When to plant eggplant seedlings, timing and care at home

Eggplant is a heat-loving vegetable from the Solanaceae genus. However, despite this, it is successfully cultivated by farmers and summer residents not only in the southern regions, but also in the middle zone, and even Siberia. The main thing in successfully growing blueberries is to comply with the timing of planting seedlings. When and how to properly plant eggplant seedlings depends on the region and its climatic features.

Timing for sowing eggplant seedlings

The specific time for sowing blue seeds directly depends on the climate characteristics of each region. If the gardener does this early, the seedlings will overgrow, stretch out and not adapt to the beds after planting. Late work will lead to the fact that the vegetables will not be able to ripen; for them to fully develop, there will not be enough sunlight and warm days.

In the Moscow region, middle zone

The first warm days in the Moscow region come only at the end of March; it is on the 20th of this month that seed sowing begins. This is done either in greenhouses, where a heating system is equipped, or in an apartment, growing seedlings on southern window sills.

The deadline for carrying out work is until April 10, otherwise the sprouts will not have time to form before transplanting to the beds.

For the middle zone, there are two options for carrying out work:

1. If the blue ones are planned to be grown in the future in open beds without the use of shelter, work is carried out from the middle to the end of the first month of spring; in early June, the blue ones are transferred to the prepared beds.
2. If vegetables are planned to be grown in insulated rooms, the seeds are sown between the 15th and 20th of February, and no later than the 20th of May, the seedlings are transferred to a permanent place.

In Siberia

Usually eggplants in Siberia grown in closed heated rooms, since the harsh climate makes its own adjustments to the growing season of plants. But there are brave souls who do this in the open ground, collecting decent harvests. In order for the cultivation of heat-loving vegetables to be successful, adhere to the recommended timing of sowing seeds.

Before planting, take into account that it takes at least 90 days to obtain high-quality seedlings.The little blue ones are transferred to greenhouses in mid-May, and to the beds when the air temperature is at least 20 degrees, this is approximately mid-June.

In the Urals

Since the Ural region is an area with risky agriculture and short summers, it is important to correctly calculate the timing of sowing seeds to obtain seedlings. In addition, blueberries are grown here only in heated rooms, otherwise the vegetables will not have time to ripen before the onset of the first cold days.

Sowing of blue seeds is carried out in the last days of February. It is not recommended to be late with the work, since this representative of the Solanaceae family has a long growing season, and the vegetables will not have time to ripen. At the end of May, the seedlings are moved to greenhouses.

In the Leningrad region

The Leningrad region's climate characteristics are similar to regions such as the Urals and Siberia, so summer residents here have the opportunity to grow eggplants mainly in insulated structures. Seedlings begin to be grown from the first days of May, so that as soon as the threat of nighttime drops in temperature has passed, they are ready to be transplanted to a permanent place. This procedure is carried out at the beginning of the first summer month.

According to the lunar calendar

Often, gardeners, when growing blueberries, take into account the recommendations of the lunar calendar, which indicates favorable and unfavorable days for sowing seeds. If you start this on bad days, the eggplants will not sprout well and the sprouts will be weak.

In February:

1. Favorable days: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 15, 25, 28, 29.
2. Inappropriate numbers: 9, 22, 23, 24.

For March, the recommendations are:

1. It is recommended to sow on 1, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 22, 27, 28.
2. You shouldn't do work on 9, 23, 24, 25.

In the southern regions, gardeners have the opportunity to grow seedlings in April due to climatic conditions.The recommendations for them are as follows:

1. Suitable days: 1, 2, 9, 10, 18, 19, 28, 29.
2. Unfavorable dates: 8, 22, 23, 24.

Basic growing rules

In order for the seedlings to grow healthy and strong, and for the bushes to bear many fruits in the future, it is necessary to adhere to the recommendations of experienced gardeners on sowing seeds and further agrotechnical care of the sprouts. They select soil with a balanced composition, sow the seeds on time and provide the blue seedlings with the necessary conditions for full development.

Soil selection

It is recommended to prepare the soil for sowing seeds yourself, then you will be confident in its quality and nutritional value. Mix the components in the following proportions:

• humus (8 parts);
• potassium salt (1 part);
• mullein (1 part);
• turf land (2 parts);
• superphosphate (1 part).

To increase the nutritional value of the soil, a teaspoon of urea and half a glass of wood ash are also added to it, if necessary. There are several more recipes for creating a soil mixture for sowing eggplant seeds. In the first case, it is recommended to mix 1 part of turf soil with 2 parts of humus and add 0.5 parts of sawdust and 1 part of non-acidic peat. In the second recipe, prepare 1 part sawdust and 3 parts peat, which are watered before planting with any composition to speed up the germination of seedlings.

Regular garden soil is also suitable for growing eggplant seedlings; it is preferable to take the soil on which cucumbers or cabbage grew last year.

Preparation of planting material

The main requirement for obtaining high-quality, strong and healthy seedlings is the correct choice of seed material. Purchase seeds from trusted manufacturers in gardening stores. Material purchased secondhand will not guarantee 100 percent germination.

Before sowing, the seeds are prepared; this is done in accordance with step-by-step instructions, including 4 steps:

1. Warming up the material. You can do this in two ways: dry and hydrothermal. In the first case, the oven is heated to 55 degrees and the seeds are kept in it for 2-4 hours. Or lay it on a towel on a radiator and heat the material for 2.5-3 months. The second method involves soaking the seeds in a jar of water (temperature is about 45-50 degrees). Cover the container with a lid and leave the material for 5 minutes. Such seeds demonstrate increased germination and immunity to diseases.
2. Seed dressing. To do this, take a 10% solution of hydrogen peroxide and immerse the material in it for 15-20 minutes. Instead of peroxide, you can take a non-concentrated solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Hardening of the material. Take two pieces of damp cotton cloth and place the seeds between them. They are kept there for at least 20 hours (temperature within 20-22 degrees). Afterwards, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator for 8 hours, then kept again for 20 hours at room conditions. This procedure is carried out over 7-8 days.
4. Soak. 2-3 days before the intended planting, the seeds are soaked in water (preferably rain or melt). It must be taken into account that the liquid should not completely cover the seed material. After the seeds are dried, planting work begins.

Selection of capacity

To grow seedlings, take the following containers: plastic and peat pots, cut bottles, cups left over from yogurt or sour cream. The main requirement is sufficient height and the presence of drainage holes.

Sowing process

When planting seeds, follow the instructions, then the sprouts will quickly emerge from the ground, and the germination rate of the seeds will be at a high level.

The master class looks like this:

1. Soil is poured into the prepared containers 2/3 full.
2. Irrigate and wait until the moisture is completely absorbed.
3. The seeds are buried 2-3 cm.
4. A small layer of earth (1 cm) is poured on top.
5. Lightly compact and water again.
6. Cover with plastic wrap or glass and put in a warm place out of direct sunlight until germination.

It is recommended to sow blueberry seeds in the first half of the day.

Tips for caring for seedlings

After the sprouts have appeared, it is important to provide them with proper care.

Lighting

After the seedlings have germinated, they provide them with full lighting, which should last at least 10 hours a day. However, young shoots must be shaded from the hot midday sun so that they do not burn. If the weather is cloudy, install fluorescent lamps for additional illumination. Every 2 days, turn the pots with seedlings on the other side towards the light so that they develop evenly.

Temperature

After the film has been removed from the sprouts, the temperature is reduced to 16 degrees. After a week they are raised to 20-22 degrees. At night you can reduce it to 14 degrees, this difference helps strengthen the plant’s immunity.

Watering and fertilizing

Moisten the sprouts moderately so as not to cause rotting of the roots and an outbreak of fungal pathologies. Pour water carefully under the root using a fine-mesh watering can. It is necessary to feed the seedlings only if the sprouts look weak and thin. A mixture of superphosphate and potassium sulfate in equal proportions is well suited for this.But it must be remembered that excessive addition of nutritional components has a negative effect on young shoots.

Living space

If blue ones are grown in separate cups at home, picking is not required. If not, then plant the eggplants in separate cups and immediately spill the soil with Kornevin so that they take root better. Many gardeners practice planting 2-3 seeds in one pot, after they have sprouted, leave the strongest one, and remove the rest.

Prevention of diseases and pests

The best measures to prevent diseases and pests are considered to be proper care of seedlings. Observe the watering regime, as excessive moisture causes outbreaks of fungal diseases. Also, as a preventive procedure, sprouts are sprayed with a solution of Fitosporin.

Possible problems

To grow full-fledged seedlings and avoid any problems, you must strictly follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners. An insufficient amount of sunlight falling on the seedlings during the day and non-compliance with the feeding schedule leads to the fact that the little blue ones stretch out, and the low temperature in the room slows down growth.

When and how to plant seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground

You should not allow the seedlings to outgrow, otherwise it will be quite difficult for the little blue ones to adapt and take root in the beds. It is preferable to plant the sprouts in the same soil composition that was used for sowing the seeds. It is not recommended to plant vegetables in places where other representatives of the Solanaceae family were previously grown. Ideal predecessors for eggplants are legumes, carrots or cabbage.