Bourgeois is an eggplant that is known among gardeners not so much for its excellent taste as for its specific shape. The fruits of this variety are round, fleshy, and look more like tomatoes than eggplants. However, this does not make them any more demanding to grow.
Characteristics of eggplant Bourgeois F1
Technically, Bourgeois is not yet a variety - it is a hybrid labeled F1, which means that it is in the process of being bred. You need to buy its seeds exclusively from trusted people who are involved in plant breeding. Otherwise, the characteristics of the result may differ from the specified ones:
- height - about one and a half meters, and sometimes more;
- bushiness is high, the bushes grow in width, so it is better to plant them at some distance from each other;
- yield is average, up to a kilogram of fruit can be harvested per square meter;
- commercial quality - up to 90 percent of the fruits look presentable and are more than suitable for sale;
- early ripening - eggplants planted in May can be harvested at the end of August.
The fruits of Bourgeois are fleshy, round, approximately 10 centimeters in diameter. The skin is thin, dark purple, the flesh is white, without cavities, without bitterness.
Like most eggplants, Bourgeois is not tolerant of cold climates.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Bourgeois has the following advantages:
- decent yield - not all varieties produce 5 kilograms per meter;
- unusual type of fruit - this does not affect the taste, but can become a topic for conversation and increase the chances of selling the original vegetable;
- gradual ripening of the crop - eggplants are not harvested all at once, but little by little, over a month after the first fruits ripen;
- resistance - Bourgeois has immunity to some diseases.
One of the disadvantages is that seeds take a long time to germinate - about two weeks. In open ground conditions all this time, it will not be easy to provide them with favorable conditions, because the entire future harvest may die at the initial stage.
Features of cultivation
In order for Bourgeois to begin to bear fruit, first, of course, you will have to try and plant it correctly, and then properly care for it.
Planting seeds
In order for the seeds to germinate well - and not just partially - they need to be prepared:
- Check for germination. You can lay them on a damp cloth and see which ones hatch within a week. Or you can put them in the water and see which ones float up, and then weed them out.
- Warm up. To do this, place a plate with seeds on a radiator for a couple of days.
- Treat with a growth stimulator. Since Bourgeois seeds take a long time to hatch, it is recommended to treat them either with a standard chemical agent, or, if you prefer homemade products, then with aloe juice.
When the seeds are ready, they can be planted in open soil, but only if it is already warm enough outside. However, it is better not to take risks and still first grow them into strong seedlings that can withstand external conditions, even if they are unpleasant.
Sprout care
To get seedlings, prepared seeds need to be planted in pots or any other container with soil. In this case, you need to plant each seed in a separate container - eggplants really don’t like to compete for nutrients, this reduces the yield.
Seedlings need to be watered regularly so that the soil is always slightly moist. You also need to fertilize them - usually combined fertilizers are used in small quantities. Before planting, they need to be hardened - taken out into fresh air for a couple of hours.
And throughout the growth period, illuminate with fluorescent lamps or special lamps for growing plants, since seedlings love long daylight hours and warmth.
Preparing the soil for planting
In order for Bourgeois to take root well, the soil needs to be prepared:
- Fertilize with organic matter in the fall - this will enrich it;
- then sprinkle with limestone - eggplants do not like high acidity;
- It would be good to put a layer of sawdust or dry grass under the layer of soil - eggplants love warmth, and this is the best way to insulate the bed.
In general, Bourgeois loves light soils with low acidity, well-lit places, and the absence of a north wind.
It is important to remember that you cannot plant eggplants twice in the same place - this increases the likelihood of diseases or pests characteristic of nightshades.
Transplanting
When it becomes warm enough (the soil warms up to at least thirteen degrees, which usually happens by May), the seedlings can be transplanted to open soil. The procedure is simple:
- dig a hole to the depth of a shovel blade;
- fill it with warm water;
- transfer the bush from the pot into the hole;
- sprinkle soil on top, but do not slam it down, otherwise there will be breathing problems.
For the first two weeks, seedlings are watered every other day - young plants need a lot of moisture.
It is important that the holes are located in no more than three sprouts per square meter.
How to care for eggplant
When the seedlings are planted in the ground, all that remains is to properly care for them so that they grow into full-fledged bushes and bear fruit.
Watering and fertilizing
Water Bourgeois twice a week, at the root. The water must be heated in the sun, otherwise the roots will freeze.
Fertilize three times:
- two weeks after transplanting into the ground;
- when the first fruits begin to form;
- when the fruit harvest begins.
For fertilizer, either combined mixtures that can be found in the store or compositions that can be prepared at home are used.For example, an infusion of chicken manure, a solution of mullein, or green fertilizer, which is obtained by leaving weeds flooded with water to ferment for a week.
Bush formation
In order for Bourgeois to grow well, you need to provide him with selections - pegs on which the branches of a bush with heavy fruits can rest. It is also necessary to trim it - leave no more than five stepsons and no more than eight fruits, otherwise they will be small.
Eggplants are a crop that loves the sun, so if the leaves cast a shadow on the flowers, they need to be carefully trimmed.
Disease and pest control
U eggplant there is a list of main diseases and pests:
- Colorado beetle. It is repelled by planting horseradish, calendula, coriander, beans or basil nearby. You can also collect it by hand or water it with insecticides.
- Spider mite. The leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off. They are treated with Nitrophen, sulfur, and acaricidal drugs.
- Blackleg. The section of the stem at the root weakens, turns black and breaks - this is not a problem for adult bushes, only for seedlings. Treated with potassium permanganate.
- Late blight. Appears as brown spots on leaves and stems. Treated with copper sulfate.
Prevention also helps - the soil needs to be cultivated.
When and how to harvest
The fruits are harvested at the end of August or September. They cut it off, leaving 5 centimeters of the stalk, trying not to overcook it, otherwise the pulp will be bitter and difficult to eat.
Further storage
The fruits love cool weather and can last no longer than a month and a half. It will not be possible to store them all winter, so it is recommended to roll them up.
Bourgeois is great for home canning and for homemade dishes like vegetable stew. You can even eat it raw.
