Residents of the southern regions of Russia have long been accustomed to growing in large quantities such a crop as eggplant. “Diamond”, reviews of which are always only good, has become a real classic among gardeners. But this is far from the only variety: the counters today are full of an abundance of offers. Which one to choose? First of all, pay attention to the climatic features of the region in which you live. The variety must be adapted to them. Any species will willingly bear fruit in the coastal region, but far from every plant will be accepted in Siberia. Also important are the conditions for growing plants. Seedlings can be adapted for open ground or greenhouses, as well as for growing on the balcony. But more often than not, the eggplant “diamond” becomes the choice of the Russians. Responses of summer residents guarantee a good result even in the absence of special skills in growing this crop.
Culture features
It is not for nothing that the culture we are considering has gained the greatest popularity in warm regions - in the Caucasus and Ukraine. These are very thermophilic and capricious plants that poorly develop in a cool climate and refuse to bear fruit. Despite this, eggplant “diamond” won almost universal love. Reviews emphasize that the plant itself is very compact, so a small greenhouse or even a glazed balcony is suitable for growing . In addition, the bush does not need pinching, it is not inclined by itself to let out extra shoots.
But that is not all. Novice gardeners and gardeners should know how difficult it can be to grow eggplant seedlings. He is extremely demanding on temperature conditions and lighting, and is also very afraid of drafts. It is necessary to create almost greenhouse conditions in order to grow strong bushes ready for fruiting. Many people prefer to buy ready-made seedlings from nurseries, rather than grow it yourself. In fact, this is also not always a good option. Greenhouse plants are often infected with aphids and other diseases. They are poorly adapted to open ground conditions, since seedlings were not quenched.
Another minus is the transplant itself. Eggplant carries it very hard, but here they dig up the plant, take it to the point of sale, where it is waiting for the buyer. Yes, and it will take you time to bring it to the cottage. As a result, plants are sick for a long time and later enter the fruiting season. If you do not live in the southern regions, then you will need the earliest variety so that it has time to recover, adapt, take root and bear fruit. In a cool climate, already in early August, "little blue ones" stop bearing fruit: there is not enough heat. A good choice in this case is the diamond eggplant. Reviews of gardeners confirm that, with good adaptability, he is also very early.
Eggplant for open ground
For good fruiting, three conditions are necessary: a lot of heat, light and moisture. The birthplace of this plant is southwest Asia, which explains its exactingness. We will list the main varieties of eggplant for open ground, but you must correctly assess the capabilities of your region. The mild climate of central Russia allows you to grow these plants in open ground only when using seedlings, sowing seeds directly into the ground is possible only in the homeland of this culture.
When choosing seeds for open ground, first of all pay attention to the ripening dates. Best if it will be 90-110 days. This ensures that before the nights get cooler, the eggplant will have time to bear fruit. Moreover, it is very good if the bush is formed low: in this case, plants are easier to cover if cool days have come out.
When choosing varieties of eggplant for open ground, you need to remember one more feature. This is a short daylight plant. What does it mean? It blooms when the daylight hours are less than 12 hours. If we plant plants in the ground in May, when daylight hours increase over and over again, this can stimulate rapid growth of the bush itself and the absence of flowering. At the same time, the summer resident will be surprised to notice the abundance of flowers in late July, when the day begins to decline. Here are just the time for ripening in fruits in open ground conditions. This problem is solved through the use of hybrids that are adapted to the conditions of the region and do not depend on the length of daylight.
We continue to choose eggplant. Varieties for the Moscow Region involve growing seedlings in open ground, which means that they must comply with the characteristics stated above. Many gardeners prefer not to take risks and choose a proven "diamond". Seeds in this case are sown in pots in mid-February, two months before planting in the ground. Do not rush, because otherwise the plants can stretch out. With the onset of warm, steady weather, seedlings are required to be transplanted into the ground. Choose a place very sunny and well warmed up. It is better if each seed is initially planted in an individual pot, because otherwise the plants are very sick during transplantation and may die. The whole middle strip of Russia grows eggplant in the same way. Varieties for the suburbs you can choose from the following, focusing on the timing of fruit ripening. It is important that they coincide with the length of the warmest, summer period.
Varieties of eggplant ripening
The best varieties of eggplant, according to gardeners, are usually early ripe hybrids that bear fruit with good flesh without bitterness. At the same time, species may differ in the best fruiting, but require the creation of special conditions, which is not always possible. Hybrids in this regard are more universal, and even in an inexperienced summer resident give a good harvest.
Early ripe varieties. The ripening period (from emergence to technical maturity) is 90-110 days. These are very good indicators, an average of three months. That is, plants planted in mid-February in June may already begin to produce crops. If climatic conditions allow you to take two crops, then you can prepare the second generation of seedlings. We will list the most interesting varieties that are worth paying attention to:
- Eggplant "diamond". A brief description of it is on each package with seeds. It belongs to mid-early varieties, although the ripening period also fits the description of early ripening. This usually depends on the conditions in which the eggplant grows. The cooler, the longer the ripening time of the fruit is delayed. The norm is considered to be up to 150 days before harvesting. The bush is compact, with a height of 45-55 cm, the fruits are located mainly in the lower part. What summer residents love him for is the friendly ripening of the blue. Cylindrical, violet beauties reach 14-18 cm in length with a diameter of 4-6 cm. The mass is relatively small - about 150 g. The pulp is greenish, dense, without bitterness, has remarkable taste. Fruits perfectly tolerate transportation, are used in home cooking for preservation and processing. The best choice for a beginner gardener is the Almaz eggplant. The description allows you to judge its qualities that you will be satisfied with.
- Early grades also include albatross, banana, hippopotamus, black Beauty and hybrids F1, Avan F1, Almalik F1, Bagira F1.
Eggplant: varieties for Siberia
In severe climatic conditions, with a protracted spring and a short summer, it is quite difficult to grow heat-loving crops. These include eggplant. Varieties for Siberia are primarily early ripening plants intended for open ground. Greenhouses are not in every area, because their equipment is quite expensive. The Siberian horticulturist primarily gives preference to the variety “Early ripening” of Siberian selection. Its long, purple fruits are guaranteed to ripen. Unusual white eggplant "Easter egg" also worked well in Siberia. The yield is small - about 400 g from the bush, but the fruits ripen very early.
Large-fruited varieties delight in productivity, but their ripening dates are somewhat late. Despite this, some of them can be grown in open ground. This is the eggplant variety "diamond", "Don 14", "spherical", "Ilya Muromets." In Siberia, a bush can produce only one or two fruits, but each of them reaches a mass of 500 and even 700 g. All of these varieties can be grown in open ground, but a film shelter will only improve productivity. It can be used only during a period when the air temperature has dropped slightly, in rainy times or in August, to stimulate the ripening of fruits.
Greenhouse cultivation
If you do not live in the warmest regions and do not want to risk a future harvest, then it is better to choose eggplants for the greenhouse. There are varieties for every taste, and they will certainly please you with a crop, because the greenhouse eliminates a sharp temperature drop. If you have small greenhouses built on your site or you use a film shelter on a frame, then a short and early Robin Hood will be a good choice. It is distinguished by good productivity and unpretentiousness. Fruits weighing 200-300 g. Bush height of not more than 100 cm.
The best varieties of eggplant for unheated film greenhouses are “joker”, “romantic”, “bumbo”, “vacuum”. The blue sperm whale, pink flamingo, namesake and torpedo showed excellent yields. All these varieties are distinguished by medium-sized bushes, up to 170 cm high.
For heated greenhouses, you can choose vigorous, very productive crops that will bear fruit in a fairly cool autumn period. In such conditions, you can take several crops per season. These plants grow well in unheated greenhouses, but with changing weather conditions (autumn cooling), the development of the fruits will stop. These are the varieties "dolphin", "airship", "don quixote", "F1 bard", "F1 goliath", "F1 city". The height of the bush reaches 3 meters, the weight of the fruit - up to a kilogram. These blue ones require bush shaping, garter and pinching. With proper care, each bush gives a good amount of fruit.
Sowing dates
Now let's talk a little more about when to plant eggplant. In the presence of a heated greenhouse or hotbeds, everything is clear, otherwise you need to calculate in advance when steadily warm weather without frost occurs in your region. The optimal seedling age is 60-70 days, that is, if you plant it in the ground on June 10, then the seeds need to be sown in the second half of March. Longer time spent in pots. fraught with disease and poor tolerance of transplant.
Seed treatment
It is better to use seeds of the last year of assembly. They should be heated for 4 hours at a temperature of +25 degrees. After that, it is good to raise the temperature to +50 for 40 minutes. Now the seeds should be soaked in potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, and then washed with water and put in a solution of biological stimulants. It can be special preparations, aloe or mummy. The busiest growers are recommended to observe at least one rule. Seeds must be activated before sowing. To do this, they are laid out on cheesecloth, which is moistened with water, and left for 2-3 days. Another point: you can decide on the question "when to plant eggplant" after familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of the variety. The latest ripe can be sown in February.
The soil
Eggplant seeds, like the plants themselves, are demanding on the composition of the soil. It should be light, breathable and sufficiently nutritious. It is necessary to add compost and manure, as well as mineral fertilizers: superphosphate, potash fertilizers, ammonium nitrate. In poor land, plants will grow very slowly. Eggplant is very sensitive to a disease called the black leg. The ground before sowing needs to be disinfected, calcined on a baking sheet or pour boiling water.
Growing seedlings
Eggplant seeds should be sown in individual pots. Since plants do not tolerate transplanting, this is a good way to avoid root injury. Experts in each pot recommend laying 3 seeds, and after germination, choose the strongest shoot. The rest should be deleted. If you plan to make a pick, then you can initially sow the seeds in a common box, and then distribute them in separate containers. It can be ordinary plastic cups or special pots with a retractable bottom.
Transplant to the ground
In the country, you should find the most elevated and sunny area, it is desirable that nightshade has grown on it. Even if the land is very good, sand and humus must be added to it so that it is lighter and more nutritious. For two hours, the seedlings need to be well watered, and then vertically put in the prepared furrow and covered with soil. The distance between the bushes should be at least 40 cm. Use heated water for irrigation. In this case, the landing itself is best done in the evening. This will allow the plants to take root normally. For several days, it is better to provide protection from direct sunlight.
Compliance with these recommendations will allow you to get a high yield from grown seedlings. Carefully consider the choice of variety, because each of them has unique characteristics, only considering which you can get a good result.