Sowing eggplant for seedlings requires a responsible approach. The crop yield depends on the correct timing of the work and the subsequent care of the seedlings. How to grow high-quality eggplant seedlings, we will tell you later in the article.
When to sow eggplants for seedlings?
The date of sowing eggplants for seedlings depends on:
- The climate of the growing region.The colder the weather, the later work is done.
- Features of the variety of culture.Pay attention to the dates indicated by the seed producers on the packages. The quality of seedlings and the final harvest depend on their observance.
- The method of subsequent cultivation. Greenhouse cultivation involves earlier sowing seeds for seedlings.
Seedling material is ready for planting in a permanent place after 55-60 days from sowing. Choose the optimal time for sowing seeds, taking into account these data.
In central Russia, with the further cultivation of eggplants in greenhouse conditions, sow the seeds in the second decade of February. If the subsequent cultivation will be carried out in the open field, engage in sowing seedlings in early spring.
Experienced summer residents, when choosing a date for sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings, are advised to focus on the phases of the moon. The growing moon is the best time for such work. On the new and full moon, it is not recommended to do planting business. The “Lunar calendar of the gardener” will help you find the recommended dates for sowing seeds.
Seedling tank selection
Any container is suitable for growing eggplant seedlings. These can be wooden and plastic boxes without cracks, cut plastic cans and bottles, containers and glasses, as well as special peat or coconut cassettes, pots, tablets.
Wash reused containers with laundry soap or boiling water. For the prevention of fungal diseases, treat eggplant seedlings in containers with any fungicidal composition (Phytosporin, a weak solution of manganese, etc.).
Soil preparation
Eggplants grow well on light soils with neutral acidity. They tolerate a slight acidification of the soil. To sow seeds for seedlings, purchase ready-made planting earth mixtures or prepare the soil yourself. To do this, prepare the necessary components and mix them in the right proportion. The table will help to do this without errors:
Blend component | Proportions | Training |
Turf | 1 | clean up the debris |
Sand | 0,25 | sift through a sieve and calcine |
Coconut fiber | 0,5 | grind |
Sawdust | 0,5 | pour small sawdust with boiling water and dry |
Peat | 2 | remove large fragments, grind and soak in warm water |
Lime | 0,25 | sift through a sieve |
Another, less rich in composition, variant of the planting mixture is soil from:
- chernozem - 2 parts;
- purchased land - 2 parts;
- river sand - 1 part.
In this case, mix the components, and then spill the earth with a pink manganese solution or bake in the oven at 200 ° C for 15 minutes. Such a measure is the prevention of possible diseases and attacks of pests, whose larvae may be in the ground.
Seed preparation for sowing
Seed preparation for sowing includes the following set of measures:
- Seed selection.Purchase seed from trusted sellers. Processed and prepackaged seeds are ideal. They do not need additional preparation and are already ready for sowing. When choosing, consider the variety and the possibility of growing in your region.
- Calibration Seeds that have not been trained by the supplier, sort. At the same time, leave only the largest and healthiest specimens.
To test for suitability, pour them into 3% saline solution. Remove all seeds that float to the surface - they are empty, without an embryo. Collect the seeds that have settled to the bottom, rinse with clean water and dry to restore their flowability. - Warming up.Fold the seed into a tissue bag. Warm up on the heating battery at a temperature of 50-52 degrees for 25 minutes. If the radiator is too hot, place a few layers of gauze under the bag. After warming up, immerse the seeds in cold water for 3 minutes.
- Hardening. Seeds moistened with water, place in a cold place where the temperature is kept at a level of 0 to +1 degrees. Dry the seed after 48 hours.
- Disinfection.Disease prevention is reduced to soaking the seeds in a slightly pink 1% manganese solution for 15 minutes. If the procedure is longer, the seeds can get a chemical burn and deteriorate. A shorter disinfection time will not give the required positive results.
- Growth stimulation. Soak the inoculum in a solution of Epin, Kornevin, Zircon, or other stimulating drugs. Soaking time and solution concentration are indicated in the instructions for the funds. This measure will help to get friendly shoots in a shorter time.
Ways of sowing eggplants for seedlings
It is possible to grow eggplant seedlings in different ways: using soil or materials replacing it, with a subsequent pick and without it. Let's consider each method in more detail.
Traditional way
This is the most commonly used method of growing seedlings. Can be done with or without a pick.
With the subsequent pick
This method involves sowing seeds in a total seedling tank. For this:
- Fill the container to the brim with planting earth. Water the soil. In this case, the earth will settle, and the resulting distance to the edge will prevent leaching of the soil with subsequent care of seedlings.
- Make small furrows up to 1 cm deep.Leave at least 3 cm between rows.
- Arrange the seeds in rows, leaving a distance of 1-2 cm between them. Cover the top with soil and moisten the surface using a sprayer.
- Cover the container with polyethylene, which will need to be removed after germination. Do not forget about airing and the need for moistening the soil.
- After the appearance of real leaves on the seedlings, it is planted in separate containers.
No pick
In order not to resort to picking, sow the seeds immediately in an individual container or leave the distance between the seeds in the common seedling box at least 4x4 cm. In this case, the sowing work is identical to the traditional method.
Sowing without land
You can grow eggplant seedlings without using soil. The main thing in such cases is to plant young seedlings as soon as possible in disposable containers, otherwise they will be weak from lack of nutrition and the possibility of comfortable growth, unsuitable for further cultivation.
Sowing in sawdust
This landing method involves the following actions:
- Pour boiling water over fine sawdust, let stand for 5-7 minutes and drain. This will remove excess ether from the wood residues.
- Pour sawdust into the container in a layer of 3-4 cm, fill with warm water so that it reaches the middle of the layer, and let the wood swell for 2-3 hours. Stir the substrate periodically.
- Put the seeds on the surface of the moistened "soil", slightly deepening them. Stick to a planting pattern of 1.5x1.5 cm.You can sprinkle the seeds with a thin layer of crushed damp wood, or not. But then, daily, 2 times a day, spray them with water from a spray bottle.
- Cover the container with polyethylene or glass and put it in a bright, warm place.
- When true leaves appear, transplant the seedlings into separate glasses.
Sowing on toilet paper
Several layers of toilet paper in a tray, soaked in water with the addition of growth stimulants, can replace the soil at the first stage of growing eggplant seedlings. Spread the seeds on the surface, and then cover with another layer of paper. Moisten the planting with a spray. Then proceed with the same care as the previous method.
Sowing in boiling water
This method requires a plastic container with a transparent lid. Sowing seeds is carried out according to the following rules:
- Fill the container with soil 4 cm.
- Spread the seeds on the surface of the earth, keeping a distance of 1-2 cm between them.
- Without filling the seed material with soil, pour boiling water over it. At the same time, be careful not to wash out crops and not burn yourself.
- Cover the container with a lid and store in a warm place. The first shoots will appear after 3-4 days.
Sowing seeds in a snail
Sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings using the snail method has widely proven itself. As a base for the "snail", polyethylene or a thin substrate for floor coverings is suitable.
Sowing seeds:
- Cut the polyethylene into strips 10 cm wide. The length of the base depends on the number of seeds sown, but the optimal length is 70-100 cm.
- Spread the strip and sprinkle a 1-1.5 cm layer of planting soil on its surface. Lightly compact the soil.
- Fold the tape like a roll. Secure it with rubber bands.
- Place the "snail" in the container vertically and pour the soil with warm water. When the earth settles, there should be a free space of about 50 mm from the edge of the film. If this side is higher, then add soil inside the "snail".
- Arrange the seeds in an earthen spiral, slightly sinking them into the ground. It is convenient to use a wooden stick. The distance between the seeds, maintain about 4-5 cm. With a shorter gap in the future will need picking seedlings.
- On top of the "snail" put on a transparent plastic bag, and determine the crops in a warm bright place.
Perform daily airing of landings. Moisten the soil in time to prevent dry crust from appearing on the surface. After emergence, remove the plastic bag.
It is possible to use the method without using soil. In this case, replace the soil with several layers of toilet paper, soaking it with growth activators or a solution of low concentration fertilizers.
How to plant eggplants in peat tablets?
Sowing eggplants in peat tablets, choose when it is necessary to grow especially valuable varieties of vegetables or the number of seedlings does not exceed 20-30 roots. For a larger volume of cultivation, this method is rarely used due to inconvenience.
Planting seeds:
- Fill the tablets in a deep tray and pour warm water into it. Let them swell.
- In the center of each tablet, put 1 eggplant seed and gently press down with your fingers, sinking inward.
- Place the tray of tablets in a warm, bright place.
Once every 1-2 days, carefully add water to the container so that the moisture is absorbed into the peat. Do not let the tablets dry out. As the seedlings grow, increase the distance between the tablets so that the plants develop safely without interfering with each other.
When planting seedlings in a permanent place, be sure to cut the mesh “corset” of the tablet. This will allow the root system to actively develop, which will speed up adaptation.
The advantages of growing seedlings in this way are:
- Combination in the composition of a neutral light soil and an optimal amount of nutrients.
- The ability to choose the diameter of the tablets. It ranges from 2.5 to 7 cm.
- No need for picking seedlings.
- Unlimited shelf life of tablets.
Features of care after sowing before emergence
Without proper care of crops, getting healthy, strong seedlings is impossible. Compliance with the landing rules is only half the battle. Now create the necessary conditions for the growth and formation of seedlings.
Lighting
Seeds need light before they germinate. Adequate illumination helps the seedlings appear more quickly and amicably. Daylight hours for eggplants should be at least 12 hours long. Therefore, in cloudy weather, use additional light sources (phytolamps, fluorescent lamps, etc.).
Temperature
For germination of eggplant seeds, a temperature of 21 to 26 ° C is required. After the emergence of continuous shoots, reduce the temperature to 16 ° C for 5-7 days to stop the growth of the stem, but activate the development of the root system. Further optimum temperature for seedlings is 23-25 ° C.
Humidity
Eggplant whimsically relate to fluctuations in air humidity. Growing seedlings requires maintaining this indicator at the level of 60-80%. To humidify the air, use special devices or place containers with water next to the seedlings. A wet cloth hung on radiators increases the humidity in the room well.
Do not allow the soil to dry out or waterlogged. It should be constantly moderately hydrated.
When and how is eggplant seedling picking carried out?
A pick is a transplant of seedlings into a separate container for each root. In the case of eggplant, truncation of the main root is not necessary. These works are carried out when 2-4 true leaves are formed on the plants.
Eggplant pick:
- Water the seedlings in a common box, let the soil soak well, leaving the containers after watering for 2-3 hours.
- Prepare custom cups. Pour soil mixture in them and moisten it.
- When digging out each plant from the common container, place it together with the root earth clod in a pot. In this case, hold the seedling not by the leaves, but by the stem.
- Deepen the plant to cotyledon leaves. Lightly compact the ground.
You can water transplanted eggplants 3-4 days after a pick. At this time, protect the plants from direct exposure to the sun so that they adapt more easily. Provide the first three days a temperature regime equal to 18-20 degrees.
Growing eggplant seedlings requires responsibility and dedication. With the correct sowing date, competently carried out preparation for sowing seeds, as well as with proper care, the seedling material will turn out to be strong and of high quality.