Eggplant planting time and method

Eggplant is a plant of the genus Solanum in the Solanaceae family. Due to its long market cycle, eggplant has become one of the common vegetables that can be seen on the market all year round, so growing eggplant usually brings good economic benefits. Let’s learn about the time and method of planting eggplant .

1. Eggplant sowing time

Eggplant is usually sown in greenhouses from December to February of the following year, or in plastic film seedling beds or cold beds from February to March. The migration to the fields is scheduled for late February of the following year, and the harvest will begin at the end of April. The planting period in summer and autumn is from May to June for sowing and seedling raising.

2. Eggplant cultivation technology

1. Seed disinfection

Dry the seeds in the sun for 6 to 8 hours on a sunny day, then soak them in 1% potassium permanganate solution for half an hour, or in 0.1% carbendazim solution for 1 hour. After soaking, rinse with clean water and then soak in warm water at 30℃.

2. Seed soaking and germination

Soak the seeds in warm water at 55°C for 15 minutes, then soak them in clean water at 30°C for 8 hours, wash off the mucus on the surface of the seeds, and wrap them with clean gauze to start germination. Adopt variable temperature management, maintain the temperature at 25-30℃ for 16-18 hours a day, and maintain the temperature at 16-20℃ for 6-8 hours, rinse with warm water once in the morning and evening, and the seeds will germinate after about 6-8 days.

3. Planting seeds

In order to prevent seedling diseases such as damping-off and damping-off, the seedbed needs to be replaced with soil or disinfected, and management must be strengthened to maintain appropriate temperature and humidity. Cultivating healthy seedlings with strong stems and well-developed root systems is the key to a good eggplant harvest. After sowing, heat preservation and moisture retention are crucial, especially soil temperature, which should be kept above 15°C to prevent poor root development and disease.

4. Transplantation

When the seedlings grow 2 to 3 true leaves, they need to be transplanted.

5. Land preparation and fertilization

Eggplant has weak root regeneration ability, so deep plowing and heavy application of base fertilizer are necessary. Apply 2,500 to 3,000 kilograms of decomposed organic fertilizer , 25 to 30 kilograms of phosphate fertilizer, and 10 kilograms of potassium fertilizer per mu of land. High-bed cultivation is adopted, with bed height ranging from 16 to 24 cm and different widths, ensuring that the bed surface and bed ditch are flat and free of water accumulation.

6. Transplanting

Transplanting can be carried out after the frost stops in spring. When the seedlings have 6 to 8 leaves, they should be transplanted and the soil surface should be level with the leaf nodes. Early-maturing varieties are planted at 2,300 to 2,700 plants per acre, with 3 rows in each compartment, 33 cm row spacing, and 43 to 46 cm plant spacing; 2 rows in each compartment, 56 cm row spacing, and 27 to 30 cm plant spacing. For medium and late maturing varieties, 2,000 to 2,500 plants are planted per acre, with 3 rows planted in each compartment, 33 cm spacing between rows, and 53 to 60 cm spacing between plants; 2 rows are planted in each compartment, with 56 cm spacing between rows, and 33 to 40 cm spacing between plants.

7. Water and fertilizer management

Eggplant leaves are large and water evaporates quickly, so soil moisture should be maintained at 80%. Insufficient soil moisture can cause slow plant growth, or even flower drop or reduced fruit quality. In the middle and late stages of growth, pay attention to timely irrigation when the temperature is high, and maintain appropriate temperature and humidity to promote fruit development. The amount of watering should be adjusted according to the development of the fruit. When the fruit begins to develop, watering is needed to promote the growth of young fruits. The fruit grows fastest and requires the most water when its diameter reaches 3 to 4 cm, so it should be watered more often. Water the fruits in time during the early and middle stages of each layer's development and a few days before harvest. When there is too much rain, pay attention to drainage to increase soil temperature and promote root growth. After planting, you can apply more concentrated manure or fertilizer, mainly nitrogen fertilizer, once every 10 days or so. The amount of fertilizer required is the highest during the period of vigorous fruit growth. Foliar topdressing can be done, spraying potassium dihydrogen phosphate 1 to 2 times. Eggplant has a long harvest period, so fertilization in both the early and late stages is important.

8. Pruning and pinching

In order to reduce nutrient consumption and improve ventilation and light transmission, the side branches below the gate eggplant should be removed in time. For varieties with small spread, 1 to 2 branches can be left in the leaf axils under the eggplant. For large-fruited varieties, all side branches except those under each inflorescence can also be removed. After harvesting eggplants, the old leaves and stems at the bottom can be removed to facilitate ventilation and light transmission and reduce diseases and pests.

9. Harvest

The time from planting eggplant to harvesting is 40 to 50 days for early-maturing varieties, 50 to 60 days for mid-maturing varieties, and 60 to 70 days for late-maturing varieties.

The above is an introduction to the key points of eggplant planting time and methods. As a common vegetable, eggplant is grown by many farmers, but if you want high yields, planting technology is very important.