Now it is easy to purchase ready-made seedlings of eggplant, from a nursery or in the market, but many gardeners prefer to grow seedlings on their own. Without a doubt, it is necessary to spend a lot of time and effort, but you can not doubt the quality of planting material.
If you buy high-quality seeds, sow them correctly and take care of the seedlings, then each gardener will be able to grow healthy seedlings.
Planting dates for eggplant seeds
When sowing seeds, everyone decides independently, taking into account the climatic conditions of the region. Varietal features of eggplant seeds, and the desired harvest time. There are general methods for calculating the sowing period for growing eggplant in the garden.
First you need to determine when the temperature in the open air will be kept at least 20 degrees Celsius. From this number, you need to count the time necessary for the development of seedlings - depending on the variety, 45-60 days, plus 10-14 days necessary for seed germination. Using this technology, it is easy to calculate the planting date of eggplant seeds.
In general, in warm areas in warm areas, sowing of seeds begins in the last decade of February, and in the northern regions you need to wait until the beginning of March. Often gardeners determine the timing of sowing using the lunar calendar, it will help determine the most favorable time for sowing, but do not forget to take into account the climate of your region.
Seed selection
The quality of the seed directly affects the viability and health of the seedlings, and as a result, the resulting crop. For this reason, you need to be responsive to their choice, it is advisable to buy seeds in special stores designed for gardeners, where you can find products from trusted manufacturers.
It is advisable to choose zoned varieties and hybrids adapted specifically for your climatic conditions. For example, eggplants intended for cultivation in the middle lane tolerate small cooling without consequences, they are not so afraid of the pests of the disease common in these areas.
Do not neglect seeds pre-processed at the plant - granular or inlaid. They have already destroyed the embryos of diseases, and they are enclosed in a special shell containing the necessary substances that increase germination.
High-quality and healthy seedlings can be grown only by choosing the right dishes, using a nutritious soil mixture, and in a suitable room.
Seedling soil
Eggplants develop well only in good soil - they must be nutritious, well aerated and with low acidity. Garden soil from the garden does not fit well, it is most often "heavy" with a small amount of nutrients. In the soil from the beds, most likely, there are harmful insects and carriers of diseases.
For eggplant seedlings, it is better to use store mixes, which include turf soil, sand and horse peat. They are sold already treated for viral infections, in addition, they have much more nutrients than ordinary earth.
If you can’t get good soil, you will have to use soil from the garden. But it must be disinfected with hot steam or with potassium permanganate to destroy all pathogenic microorganisms. "Heavy" soil can be improved with coarse sand, horse peat or rotted sawdust.
Utensils for seedlings
The choice of a suitable capacity for planting eggplant seeds is made taking into account whether you will dive plants or not. Experienced people recommend not to transplant seedlings of this culture, since they have delicate roots that are easily injured and, as a result of seedlings, do not tolerate this procedure well. It is advisable to sow the seeds immediately in a separate container of the required volume so that there is enough space for seedlings to develop.
You can put them in a suitable dish, for example, in disposable cups of the required volume. It is not advisable to use peat tablets - they are soaked and crumble from frequent, prolonged watering.
Before sowing, dishes for seedlings must be disinfected with potassium permanganate; several holes are made in the bottom of the cups to remove excess fluid.
For seedlings, you need to choose a well-lit, warm and ventilated room. It is important that the temperature can change if necessary, for the proper development of seedlings, the room should be warm during the day and a little cool at night. In addition, you need to provide additional lighting in the room - young plants will probably need additional illumination.
Sowing seeds
Eggplant seeds must first be decontaminated to improve seed germination and reduce the possibility of plant diseases. For disinfection, the seed is soaked for 20 minutes in a solution of magenta 1% concentration, then rinse them and dry them slightly.
Another preparation method is heat treatment, the seeds are immersed for 50 minutes with water at a temperature of 50 degrees, after which they are transferred to cold water for 1 minute, then kept in a solution of trace elements for 12 hours, then they are washed again and kept in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Seeds treated in this way are completely ready for planting in the soil. For sowing, it is necessary to fill the containers with special soil, and sow seeds in them, 1 pc. in a pot, to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. After that, the sown seeds are covered with soil and watered so as not to wash the seeds with water.
It is impossible to plant seeds too deep, otherwise they will germinate for a long time, and may even not appear at all on the surface. The dishes with crops should be covered with a film and transferred to a room where the temperature is maintained over 25 degrees. You will be able to notice the first seedlings after 10-14 days.
Seedling Care
When the first seedlings make their way to the surface of the earth, it is necessary to lower the temperature in the room to 16-18 degrees, under such conditions the seedlings will not stretch. Next, you need to maintain the temperature within 25-28 degrees during the daytime and about 16-18 degrees at night.
Seedlings must be watered with settled and warm water when drying the soil. Do not moisten the earth too much, as this can cause rotting of the roots of eggplant seedlings. You need to feed seedlings 2 times before planting seedlings on the bed - after the appearance of these leaves and before transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place. It is necessary to do additional dressing if the plants look lethargic, develop slowly and it is noticeable that they lack nutrients. It is convenient to feed plants with complex mixtures specifically designed for feeding seedlings.
It is important that the seedlings have enough light - the duration of daylight hours must necessarily exceed 12 hours. If your climate does not have enough natural light, you will need to provide lighting for seedlings. To do this, place phytolamps over pots with seedlings, you can use fluorescent lamps.
