Description of the Nutcracker eggplant variety, its characteristics and yield

Beginning gardeners are recommended to gain their first experience in growing blueberries by caring for the Nutcracker eggplant, which is considered an unpretentious, persistent, hardy variety. Beginners do not expect any particular difficulties - the crop will give you a generous harvest even with minimal effort. The only requirement is compliance with agricultural technology processes, of which there are not many.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Nutcracker is a medium-ripening variety, so it is recommended to grow the crop in regions with a temperate climate. 100 days pass between sending the planting material into the ground and harvesting the fruits; If you grow plants in seedlings, you will have to wait about a month and a half for fruiting. The variety feels good in open sunlight, but it is recommended to use a greenhouse or hotbed for cultivation - this will allow you to get the harvest earlier.

The bushes grow up to one and a half meters, you will have to pinch them, otherwise there will be few fruits. The leaves are large, round, with prickly spines.

The distinctive quality of Nutcracker eggplants is their large fruits, reaching a weight of 500 grams.

Favorable conditions will allow you to obtain specimens up to 800 grams. The length of the fruit is 15-18 centimeters. The pear-shaped shape prevents the eggplant from lying on the ground, which prevents rotting. The pulp of the fruit is tasty, there is almost no bitterness. There are few seeds, they are small, invisible in young eggplants. The skin is dense, of medium thickness. The shade of ripe fruits is black.

It’s easy to get up to 5 kilograms of eggplants from one bush. Proper care and favorable weather conditions allow you to harvest up to 8 kilograms from one plant.

Advantages and disadvantages of eggplant

The Nutcracker has many advantages, and even experienced gardeners enjoy growing this wonderful variety. Among the positive qualities noted:

• good yield;
• no special requirements for cultivation and care;
• long shelf life without loss of presentation and taste;

The Nutcracker variety has almost no downsides.The only thing you need to remember is that this is a hybrid, so you shouldn’t collect your own planting material, you won’t be able to get seedlings from it, you need to buy seeds in the store every year.

How to grow a crop

In warm regions, gardeners send planting material directly to open ground - favorable weather conditions allow for a good harvest. In the middle zone, it is better to use the seedling method - even if you manage to grow a large beautiful bush with powerful vines, you will not be able to get fruits, they will not have time to ripen.

Much depends on the timely cultivation of seedlings - if you are late in sending planting material to the ground, you will not be able to get a harvest. Before doing this, it is recommended to understand the planting dates - they differ for each region.

Seed sowing date

It is recommended to start growing seedlings in winter, especially for residents of warm areas. In the southern regions, it is better to send seeds to a prepared substrate at the end of winter. Gardeners living in cool climates are recommended to begin the process of growing young bushes in early March. In Siberia, you should prepare plants for moving to the beds in the middle or even at the end of the first month of spring (from March 20).

Preparing soil and containers for seedlings

The easiest way to get a good substrate for growing young Nutcracker bushes is to go to the store and buy a ready-made mixture for seedlings.

If it is not possible to purchase ready-made soil, you can mix it yourself:

1. 4 handfuls of humus.
2. 2 handfuls of turf soil.
3. 1 handful of coarse sand.

Before planting, scatter the substrate onto sheets covered with parchment and bake it in the oven - this will destroy eggs or insect larvae that can destroy the seedlings. Bacteria will also not survive hot procedures. Use trays or containers as containers. It is recommended to put a layer of drainage (expanded clay, pieces of foam plastic) on the bottom.

Sowing seeds

Before sending planting material to the prepared substrate, treat with fungicides. Make depressions in the soil, place seeds in the holes at a shallow depth (up to one and a half centimeters).

Before planting and after sending the seeds into the ground, irrigate the surface of the substrate with water. It is better to use a spray bottle. Be sure to cover with polyethylene film or a piece of glass.

Seedling care

After the first sprouts of the Nutcracker eggplant appear, place the container with the plants in the sunniest and warmest place. Be sure to remove the film. Daylight hours should not be shorter than 14 hours; if necessary, use backlighting.

Use settled water, watering along the edges of the container or irrigating with a spray bottle. Water procedures are recommended to be performed in the morning. Be sure to drain excess liquid from the pan. Picking in a container is carried out after the plant has acquired four leaves.

Landing in the ground

You can send the Nutcracker to the beds after the bushes have grown to 20 centimeters. Place the recesses at a distance of about 55-70 centimeters. Since the bushes of the variety are quite tall and lush, it is better to plant them in a checkerboard pattern.

An obligatory stage of planting is mulching the soil.A layer of chopped straw or sawdust will reduce watering and protect the root system of eggplant bushes from the hot rays of the sun or cold weather.

Further care of plants

The demands of Nutcracker eggplants are low, so even a novice gardener can cope with the process. It is important to follow the main requirements and recommendations:

• carry out watering;
• add nutritional compounds;
• monitor pests and the development of diseases and take timely measures to combat them;
• remove weeds and loosen.

Another important requirement is to carry out harvesting in a timely manner - delay is fraught with rotting of the fruits and loss of taste.

Watering

Irrigate the soil as needed. Excess moisture can lead to the development of diseases, so it is better to water more often, but moderately - the soil should not be dirty.

Use only settled warm water for irrigation. Cold liquid is no less dangerous for plants than its excess. Before you start watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil surface - this will allow moisture to penetrate to a greater depth.

Fertilizer application

Due to its high yield, Nutcracker will require regular addition of nutrients. The first fertilizers will have to be used within half a month after planting the seedlings. A prerequisite is a high percentage of nitrogen.

When applying subsequent fertilizers, do not use nitrogen; preference is given to potassium and phosphorus. The regularity of applying nutritional compositions is once every 24-28 days. You can use complex formulations (“Agricola”, “Master”). Prepare solutions strictly according to the instructions - exceeding the dosage threatens to burn the root system.

The use of home remedies to feed eggplants is encouraged. Recommended use:

• mullein infusion (1 liter per bucket of liquid);
• decoction of wood ash (500 grams per bucket of water);
• infusion of nettle leaves (1 kilogram of plant material per half bucket of water).

Home remedies can be used on the leaves. The main thing is to do this in cloudy weather.

Bush formation

Without the formation of plants, it will not be possible to obtain a full-fledged harvest - the bush will devote all its energy to the growth of vines. Pinching should be carried out no later than when there are 6-8 leaves, at a height of about 30 centimeters from the ground surface.

Pinch only the main stem; Be sure to remove all leaves below the first internode. It is also better to remove shoots growing from below. The nutcracker requires a garter, otherwise, under the weight of the fruit, the lashes will fall to the surface of the soil, which can lead to diseases.

Protection from diseases and pests

Nutcracker is a variety that is rarely susceptible to disease. With improper care and in unfavorable conditions, rot and late blight can develop on the leaves and stems. It is better to use chemicals - homemade formulations will not be able to cope with diseases. Self-prepared products are best used for prevention.

Pests rarely settle on Nutcracker plants, especially in greenhouse conditions. Preventing the appearance of insects is much easier than fighting them, especially if they have already managed to occupy most of the bushes. It is not necessary to use chemicals - home remedies (infusion of ash, red pepper, tobacco) will drive away almost all pests. If it was not possible to protect the plants, use insecticides.The rule to remember is not to apply chemicals before harvesting.

Harvest and storage

It is recommended to go picking Nutcracker eggplants at the age of technical ripeness. It is better for them to ripen in a cool, dark place. Be sure to send the fruits immediately after harvesting for storage - this will increase the shelf life of the vegetables. Check the eggplants periodically for rotting. If signs of spoilage are noticed in a timely manner, the fruits should be immediately sent for culinary processing.

The duration of storage of fruits is up to a month, but subject to all rules. Coolness and darkness are the main requirements. If there are only a few eggplants, you can put them in the refrigerator.

It is recommended to store Nutcracker fruits fresh or frozen. Before sending the eggplants to the freezer, cut into blue ones, boil and cool. In winter, all you have to do is put them in a frying pan or pan. The Nutcracker variety has proven itself excellent in preservation - marinades, salads, snacks and even sauces are prepared based on the blue ones.

Nutcracker eggplants are a great way for beginning gardeners to test their strength in growing vegetable crops. No special difficulties are foreseen - just follow a few rules and requirements of agricultural technology to get a good harvest of blueberries.