Stuffiness in the greenhouse
Cultivating eggplants under film or polycarbonate shelters requires attention. They can be destroyed not only by drafts, but also by stagnant air in the greenhouse, saturated with moisture.
Favorable conditions are created for the development of diseases or the appearance of aphids. Due to excessive moisture, ovaries do not form, since the pollen in the flowers loses its friability and sticks together in lumps. Therefore, you should not neglect the competently conducted ventilation of the greenhouse.
9. Sawdust as mulch
Noticing the untimely yellowing of the leaf plates on the eggplants or the absence of an ovary, you need to pay attention to the soil.
Poor development can be caused by mulching the surface of the ridges with fresh sawdust. The waste of coniferous wood is especially unfavorable, since it acidifies the soil, and the resinous substances contained in them negatively affect the root system. It is possible to add rotted sawdust, if necessary, in order to improve the structure of the soil, increase its moisture and air permeability.
10. Lack of feeding
Eggplant is a very demanding culture to provide nutrients. With their deficiency, plants begin to weaken and slow down their development.
During the growing season, it is recommended to feed the capricious culture four times:
- For the first procedure, practiced for 20-day seedlings, superphosphate (10 g) is used combined with potassium nitrate (30 g). Fertilizers are dissolved in a 10-liter container with water and watered young shoots. Such a nutritious liquid has a beneficial effect on strengthening the developing seedlings.
- The second feeding is timed to the period of moving the seedlings to the garden bed in open ground conditions or to the greenhouse. Use 30 g of potassium sulfate, which is mixed with twice the volume of superphosphate. The fertilizer is dissolved in 10 liters of settled water and the transplanted eggplants are watered.
- The third stage of the introduction of nutrient compounds falls on the period of active flowering. Combine potassium sulfate, urea, superphosphate in a ratio of 1: 2: 3. For 10 liters of water, take 15 g of the mixture.
- The fourth feeding is required at the stage of fruit formation. Superphosphate is used. Take 40 g per 10 liter water capacity.
11. Excess organic matter
Excessive application of organic fertilizers negatively affects the yield. In such a situation, eggplants intensively build up their green mass. At the same time, almost no fruit formation is observed.
Potassium sulfate will help reduce the negative effects of an excessive dose of organic matter. It will take 1.5 tbsp for a 10-liter water tank. l. fertilizers. You can sprinkle 1/2 cup of wood ash under each plant.
12. Lack of useful compounds
You can determine the type of nutrients that are not enough for the high-quality development of eggplants by the appearance of the plants:
- Nitrogen deficiency. Young leaves become whitish or pale yellow in color. On old leaves, drying spreads from the crown to the middle. To solve the problem, use urea (150 g / 10 l of water).
- Lack of magnesium and potassium. Yellowness appears at the edges of young leaf blades. If there is only a deficiency of potassium, then this can be noticed by the holes formed in the leaves. Wood ash is rich in potassium. Application rate - 1 glass / m 2. Magnesium is found in some fertilizers. For example, you can use magnesium sulfate in accordance with the instructions.
- Lack of phosphorus. The leaves are yellow with dark markings. They gradually dry up and fall off. Superphosphate (150 g / 10 l) is used in a similar situation.
13. Illiterate watering
Eggplants require a fair amount of moisture. Watering must be carried out systematically in moderation, avoiding waterlogging of the soil, as well as its excessive drying out.
It is recommended to mulch the surface of the beds using dry crushed peat or chopped straw, which allows you to retain moisture. In this case, you can water at intervals of 6-7 days. If there is no mulch, then in dry hot weather, the settled water will need to be brought under the root every other day.
14. Moisturizing the leaves
Given the specificity of the vegetable crop, it is important to avoid droplets of liquid on the foliage during the irrigation process. Excessive dampness of the aboveground part of the eggplant can cause the development of a fungal infection.
Analysis, accounting and correction of common mistakes made by gardeners, allows you to avoid many problems, which contributes to the cultivation of a high-quality rich harvest of delicious eggplants.
Do you know what you need to feed eggplants?
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