Expert advice for greenhouse eggplant care
In cold regions with unstable climates, eggplants are planted in greenhouses. Structures protect crops from rain and wind, frost and dew. To grow vegetables in a greenhouse, you need to know a few simple agrotechnical rules.
How to properly grow eggplants in it and how to get a rich harvest, we will consider further.
The content of the article
- Basic requirements for growing in a polycarbonate greenhouse
- How to choose a greenhouse for planting
- Greenhouse preparation before planting eggplant
- Planting eggplant seedlings in a polycarbonate greenhouse
- Care for the first shoots
- Care for grown eggplants
- Potential Difficulties You May Face When Growing Eggplant
- Harvesting and storage
- Experienced agronomist tips
- Conclusion
Basic requirements for growing in a polycarbonate greenhouse
Polycarbonate greenhouses are smaller in size than greenhouses, so they are in demand among gardeners with small areas. The greenhouse reliably protects eggplants from adverse climatic conditions, is easy to assemble and install... Domed or arched models are suitable for planting vegetables. The size of the structure should be proportional to the size of the garden.
Polycarbonate is reliable, retains heat better than glass or film. The greenhouse from it weighs little, it can be moved to a new place at any time. The greenhouse frame must be made of galvanized steel. The frame should not bend from pressing the hand, otherwise such a greenhouse will last no more than a year.
How to choose a greenhouse for planting
The greenhouse must be solid, with a solid frame... An important role is played by the door and vents - with their help, the greenhouse is ventilated, which eliminates the heat and stuffiness, prevents the development of diseases and the appearance of pests. Doors and vents should open easily, while having a reliable latch mechanism. Before buying a greenhouse, they think over in advance where it will be located.
Important! High-quality and durable greenhouses and hotbeds are made of premium cellular polycarbonate. Such material is expensive, but it will also last about 20 years.
Greenhouse preparation before planting eggplants
Preparing a greenhouse for planting eggplants takes place in several stages.
Greenhouse disinfection
Walls, vents and others hard surfaces are washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and warm water... It is impossible to clean polycarbonate with detergent solutions - abrasive substances will destroy the structure of the material, it will become unusable. After wet cleaning, the doors and windows are opened to ventilate the greenhouse.
The next stage of disinfection is treatment with bleach... 10 liters of water will require 400 g of lime. The ingredients are mixed and left for a day. Apply the product with a spray bottle. The bleach-based solution cleans even heavily infested areas.
Tillage
All garbage is removed from the greenhouse before soil cultivation. - the remains of last year's plants, hoses and stakes, foliage and weeds. Gardeners remove the top layer of the earth 3-5 cm, after which they are disinfected with a sulfur checker. The procedure is done with gloves and a respirator. They keep the building in smoke for 3-5 days and ventilate the greenhouse. The smoke from the sulfuric checker disinfects the most inaccessible places and crevices.
Planting eggplant seedlings in a polycarbonate greenhouse
Seedlings are planted in early May... The planting pattern depends on the size of the plant. For tall varieties - 70x80 or 90x90, for undersized varieties - 60x60.Eggplants get along in the same greenhouse with herbs, onions and legumes. Not recommended to be planted with tomatoes, potatoes or peppers.
Grooves are made in the beds and warm water is poured into them. The sprout from the seedlings is carefully removed and placed in a hole, sprinkling the base of the stem with soil and ground crumbs. It is recommended to lay a layer of straw on the ground - it retains moisture.
It can be useful:
Care for the first shoots
How to care for the first shoots? In a greenhouse, the rules of cultivation and care are different from those used in the open field.... Particular attention is paid to watering and feeding.
Watering
The water temperature for watering eggplants must be at least + 20 ° С... Moisten the beds in the early morning or evening so that the moisture does not evaporate. The interval between watering is 5-7 days.
Twice during the growing period, an infusion based on nettle or burdock is used instead of water... A folk remedy strengthens the roots of the plant and improves the taste of the fruit. No more than 1 liter of water is consumed per bush. The humidity in the greenhouse is high, therefore it is important to follow these recommendations to avoid the development of diseases.
Lighting
Eggplants are sensitive to lack of light, therefore it is recommended to organize additional lighting in the greenhouse with fluorescent or mercury lamps... The plant should receive at least 10 hours of light and the same amount of darkness per day. If there are white nights outside, then artificial blackout is created.
Top dressing
In the greenhouse eggplants are fertilized with organic and mineral dressings... The first group includes chicken droppings, manure, herbal infusions. They are applied at the root or diluted in water before watering. Of the mineral components, superphosphate, potassium salt, ammonium nitrate are used. During the season, eggplants are fed 2-3 times with an interval of 10 days. When applying fertilizer, follow the recommendations and dosage.
Important! Why don't eggplants grow in the greenhouse? The reason may lie in the wrong feeding. Dry and yellow leaves indicate an overabundance of mineral supplements. In this case, the beds are abundantly watered and sprinkled with dry lime - the procedure will help wash out excess components from the soil.
Protection against diseases and pests
In the greenhouse illness and pests appear due to excessive humidity and stuffiness... Eggplants fall ill with late blight, powdery mildew, tobacco mosaic virus. Whitefly, wireworm, and aphids are isolated from insects.
To protect the crop, use preventive and therapeutic agents:
- watering with Bordeaux liquid;
- spraying with a solution of milk whey;
- regular ventilation and compliance with the rules of crop rotation;
- the drug "Hom";
- copper sulfate solution;
- means "Maxim" and "Quadris".
Care for grown eggplants
How to grow eggplants further? A month after planting, the amount of moisture is reduced, two weeks before harvesting, watering is stopped. At the same time, additional agrotechnical procedures appear.
Pollination
In a greenhouse with pollination, problems arise - unlike open ground, there are fewer pollinating insects. Gardeners carry out the procedure manually... To do this, use an ordinary brush for painting, with which pollen from male flowers is transferred to female ones.
Once a day, gardeners shake the bushes so that the pollen falls on other plants. Pollination is also stimulated with the help of Epin or Rostok preparations.
Shaping, tying and pinching
Form the eggplant into two stalks - small shoots and leaves are removed with garden shears. The main stem is tied with twine to the trellis. One large flower is left in the inflorescence. If this is not done, then the eggplants will stop growing and lose their taste. Also, a garter is necessary so that the stems do not break under the weight of the fruit.
Important! In tall plants, pinching is carried out at the beginning of intensive growth. In undersized - two weeks later.
Top dressing during pollination and fruiting
The last feeding is carried out 3-3.5 weeks before harvest.... It is recommended to use foliar fertilizers - spraying from a spray bottle. Use nettle infusion, copper sulfate solution, onion peel decoction. The procedure nourishes the stems and leaves, the eggplants are filled with color and become glossy.
Potential Difficulties You May Face When Growing Eggplant
Difficulties can arise at the stage of growing seedlings... Two weeks after planting, a pick is carried out - the seedlings are transplanted into a larger container. Handle the bushes carefully so as not to damage the still weak and fragile roots. If you spoil the root system during the picking process, then the eggplants will not take root in the new container and the seedlings will have to be planted again.
The greenhouse is characterized by high humidity, therefore it is important to observe the temperature regime and the order of watering... Too wet soil leads to the development of diseases. Summer residents regularly ventilate the greenhouse with vents and doors.
Harvesting and storage
Eggplant harvested in mid-August, when the fruits acquire a rich purple color and become elastic... It is impossible to overexpose the crop in the garden - it will become bitter and hazardous to health. The eggplants are wiped with a dry cloth and for long-term storage placed in a cool dry place. The maximum storage period is no more than one month.
Interesting. Eggplants make tasty and healthy winter preparations - caviar, salads, snacks, pickled and pickled dishes. Use the whole fruit or cut it into wedges. For piquancy, the vegetable is salted and pepper, onion and garlic, coriander, basil, parsley, hot pepper are added to jars. Such blanks are stored for up to one year.
Experienced agronomist tips
Experienced gardeners and summer residents for growing a tasty and rich harvest recommend sticking to the rules:
- Before planting, disinfect the seed with a solution of potassium permanganate or Bordeaux liquid - the seeds are soaked in the solution for 20 minutes and dried.
- When applying organic and mineral fertilizers, observe the dosage. If drugs are toxic to humans, use a respirator, gloves and glasses.
- Regularly inspect plants for diseases and pests. If detected, immediately carry out medical measures.
- Use only room temperature water for irrigation. Cold leads to the development of fungus and infections.
- Observe compatibility with other vegetables. Do not plant next to tomatoes and bell peppers.
Conclusion
Caring for eggplants in a greenhouse consists of simple agronomic rules. Regular watering and feeding, timely formation and tying of plants help to grow a good harvest. It is better not to plant tomatoes and eggplants in the same greenhouse, they have common diseases and pests.
Harvested in August, when the stalk turns bright green and the fruits take on a deep color. In application, eggplants are universal - they are used to prepare delicious baked and stewed dishes, winter preparations.