Useful information can be gleaned from special calendars for summer residents / gardeners. But, as a rule, they do not give an answer to the main question - when and how exactly to plant eggplant for seedlings in a particular region. This article will help the reader determine the auspicious time on their own.

Tips like "before tomatoes, peppers", which are most often found, say little. It is necessary to take into account one of the features of eggplant. They differ from many garden crops planted for seedlings in a long period from pecking the shoots to the beginning of flowering. If for a tomato it is (on average) 55 days, then for eggplant it can reach up to 100 or more (in some varieties up to 150).

The surest (and repeatedly tested) way is “from the opposite”.

1. The starting point of reference is the date of the beginning of the crop harvest (and any) in your region. When eggplants approximately ripen, every summer resident knows well. For those who are just planning to breed them, it is easy to check the dates with relatives, acquaintances, neighbors who have their own plots.

1. Each variety has its own period of development and vegetation. Experienced summer residents recommend counting like this:

• from the planned date of ripening - minus 100 days;
• the time from planting seeds to their germination is another 10-12 days.

But this is only a purely formal calculation. Our ancestors also focused on a number of related factors. It is the observance of certain rules that guarantees good germination of seeds, obtaining strong seedlings and, accordingly, a high yield. All the necessary nuances can be found in the usual tear-off calendar.

Lunar calendar 2019

Phase one or two, since the planting of everything that stretches up is done when the “night Goddess” is growing.

Each lunar day is characterized by its own specifics. You should know that 1.5 days before the new and full moon (and the same after) are periods of "calm". No agricultural / work is recommended during these 3 days.

Remain HP from 3 to 14. But even among them, only a few are suitable for planting eggplant seedlings: 4 - 7, 10 - 14. You can clearly see the phases of the moon in the photo:

Zodiac sign

Identically. All of them are divided into fertile and undesirable for any planting. The first group includes - Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Pisces, Capricorn. Priority - to the signs of the elements of Water.

Intermediate (that is, seeds can be planted only as a last resort) are Gemini.

But if the Moon is in Aries, Leo and especially Aquarius, it is better to wait. Seedlings, although they will be, are rather frail. Many of them will have to be rejected in the future, so little will remain of the seedlings in the end.

It is not always possible to guess so that both the day and the sign converge. In this case, you should focus primarily on the lunar day. If the sign is unfavorable, then you need to calculate the time so that this is the last day the Moon stays in it.

Planting dates for seedlings in 2019

The simplest thing left is to pick up a flip calendar and decide on favorable days for planting, by months.

• February - 10. If the deadlines are "running out", then it is possible, having violated some rules, another 14, 24 and 28 (after noon).
• March - 2, 3 and 4 (before lunch); 6 - 8, 11. 14 - 17, 21, 22, 26, 27, 29 - 31 are allowed.
• April - 3, 4, 7 - 9.

At a later date, seedlings are already moving to a greenhouse or open ground. But this is determined individually, depending on local conditions.

Planting order

It is worth noting the features of the eggplant, which many gardeners consider rather "capricious".

• This culture loves not only heat, but also moisture.
• Eggplant does not tolerate picking.
• The soil in containers for seedlings is recommended to load "light" (loam, sandstone).
• For our climatic conditions, the optimal choice is the varieties "Vera", "Purple Miracle", "Diamond", "King of the North", "Black Beauty", "Epic", "Klorinda", "Marzipan", "Bourgeois".
• Eggplant is a thermophilic culture. Therefore, seedlings are placed on the beds only when the night temperature (not the average daily!) Does not fall below +7.

There are many ways and options for sowing eggplant seedlings, but the following reliable method proposed in the video has proven itself very well, with which seedlings will always grow excellent:

soil mixture

If seedlings are needed in small quantities, then it is better to plant seeds in cups (peat compost) or divide boxes into compartments and put special peat-based tablets there (cassette technology). Their shelf life is unlimited, and they are already completely disinfected. Yes, and the introduction of fertilizer, growth stimulator, picking in this case will not have to be dealt with.

The only drawback is that a large number of cups will require a lot of space. But if this is not an obstacle, then the most optimal option for growing eggplant seedlings. When choosing tablets for this vegetable, you need to look at the diameter of the sample. For this culture - at least 40 mm.

After the tablet is saturated with moisture, it increases by 8 times, therefore, the container for seedlings should be selected with the appropriate capacity. On one side, these peat discs have a recess. It serves to bookmark eggplant seeds. Therefore, the tablet is placed in the container always up this surface.

Substrate preparation

It must meet the following criteria - a normal level of acidity, friability (which implies good breathability), saturation with useful substances. If the soil is purchased in a store, then it is easy to choose. The packaging should indicate that the land is suitable for growing, including eggplant. Buying is the most rational decision. Soil from a manufacturer with a good reputation always meets the standards - the proportion of components, pre-treatment, and so on.

Do-it-yourself cooking is both simple and complex at the same time. Just mixing all the prepared ingredients is not difficult. But picking them up so that they meet all the requirements is not always possible. And the quality of the composition, given the "finicky" eggplant, is extremely important for growing seedlings. Therefore, the preparation of the substrate requires literally “pharmaceutical precision”.

Here are just a few of the "recipes" most practiced by gardeners for the soil mixture:

Component ratios are in fractional parts. Fertilizers at the rate of a glass / bucket of substrate. Top dressing is applied to the prepared soil only after it has been sterilized.

• Option 1 - coarse sand (1) + humus or compost (3) + peat (4). Wood ash (1) and potassium sulfate (0.5) are applied as fertilizer.
• Option 2 - sod land (1) + humus (2).
• Option 3 - rotted sawdust (1) + peat (3). The resulting mass is mixed with complex mineral dressing. The recipe is on the package.
• Option 4 - rotted mullein (1) + soddy land (2) + humus (8). Fertilizers - superphosphate or urea (2).
• Option 5 - peat (1) + humus (2).
• Option 6 - turf (1) + peat (1) + river sand (1). Fertilizers - solution (in g / bucket) superphosphate (20) + potassium sulfate (15) + urea (10).

Many summer residents in the process of preparing the substrate take the earth from the site as a basis - this is undesirable. The main reason is that the harvesting of the soil is done in the fall, at the end of the season. By this time, she was already very emaciated. In addition, how to determine which microelements (and in what quantity) it lacks? There is no guarantee that all seedlings will hatch together in containers and shoots will develop equally well.

Practice shows that the use of soil from your garden leads to the fact that in the spring part of the planting material has to be rejected. If the land is from a summer cottage, then seedlings should be grown in slightly larger quantities.

Everything that is harvested for the substrate in the fall cannot be stored in a warm room. The same land should freeze well during the winter. This ensures that all (or most) of the pests in the soil die. Desirable places for storing "reserves" are unheated outbuildings, sheds, garages. Even better - right on the local area, in plastic bags under a canopy.

Disinfection

In principle, it is desirable to sterilize the shop substrate, since it is not known how well it was previously processed, how it was stored, and so on. For do-it-yourself soil, this is a must. At home, disinfection of the soil mixture is carried out in different ways, to whom it is more convenient.

• In a microwave oven. Not a bad way if you need relatively little substrate. A portion of the earth is loaded into a glass container and placed in an oven. One and a half to two minutes is enough for the soil to be well sterilized. An effective and fast technique, but only if there are few such "bookmarks".
• Steam bath. A bucket of earth is placed in a basin filled with water. All of this is open fire. The duration of disinfection is within half an hour.
• Heat treatment. The meaning is in pouring the substrate with boiling water. Either an old “thin” bucket is used (hardly anyone will drill holes on purpose), or a colander. To prevent the earth from being washed away, the bottom is preliminarily covered with a material permeable to water.
• Sterilization with fungicides. The technique is the same, but instead of boiling water, a manganese solution is used. It is prepared quite concentrated (shade dark red). It is advisable to shed each bookmark at least 2 times. In order to use the composition repeatedly, a basin is placed under the container with soil. After such treatment, the soil must be washed with running water to remove manganese residues!

After sterilization of the prepared substrate, fertilizers are applied to it (if necessary).

seeds

Germination test

Actual for purchased planting material. Before planting seedlings, you should make sure that the seeds from a particular batch (bag) will actually germinate. To check them, a dozen is enough. Seeds are soaked for a day in warm water, and when they absorb enough liquid, they are placed on gauze and covered with it. It remains only to place this impromptu bag near the battery and moisten regularly. If after about a week most of the seeds sprout, the planting material from the tested lot is suitable for growing seedlings.

Disinfection

Seeds need disinfection, even if it was done before storage. Exposure for 25 - 30 minutes all in the same solution of potassium permanganate. But this time weak (1%). When preparing it, it is necessary to achieve only a slight coloring of the water. There are other methods, but this is the simplest, and therefore more often practiced than others.

Stratification of planting material -. Simply put, the seeds need to be “pushed” to germinate. After washing in clean water, they are placed on a soft cloth (or napkin), covered with it and placed in a place where the temperature is within 0 ºС. For example, in a household refrigerator (vegetable compartment). This simulates the end of winter/beginning of spring. In this position, the planting material is aged for about a week.

Next, it is advisable to soak the seeds (for half a day) in a special solution of the “growth stimulator” category (there are appropriate preparations on sale, the choice is large and the cost is low). As options - "Zircon", "Epin".

Then the seeds are washed and slightly dried. After that, they are completely ready for placement in the ground (boxes, glasses, flowerpots, containers).

Planting for seedlings

A week and a half before planting the seeds, the substrate is loaded into the prepared container and watered well. Some articles recommend doing this the day before. Wrong, and here's why. There are practically no beneficial microorganisms in the soil after winter storage and subsequent processing. They breed only in conditions of high humidity and room temperature. That is why the soil mixture must be watered and kept, and only then planting material is placed in it. Otherwise, the seedlings will turn out frail, and it is unlikely that all specimens will be suitable for moving to the beds; most will have to be discarded.

How much land is required? Given that the substrate will sag during irrigation, a layer 8 ± 1 cm thick is sufficient. If planting is done in cups, then 2-3 seeds are placed in each. The explanation is simple - at least one will germinate.

Seeds should be placed so that subsequently the roots of the shoots do not intertwine (eggplant does not like picking!). The landing scheme is chosen independently, depending on the size and geometry of the container. It is desirable that the seeds are at a distance of at least 5 cm from each other (along any axis). Their optimal depth is 1.5 - 2 mm, no more.

Creating a greenhouse effect

It must not only be organized, but also maintained until the first shoots appear.

• The container is covered with a transparent, airtight material (glass, polyethylene film).
• The container is placed in a shaded warm place. As a rule, at radiators of heating.

The entire home "garden" must be inspected and ventilated daily. In practice, this means that the coating must be “opened” for 15–20 minutes. If this is not done, then, firstly, the future eggplant seedlings may not sprout (suffocate); secondly, mold and fungus will appear on the soil.

Watering or not, is decided on the spot. Checking the condition of the soil is easy - put your finger on it. Since the seeds are located near the surface, only the top layer should be wet. The presence of condensation on the coating will tell you whether or not to water. If there are a lot of drops, then the liquid present in the substrate is quite enough. Yes, and they, periodically falling on the soil, also moisten it.

eggplant seedling care

When shoots appear, the cover is removed from the containers. Now young seedlings need a lot of air and light.

Optimum temperature (ºС):

• the first week - day 15±2, night 11±2. This is necessary in order for the eggplant root system to develop more intensively, which will nourish the seedlings;
• subsequent days - respectively 26±2 and 13±2. This difference must be maintained. This simulates temperature fluctuations (day/night) in natural conditions. That is, from a very early age, seedlings are accustomed to them, therefore they will easily transfer the subsequent movement to the beds.

It is necessary to organize the illumination of eggplant seedlings. It is necessary to adhere to the rule - the duration of daylight hours for a given crop is approximately 12 hours. From this, you will have to proceed when planning when to turn on and when to turn off artificial lighting.

The only caveat - after the emergence of shoots of day 3 - 4, the backlight should illuminate the containers with eggplant seedlings around the clock. This will help young shoots to get stronger faster, and it will have a beneficial effect on the roots.

The type of devices and their arrangement are selected so that all boxes of seedlings are evenly lit. Otherwise, the shoots will develop differently, and they will have to be planted on the site in parts, as soon as they are ready. And this is not always convenient or possible - all the same lunar days and signs of the Zodiac.

As the seedlings develop, they gradually form a green "dome". Consequently, it is becoming more and more difficult to visually control the condition of the soil. Every day he is tried by touch, with a finger. Since eggplant is picky about irrigation, the soil should be constantly moist (slightly). But not in excess, so that the roots do not begin to rot.

Seedling nutrition:

• Timing. The first time (and it is the last, if the picking is not carried out) days 10 - 12 after the germination of the shoots. Secondary fertilization - only after picking (sometimes it is still done) after 2 weeks.
• A drug. For eggplant, "Crystal" (yellow) is recommended. On a bucket of water - a tablespoon. But this is for the first feeding. With the next fertilizer application, the same composition is used, but a different modification (special). It is easy to find in specialized stores. The recipe is on the packaging.

You can’t do without a pick - you need to know how to correctly conduct it:

• Picking is done only after at least 2 strong leaves have formed.
• The soil in a new place is preliminarily spilled with a solution based on complex fertilizer or ash (wood), based on a bucket - a teaspoon.
• The seedlings themselves are also watered two hours before the start of work, so that the soil softens and the roots are not damaged during the excavation of the shoots.
• In the ground, at the landing site, holes are prepared in advance. The seedlings are taken out one bush at a time, carefully, together with the adhering earth, and moved to another area (or to a separate container). They are buried along the lower leaves, sprinkled with earth, which is slightly compacted.

The next irrigation of transplanted eggplant sprouts is carried out a week later, not earlier. For faster adaptation of seedlings, it is necessary to exclude the rays of the sun on the boxes. And that's it - the shoots no longer need to be disturbed. They need time to get well established. Therefore, if they slow down growth somewhat, it's okay - this is a natural reaction of the plant to changing conditions. Further watering - about once a week.

As the weather gets warmer, you need to accustom eggplants to their natural environment more intensively. At the first stage - by opening the vents or window sashes, balcony doors. Moreover, every day the time for "air procedures" should be increased by 5 - 10 minutes, depending on the temperature outside. Next - take out boxes with eggplant seedlings on the same balcony, veranda or put on the windowsill, fully opening the windows. The third stage of adaptation of culture to the natural environment is leaving it outside for the night. But only on condition that the temperature does not fall below +7 (already noted).

The entire period of growing seedlings, it is necessary to control its condition. Pests and diseases are a separate and voluminous topic that needs special consideration. But by the appearance of the bushes, you can understand some of your own flaws made in terms of eggplant care:

• Too long and thin shoots - lack of light, excess moisture or non-compliance with the recommended temperature.
• The appearance of the so-called top rot is usually associated with a deficiency of potassium in the substrate. It is easily eliminated - by making the appropriate top dressing.

When planting bushes on the beds, it is necessary to take into account not only the street temperature. Seedlings ready to move to the site should have at least 6 leaves on the shoot and grow at least 15 cm.

Whoever grows eggplants at home, whether in a greenhouse or in the open field, does not need to talk about how this vegetable is capricious and demanding to care for! Ignorance of the peculiarities of growing eggplant leads, first of all, to a low yield, which is clearly not planned by any vegetable grower!

Observing all stages of cultivation, planting is initially singled out as the most important and crucial moment. Most often, seeds are sown first, and only then they are transplanted, planting it in the ground and achieving a high eggplant yield. An incorrectly chosen period for sowing seeds negatively affects their seedlings, further growth and development, formation and timely ripening of fruits. Therefore, they try to prevent such problems by correctly determining the time of planting seeds for seedlings.

When to sow eggplant seedlings in 2017?

Definitely, 2017 is distinguished by certain features and contains, first of all, favorable and not very dates for planting eggplants for seedlings. However, when deciding on the date of planting, they also take into account the fact that before the first inflorescences appear on the bushes, the eggplant sprout must fully develop for at least a hundred days! Before planting, eggplant seeds can first be germinated, and only then planted in the soil. This will speed up seedlings and shorten the waiting time.

According to the lunar calendar and the advice of experienced vegetable growers, seeds should be sown in the first two winter months. True, depending on the climatic characteristics of your region, sowing may fall in March or even April. So, for example, in Siberia, sowing can be done somewhere in January, and the 17th and 30th will be favorable for this. Planting continues until February, approximately on the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 23rd, 28th.

But where the winter is less severe, for example, in the Krasnodar Territory, planting in open ground will be carried out a little earlier, seeds begin to be sown after March 13, choosing for this purpose the 16th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 30th . Moreover, they are planted for seedlings in greenhouses, and from there, somewhere in early May, into open ground! Individual summer residents, not having time to sow eggplant seeds for seedlings, can take advantage of the day that is favorable for this, which April offers us - 8, 9, 18, 22, 26, 28.

What days are planting seeds prohibited?

Given that there are too few favorable days for planting eggplant seeds, all other dates cannot be considered strictly prohibited! Simply put, for planting eggplants, you need to choose a favorable day “for you”, but it is important to avoid the full moon, so on March 11 and 13, there can be no talk of any work. All other dates, although they are not considered favorable, however, they cannot be called forbidden!

In addition, you need to "guess" not only with the landing number. The day itself should be as conducive to this as possible. Agree, it’s much more pleasant to do such procedures on a warm day, when the still winter, and maybe already spring sun, is warmly shining outside the window, with gentle rays urging us to think about the imminent summer, and therefore about the summer season!

From the last month of winter, an active seedling season begins. Gardeners are happy to plant various vegetable and flower crops in order to get a tasty harvest and beautiful flowers in the future. But in order for the whole growing process to succeed, it is necessary to initially plant at the right time, and this rule is true for all crops, without exception. When to sow eggplant seeds for seedlings in 2019, in what month?

Why is it important to plant plants on time?

Different vegetable crops have different duration of seedling germination, development of seedlings, adaptation after picking, recommended time for planting in open ground in a permanent place. Therefore, it is important to initially plant at a reasonable time, because if this is done too early, the eggplant seedlings will not be ready for the optimal planting moment, will stretch, poorly and slowly adapt after transplantation. And if you sow too late, the crop will not have time to ripen.

When to sow eggplant seeds for seedlings in 2019

Eggplant is a heat-loving crop, which has a very long growing season. Therefore, when choosing the time for planting eggplant for seedlings, several factors should be taken into account at once, following which will help determine the most suitable time. Let's consider each criterion in more detail.

Video: when to plant eggplant seedlings.

Calculation of terms based on varietal affiliation

There are different varieties of eggplant, and seedlings of different varieties must be planted in the ground in a permanent place at different ages: early ripe - at the age of 60-65 days, mid-ripening - 65-70 days, late-ripening - 70-80 days.

With such information, you can do a simple calculation: Add up the recommended age of seedlings depending on the variety (60-80 days) + seed treatment time (from zero to three days) + seedling germination period (from four to ten days) + adaptation after picking (about ten days).

From the calculation it turns out that it is necessary to plant seeds for seedlings 77-90 days before planting in open ground. That is about 2.5-3 months.

According to the recommendations of the manufacturer of planting material

If you buy seed from a reliable and trusted manufacturer that manufactures quality goods, then detailed information will be indicated on the seed package, for example, the date of manufacture, expiration date, contacts, as well as the timing of planting, transplanting to the garden, harvest ripening time.

That is, on the package with eggplant seeds, the manufacturer's recommendations are indicated on the optimal sowing time for seedlings. And it is better to follow these recommendations, as they are indicated taking into account varietal characteristics.

Dates according to the lunar calendar 2019

The moon helps gardeners in many summer cottages - in planting, tillage, harvesting, pest and disease treatment, grafting, transplanting, etc.

And when choosing the timing for sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings, you can turn to the 2019 lunar calendar for help:

• Favorable days for the procedure:
  1. February: 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28;
  2. March: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29;
  3. April: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30;
  4. May: 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23.
• Unsuitable days for landing:
  1. February: 4th, 5th, 19th;
  2. March: 6, 7, 21;
  3. April: 5, 19;
  4. May: 5, 19th.

According to the climate of the growing region

Undoubtedly, eggplant is a very popular vegetable crop that gardeners grow in many regions of Russia. But since this plant is very thermophilic, it is very important to take into account the weather and climatic features of different regions:

• In the south of Russia- you can sow seeds for seedlings in February (and planting can be done at the end of April).
• In the Middle Strip (including the Moscow region) and the Volga region- optimally planted at the end of February (landed in a permanent place in the third decade of May).
• In Siberia, in the Urals, in the Leningrad region- the timing of planting eggplant for seedlings falls on the beginning of March (thus, it will be possible to plant plants in the garden at the beginning of summer).
• In the Far East- you can plant at the end of March (and you can land at the beginning of June).

If you follow the criteria listed above when choosing the most appropriate time for the procedure, then you can determine the ideal timing without any problems and difficulties.

By the way! Growing seedlings is a complex event that requires high-quality implementation of each stage. Only in this case can you get a magnificent harvest.

It tells about how to properly sow vegetable seeds, care for seedlings, and plant them in the garden. And it is told in detail about the rules and terms of picking.

Do not forget about the following rules that will help grow strong seedlings:

1. The culture does not like picks, it is better to immediately plant in individual volumetric cups.
2. The soil mixture should be neutral, loose, fertile, moisture permeable.
3. Do not forget about the disinfection of the landing tank and soil.
4. For better germination, it is recommended to process the seed.
5. You can get good and healthy plants only with proper care and observance of optimal conditions - watering, temperature, lighting, top dressing.

Probably there is no such gardener and gardener, or just a lover to feast on them. And on the eve of spring field work, planting eggplant for seedlings in 2019 is the main topic for a summer resident. But not everyone knows when to sow eggplant. A very firmly planted thought in their heads that they are capricious and very loved by the Colorado potato beetle, very demanding on light and heat, and that they are easier to buy than grow, often prevents summer residents from including them in their vegetable crop rotations. Thus, depriving yourself of such yummy.

It is very easy to grow such a blue handsome man, it is not a little more difficult than other vegetable crops, to cultivate annually in your garden without loss. In addition, it is impossible not to take into account its useful qualities. It has a high content of potassium, magnesium, and this is important, just for people with problems of the cardiovascular system. Growing this crop, taking into account all the features and recommendations, is a guarantee of obtaining the desired crop. Let's start with the preparation of seed material and find out how and when to plant eggplant, choosing a greenhouse or open ground.

Seed preparation

First of all, to grow eggplant, you need a germination test. To do this, you need to select 10 seeds from each bag, from each variety. Wrap in a damp cloth, cover with cellophane and leave in a dark, warm place. After a day, analyze the results. If five out of ten sprouted, then the germination rate is at least 50%, which means you can sow eggplants for seedlings, the seeds are considered suitable.

But first they need to be disinfected. Soak in a strong solution of manganese for 30 minutes, then rinse, and soak again for a day in a solution of sodium humate or biohumus according to the same scheme, only for several days. It is important not to miss the moment of pecking. As a rule, this happens on the 5-6th day.

It is not necessary, but it is desirable to harden them further. To do this, keep in the refrigerator for two days at a temperature of + 2 + 3 ºС. After again in heat at room temperature - a day. Then again in the cold for a day. All! You can start planting in seedling containers.

When to plant eggplant seedlings in 2019

First you need to decide on the timing and decide when to sow eggplant, what number. It is important! The lunar calendar should become a guide for planting eggplant seedlings to give positive results. It is also important when determining the timing to know that this dark blue handsome man is a vegetable with a long growing season, so it is better not to be late with the timing.

Focusing on the lunar calendar, in the middle lane, it is better to choose the earliest favorable numbers. Planting eggplant for seedlings with subsequent removal to the greenhouse should be even earlier.

Eggplant planting dates in 2019:

• In January - the 8th;
• February - 20, 21;
• March - 3, 4;
• April - 1;
• May - 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 22, 23, 31. Please note that May is the month of transplanting eggplant in open ground.

On average, it is better to plant eggplants for seedlings for open ground in the first days of March, for closed ground - two weeks earlier, that is, approximately, starting from February 15. Late varieties ripen for a long time, sometimes they need from 100 to 180 days from the moment of germination.

Soil preparation is an equally important step. The composition of the soil may be different, but must be loose, breathable and moisture-absorbing, and consist of:

• 2 parts of humus and 3 parts of turf;
• 2 parts of humus and 2 parts of peat;
• 1 part peat with sawdust and 2 parts humus;
• 2 parts humus and 1 part sod.

It is necessary to mix the nutrient mixture into the selected soil option (1 tablespoon of ash with 1 tablespoon of superphosphate). Before planting, it is advisable to disinfect it if the soil was prepared independently. To do this, spill it with a boiling strong solution of manganese. If the soil mixture is purchased, it is ready for use and does not require additional manipulations.

Healthy and strong seedlings are the key to good yields, so planting eggplant in containers that are shallow and not wide will be the most optimal. It is convenient to care for both the summer resident and the culture itself.

It is necessary to plant eggplants for seedlings in the planting grooves, observing a distance between seeds of 2 cm, if these are cups, then one in each. Watering with water only settled, room temperature.

The soil throughout the growing season must be kept moist, but not overwatered.

Eggplants love warmth, moisture and light. A decrease in ambient temperature below +15 ºС will inhibit the growth of young plants. At +10 ºС even death is possible. Optimal +20+25°C.

Before the first shoots appear above the soil surface, the containers should be placed in a dark place, in a dark plastic bag. It is important not to miss this moment so that the sprouts do not stretch out. They can be expected from 6-14 days. It is advisable to check every day. As soon as - immediately open and put into the light. Daylight hours should be at least 14 hours, so additional artificial lighting is likely to be needed. Then the seedlings will not reach for the light and the trunks will be strong and plump.

Fertilize regularly, at least once every 7-10 days (1 tsp calcium nitrate per 5 liters of water).

picking

Only a month later, the plants will enter the phase of the appearance of the first two true leaves. At this moment, it is necessary to pick the plants into separate capacious containers, in which she will spend another 1.5-2 months before planting in a permanent place. You need to dive very carefully, trying to keep the clod of earth intact, since the eggplant root system is very sensitive to injury during transplantation.

Before carrying out this procedure, spill a clod of earth with water in 2-3 hours. Take the most suitable 0.5 l. cups. Fill them with the same mixture, spill it with a liquid solution of mullein at the rate of 0.5 cups per 5 liters. water, or 1 tsp. urea for the same volume of water. Can be spilled with humate, biohumus, Ideal fertilizer. No less effective is the use of 1 tsp. potassium sulfate and wood ash. Only then, having made a recess, place the seedling in a glass, deepening to the cotyledon leaves. The next top dressing is only on the 6th day with one of these drugs. To avoid blackleg, water sparingly in the morning.

Planting and growing in a greenhouse

To grow eggplant in a greenhouse, you need to know a number of features:

• Temperature regime. If the greenhouse is not heated, then it can be planted in a permanent place only at an average outdoor temperature of at least 15 ºС (usually in the middle lane these dates fall on the first half of May). Cold nights can nullify all efforts. If it is still time to transplant to a permanent place, then you can put a heater for the night. Comfortable temperature during the further development of this culture is + 25 + 30 ºС. Above + 35 + 45 ºС - detrimental to her, will adversely affect pollination and the formation of ovaries. In addition, at this temperature regime, aphids will not keep you waiting. Therefore, for control, there should be two thermometers: one is almost near the ground, the other is in the center of the greenhouse, under the very roof.
• Air exchange. Ventilation is essential, especially during the hot afternoon hours. But drafts should not be. In the heat, water the paths - it will reduce the temperature.
• Landing scheme. Planting holes, 20 cm deep, should be prepared in advance, watered so that the moisture is absorbed, and only after that, carefully, so as not to damage the roots, plant mature plants in a permanent place. Do not deepen, try to ensure that the ground level is not higher than in pots. Plant in rows, keeping a distance between them of 30-35 cm. Between rows should not be less than 60 cm. Pour warm water, you can use a weak solution of manganese.
• Watering. Abundant but moderate. The first time since transplantation - on the fifth day, then once a week. With a lack of moisture, they can drop ovaries and flowers. With the growth of fruits more often - up to 2-3 times a week. Only under the root, while the earthen lump should be moist to a depth of 20 cm. After that, it is advisable to loosen the soil in order to prevent its rapid evaporation on hot days. Loosen no deeper than 2-3 cm, so as not to damage the root system.
• Light. The greenhouse should be well lit and warmed by the sun.
• Top dressing. Most of all they love organic. Feed once a month (1 tbsp / 10 liters of water). But at the same time, know the measure, otherwise they will go to “fatten”. Of the mineral ones, the complex "Kemira", "Mortar" is better. After the start of fruit formation, switch to ammonium nitrate and superphosphate, 1 tsp each. / 10 l. water.

eggplant- one of the most capricious vegetables that require serious care, therefore, sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings should begin with a study of the lunar sowing calendar, because it would be a pity, having spent time and effort, not to get the expected harvest. And this can happen if the sowing of seeds takes place on an unfavorable day. We will tell you when to sow eggplant seedlings in 2019, how to grow eggplant seedlings at home and when to plant seedlings in open ground.

When to plant eggplant seedlings in 2019

• In January, good days for sowing seeds: 9-15, 20, 25, 28, 29.
• In February, favorable days for sowing are 7, 20-22, 25, 26.
• In warm regions, it is recommended to sow eggplants for seedlings in March on the 5th, 6th, 15th, 20th, 21st, 24th, 25th.
• If you expect to grow eggplants for storage, then you need to sow them in April - on the 20th, 21st, 27th, 28th, 29th.

When determining the timing of planting eggplant for seedlings, keep in mind that the seeds germinate in about two weeks, then the seedlings will need at least 60 days to develop. Subtract 75 days from the date of planting seedlings in open ground and start sowing on the next favorable day according to the sowing calendar.

Planting eggplant seedlings at home

Soil for eggplant seedlings

The soil for growing eggplant seedlings should be neutral, loose and light, but at the same time fertile. You can buy such soil in a store, or you can make a substrate for seedlings yourself by mixing one part of river sand, four parts of lowland peat and three parts of compost or humus. In 10 liters of such a mixture after sterilization, add half a glass of potassium sulfate or a glass of wood ash and mix everything thoroughly.

There are some other good recipes for the substrate:

• 8 parts of humus, 2 parts of sod land and one part of rotted mullein - after sterilization, urea and superphosphate should be added to this mixture;
• add one part of rotted sawdust to three parts of peat, sterilize and mix well with a complex mineral additive;
• mix two parts of humus with one part of sod land;
• Mix two parts of humus with one part of peat.

Any of the soil mixtures should be disinfected. What does it mean? It is necessary to ignite the substrate for 40-50 minutes in the oven or warm it in a water bath, or pour it with boiling water. As for nutritional supplements, a bucket of soil mixture should be filled with 12 g of ammonium sulfate, 40 g of superphosphate and the same amount of potassium salt. After you have prepared the substrate for sowing eggplant seeds, keep it in a warm place for a couple of weeks so that bacteria that are beneficial to the seeds will multiply in it.

When choosing a container for sowing, give preference to peat tablets or peat compost cups, since the root system of eggplant seedlings does not like picks. Plastic cups can also be used as containers for seedlings, but before sowing, they must be washed in a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

In the photo: Eggplant seedlings

20-24 hours before sowing, the container is filled with a sterile substrate and watered well.

A couple of weeks before sowing, it is advisable to check your seed for germination: soak a dozen seeds in water for a day, then lay them on a damp cloth or gauze folded in several layers and place them in a warm place for a week, not allowing the cloth to dry. After a week, count how many seeds have sprouted - seed with a germination rate of 50% is considered good.

Sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings is preceded by their disinfection. You can hold the seeds for 20-30 minutes in a strong solution of potassium permanganate, or you can add 3 ml of hydrogen peroxide to 100 ml of water, heat the solution to 40 ºC and dip the seeds into it for 10 minutes. After disinfection, the seeds are washed and their stratification begins: they are laid out between two wet cloth napkins, placed in a container and kept in the refrigerator for seven nights. During the day, the seeds are kept at room temperature. A week later, the seeds are soaked for 12 hours in heated rain or melt water with the addition of a growth stimulator - Epin or Zircon, after which the seed is dried on a white clean sheet until flowable and sown.

Spread the seeds in 2-3 pieces in cups with a moist substrate, sprinkle them with a layer of soil 1.5-2 cm thick, compact it slightly, cover the containers with film or glass and keep at a temperature of 25-30 ºC until germination.

If you have good skills in picking seedlings, you can sow eggplant seeds in a common container - a box or container filled with a layer of wet substrate 6-8 cm thick. Make grooves with a depth of 1 on the surface of the substrate at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other, 5-2 cm, spread the seeds in them every 2 cm, seal the grooves, compact the soil, cover the container with a film and put it in a warm place until germination.

In the photo: Young eggplant seedlings

How to grow eggplant seedlings in tablets

It is simple, convenient and safe to grow eggplant seedlings in peat tablets. They are environmentally friendly, do not have dense walls, and the roots freely grow through them without being deformed. When storing tablets in a dry form, their shelf life is not limited. In the pressed peat of neutral reaction, from which the tablets are made, growth stimulants, disinfectants, and anti-stress additives are added, which provide the seeds with excellent germination. But most importantly, growing eggplant seedlings in tablets does not require picking, which means that the roots of the seedlings will remain intact.

Tablets with a diameter of 4 cm or more are considered optimal for growing eggplant seedlings.

The tablets are laid out in a deep container and poured with warm water to swell, and when they increase in size as much as possible, excess water can be drained. Saturated with water, the tablets "grow" 7-8 times.

The tablets should be placed with holes up - you will put eggplant seeds in these holes, and it is not necessary to process the seed if you use peat tablets for growing seedlings. Put 2-3 seeds in each hole, slightly drown them and close the holes with peat. Then place the tablets in a deep transparent container with drainage holes, cover with a transparent coating, place the container on a tray and place in a bright, warm place. Crops should be ventilated daily and ensure that the tablets do not dry out.

Growing eggplant seedlings in cassettes

Good eggplant seedlings are obtained when grown in cassettes. If you choose a cassette with large cells, you will not have to dive seedlings. The cassette is placed on a pallet or in a container, the cells are filled with the substrate, it is well watered and the seeds are laid out in the center of each cell using a damp wooden stick. After that, the seeds are buried by 1.5-2 cm, the holes are closed, the cassette is covered with a transparent lid or film and placed in a warm place.

In the photo: Only hatched eggplant seedlings

If you sow eggplants in a cassette with small cells, as the seedlings grow, you will have to dive them together with an earthy clod into separate pots, but if you do this carefully, without damaging the roots, the seedlings will adapt pretty quickly.

Eggplant seedlings in a greenhouse

Eggplant seedlings are also grown in a greenhouse with air and soil heating, but this will cause additional costs that make no sense. Cheaper and easier to grow seedlings at home, and then, when it no longer needs heating, transplant it into a greenhouse.

Buy eggplant seedlings - is it worth it?

If you are a beginner and are afraid not to cope with growing seedlings, purchase seedlings from well-established sellers, and it is better to buy after all not in the market, but in garden pavilions or at spring fairs where nurseries export their products. How to distinguish good seedlings from those that are better not to buy? This can be done in the following ways:

• if the seedling is in a pot, it should be intact, without deformations and cracks, the roots should not hang from the drainage holes, since they can be easily damaged during transplantation. For potless seedlings, carefully inspect the roots for damage, rot and deformation;
• the leaves of seedlings should be examined not only from the upper side, but also from the bottom. Any spots or plaque may indicate a disease or poor care, and pests or their eggs may be on the underside of the leaf plate. The wrinkling of the leaves indicates the defeat of a viral disease. Also check the presence and condition of the growing point. Seedlings should be strong, with juicy green leaves. And be sure to find out if hardening procedures were carried out with them.

In the photo: Strong eggplant seedlings, ready for planting

Caring for eggplant seedlings at home

As soon as sprouts appear, you need to remove the cover from the crops and lower the temperature of the content, maintaining it at 14-16 ºC during the day, and 10-12 ºC at night. This temperature regime contributes to the development of the root system, which is very important at this stage. In addition, the cool content does not allow the seedlings to stretch. After a week, the temperature is raised during the day to 25-27 ºC, and at night to 12-14 ºC. The difference between day and night temperatures must be respected, because it creates an imitation of natural conditions, and the seedlings that have adapted to them then take root more easily in the garden.

From time to time, turn the seedlings around its axis, and if the air is dry in the room, cover the seedlings with a film.

Illumination of eggplant seedlings

If you sowed seeds for seedlings in April, then keeping the crops on a well-lit windowsill will be enough, but if seedlings appeared in February or early March, they will need additional lighting. The length of daylight hours for eggplant seedlings should be at least 12 hours, so you need to turn on the backlight from 7 to 19, while the first three days artificial lighting should work around the clock.

The light source is placed at a distance of half a meter above the seedlings. For additional illumination, you can use phytolamps, LED or fluorescent lamps, but before buying, be sure to calculate how many lamps and what power you will need for the area that needs additional lighting.

Watering eggplant seedlings

Eggplant seedlings at home, due to their dense foliage, require abundant and regular watering. It is very important to develop a soil moisture regime so that it is slightly moist at all times, because a lack of water will lead to premature lignification of the stems and a significant decrease in yield, while excess moisture can lead to the development of a dangerous black leg fungal disease. For watering the soil, it is better to use a spray gun. Water should be settled, room temperature. After watering, it is advisable to carefully loosen the soil.

In the photo: Planted eggplant seedlings

Feeding eggplant seedlings

The conditions for growing eggplant seedlings involve the application of fertilizers to the substrate not only before sowing, but also 10 days after germination, if picking is not expected, or 12 days after picking. As a top dressing, use a solution of one tablespoon of yellow Crystal in 10 liters of water. If there is a need for further top dressing, they use a special Crystallon solution, prepared in accordance with the instructions. However, each top dressing should be completed with watering, to avoid burns of the root system of seedlings.

Pinching eggplant seedlings

Since many experts believe that pinching eggplants in the seedling stage is not necessary, we recommend that you do not do it.

Picking eggplant seedlings

Those who sowed the seeds in a box or container will have to dive seedlings at the stage of development of two true leaves. You will need 10x10 pots with drainage holes filled with the same potting mix used for seed sowing. Before picking, pour the substrate in pots with a solution of one teaspoon of wood ash or complex mineral fertilizer in 10 liters of water, and two hours before picking, pour water over the seedlings well.

Take out the seedlings very carefully, trying not to destroy the earthen ball and not damage the roots, and plant them by cotyledon leaves in the recesses made in advance in the substrate. After picking, the first watering of the seedlings can be carried out only on the sixth day, and all this time the seedlings should be protected from direct sunlight.

In the future, seedlings need to be watered once every 5-6 days. Keep in mind that after picking, seedlings will slow down growth for a while, as they are busy forming the root system.

In the photo: Growing eggplant seedlings

Diseases of eggplant seedlings and their treatment

Eggplant seedlings turn yellow

Eggplant seedlings are extremely gluttonous, and if they lack nutrition, they continue their development at the expense of their own lower leaves, as a result of which they lighten, turn yellow and die. If you see that the lower leaves of the seedlings have begun to turn pale, immediately apply top dressing to the substrate. Yellow leaves clinging to the stem are a sign of a lack of phosphorus, and yellowed and darkened edges wrapping the leaf in a boat - sign of potassium deficiency.

The leaves of the seedlings also turn yellow due to a violation of the water balance - excessive or, conversely, insufficient watering.

Eggplant seedlings rot

The cause of rotting of the root neck and lodging of seedlings is a fungal disease of the black leg, which affects eggplants precisely in the seedling period. First, a constriction forms on the lower part of the stem, after which rotting passes to the root system. The disease progresses against the background of high humidity. Sick seedlings should be destroyed immediately, and healthy ones should be transplanted into a new substrate and treated with a solution of Trichodermin. It is also necessary to eliminate errors in the care of seedlings.

From a lack of potassium in the soil, seedlings can get sick with blossom end rot. It is not contagious: one has only to add potash fertilizer to the substrate, and everything will work out.

The trouble is if a fluffy gray coating of gray rot appears on the leaves and stems of the seedlings, which is very difficult to get rid of. But, fortunately, this disease rarely affects eggplant seedlings, and if infection does occur, proceed as in the case of the black leg, treating the plants and the fresh substrate with a contact fungicide in accordance with the instructions.

In the photo: Planting eggplant seedlings in cassettes

Other diseases can also cause yellow leaves on seedlings:

• verticillosis, or wilt, which infects young plants, penetrating from the soil through mechanical damage, for example, during picking, transplanting or loosening the substrate. First, the lower leaves of the seedlings turn yellow and dry, and with the development of the disease, the entire seedling dies. Heavily affected plants must be removed immediately, and the remaining seedlings should be treated with solutions of preparations such as Fundazol, Vitaros, Topsin-M, Benlat or Previkur;
• tobacco mosaic- an incurable viral disease that affects nightshade crops. It can be diagnosed by the mosaic pattern of yellowish and whitish spots that appears on the leaves. Then necrosis is formed on the leaves, deforming the plate. Tobacco mosaic virus vectors are sucking insects aphids and spider mites, which will be discussed below. It is useless to fight the disease, you just need to immediately remove and burn the affected seedlings;
• fusarium wilt- an infectious fungal disease that affects the vascular system and seedling tissues. The mycelium of the fungus clogs the vessels of the seedlings and releases toxins, as a result of which the leaves of the plants turn yellow, the roots darken, and the seedlings wither. If the disease has captured most of the plant, it is better to destroy it, and healthy seedlings should be treated with a solution of Fundazol or Benomyl.

Fortunately, with good care, seedlings rarely suffer from these diseases. Even less often, seedlings suffer from black spot, downy mildew and powdery mildew. All these diseases develop rapidly on seedlings, so be careful and do not neglect the rules for growing seedlings and caring for them.

In the photo: Eggplant seedling

Eggplant seedlings are stretched

Seedlings are pulled out if they do not have enough light, the temperature regime is violated, or you overdid it with watering or fertilizing. To correct the situation, eliminate your mistakes, and when transplanting seedlings to a garden bed, deepen the sprouts by at least 2/3 of the length of the stem, after cutting off the lower leaves and drying the wounds with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Eggplant seedling pests and their control

Eggplant seedlings are affected by spider mites and aphids - sucking pests that feed on plant cell sap. Spider mites- small insects that make tiny holes in the leaves of seedlings and entangle the seedlings with the thinnest, barely noticeable cobwebs. They appear when seedlings experience a chronic lack of moisture. Aphid settles on seedlings in whole colonies, and it is also not immediately possible to see it. To combat sucking insects, acaricidal preparations are used, such as, for example, Aktara, Karbofos or Aktellik. But it is better, of course, not to create favorable conditions for the appearance of pests.

Planting eggplant seedlings

When to plant eggplant seedlings in the ground

Eggplants are a heat-loving crop, so they should be planted in open ground when all night frosts have passed, that is, at the end of May or at the beginning of summer. At the time of planting, the height of the stem of seedlings should be at least 15-20 cm with 6-7 formed leaves. However, it is necessary to start preparing seedlings for planting in the ground two weeks before the due date. To do this, they are taken out into the open air daily, gradually increasing the duration of the session until the seedlings can be in the garden around the clock.

In the photo: Growing seedlings

How to plant eggplant seedlings in open ground

Before planting eggplant seedlings, you should prepare the soil on the site. Do this in autumn or early spring. In peat land, you need to add a bucket of sand, humus and soddy soil per m². 2 buckets of peat, half a bucket of rotted sawdust and a bucket of sand and manure are added to clay and loamy soil per m². A bucket of sawdust, three buckets of clay and two buckets of humus and peat are added to the sandy soil per unit area.

It is also necessary to add two glasses of wood ash, a tablespoon of potassium sulfate and superphosphate, and a teaspoon of urea for each m² of plot. After the additives are distributed over the surface, the soil in the garden is carefully dug up and compacted, and before planting, holes are dug on the site with a depth of 13-15 cm, placing them in a row every 40-45 cm with row spacings 50-60 cm wide.