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The list of crops grown by Siberian gardeners is constantly expanding thanks to breeders. Now you can plant on the site and eggplant. Or rather, not only to plant, but also to harvest a decent harvest. At the same time, the choice of variety for sowing will not cause much difficulty. For a region with characteristic climatic conditions, you will have to pay attention to some parameters:
- Ripening period. The short summer dictates its own rules and the choice will have to be made among early hybrids or varieties of eggplant. They will have time to ripen and provide summer residents with a good harvest.
- Variety selection. Preference should be given to varieties with high resistance to temperature changes and low temperatures. Be sure to take into account all the characteristics of the variety as described.
- Powerful eggplant seedlings. One of the main components of success.
- Warming up the soil. To ensure this parameter, many grow eggplants in high beds, under double, high-quality shelter.
In addition, there are nuances of growing eggplants in Siberia, which summer residents willingly share with each other.Eggplants are considered a very healthy vegetable that contains a lot of nutrients, has a low calorie content and excellent taste of the fruit.
When to sow eggplants for seedlings
It is very easy to solve this issue. The sowing time is determined by the time of planting seedlings in open ground or for permanent residence.
Many gardeners, to be on the safe side, grow eggplants in Siberia only in greenhouses. And brave lovers of experiments cope with this task perfectly in the open ground. This depends not only on experience, choice of seeds and care, but on the correctly chosen time of sowing seeds for seedlings. When to sow eggplant seedlings this year? How to correctly calculate this period?
The rest of the calculation depends on the region in which the eggplants will be grown. If you plant a zoned variety of eggplant, then without a greenhouse they feel much better than peppers. This is due to the fact that they are more cold-resistant and love active air movement.
But to plant seedlings in the ground, the soil must warm up to +20º, which happens, on average, on June 10.
Of course, the date cannot be very accurate, because weather conditions are very changeable. Taking into account all the errors, we determine the time for sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings - the second half of February or the first ten days of March.
Choosing the right eggplant variety
As mentioned above, you need to sow seeds of early hybrids or eggplant varieties for seedlings. This will protect against discrepancies between the timing of crop maturation and the climatic conditions of Siberia. Experienced gardeners recommend choosing eggplants in Siberia:
"Purple Miracle F1"
Early, with high yield and stable characteristics. Suitable for growing in greenhouses and open ground. The bush is compact, which is important for small areas and up to 90 cm in height. It is valued by gardeners for the absence of thorns on the cup, resistance to diseases and pests. Housewives love it for its excellent taste in any cooking method.
"Nutcracker F1"
Super early, manages to ripen in 45 days. It is valued for its unpretentiousness to growing conditions, constant fruit formation, and adaptability to long-term transportation. Grows well outdoors, in a greenhouse. Medium-sized and spreading plant. This needs to be taken into account when choosing a planting scheme.
"Robin Hood"
A low-growing, spreading plant with a bush height of up to 1 meter. The recommended planting density for eggplant is no more than 5 plants per square meter. The weakly pear-shaped fruits have an excellent taste. The advantage of the variety is its high adaptability, which leads to the formation of fruits in any conditions. Can be grown with equal success in any soil. Suitable for pickling and pickling.
"Sailor"
This is a mid-season eggplant variety, but manages to produce a good harvest of original fruit. Bush up to 75 cm high, semi-spreading. The fruits are striped, beautiful and tasty. Eggplant "Matrosik" is resistant to diseases, which makes it possible to grow it in Siberian conditions.
"Diamond"
A very well-known medium-sized eggplant variety with good parameters.Zoned for almost all regions. It also grows successfully in Siberia. Compact bush, stable yield, unpretentiousness and excellent taste of the fruit. What else does a gardener need?
Among the suitable varieties for Siberia, it is worth noting the early “Epic” and “Skorospely 148”, the middle one “Black Beauty”.
The variety has been selected, we move on to the next important stage - sowing.
How to properly prepare eggplant seeds for seedlings
We highlight this point in a separate chapter because this is one of the important stages of growing strong seedlings. Proper sowing of seeds is a requirement for all crops. Eggplants are no exception. Before purchasing seeds for seedlings, carefully read the information about the variety.
- The letter F1 indicates belonging to the group of first generation hybrids. Such eggplants are resistant to diseases, tolerate climatic fluctuations well, and produce a stable harvest. The disadvantage of hybrids is that the seeds retain their characteristics only in the first generation. Next year you will have to buy new ones to get the same result.
- The package must contain the manufacturer's details and contacts.
- Be sure to check the final sales date. Recommendations on the timing of sowing and planting varieties, and the main nuances of agricultural technology may also be indicated there.
After purchasing, do not rush to sow immediately. First, we check the seeds for germination. With elite hybrid eggplants, you can skip this point. But it doesn’t hurt to check those collected with your own hands or bought on the market.
For this they need soak, But not all. Take a few pieces from a batch or pack and soak for 12 hours. Then place in a damp cloth (gauze) and place in a warm place. If half of the seeds are suitable, then your planting material is of good quality.
In stores, eggplant seeds are kept in a dry place and at low temperatures. Therefore, you will have to warm them up either dry or hydrothermally. The first option is carried out for 2 days at a temperature of +40º. Hydrothermal - in warm water for 15 minutes, immersing the seeds. Some gardeners use a thermos for these purposes. This significantly reduces the procedure time. Water temperature +50º, immersion time – 5 minutes.
Next stage - pickling. Place the seeds in a potassium permanganate solution of a not very saturated color and leave for half an hour. An alternative method is to place it in a solution of hydrogen peroxide for 10 minutes (3 ml of peroxide per 100 g of warm water). This procedure protects eggplant seeds from pathogenic microorganisms.
And lastly they carry out hardening. The seeds are kept in a damp cloth for a week. During the day they are in the room, and at night they are placed in the refrigerator.
You should not be afraid of such a large number of preparatory procedures. They are very simple, but useful for eggplants. When everything is done, you can start sowing.
Sowing eggplants correctly
In order for further actions to lead to a good result, you will have to take care of high-quality soil and containers for eggplant seedlings.
The soil can be prepared in the following composition:
- turf soil - 1 part;
- peat – 2 parts;
- sawdust brewed with boiling water – 0.5 parts,
The second option is ready-made purchased soil for seedlings, black soil and sand in equal quantities. It's good to add fertilizer. For 10 liters of finished soil add:
- superphosphate – 20 g;
- ash – 30 g;
- potassium sulfate – 5 g;
- urea – 5 g.
Before sowing eggplant seeds for seedlings, heat the soil or pour boiling water with potassium permanganate on it.
Requirements for landing container:
- There should be a hole at the bottom of the container for water drainage.
- Do not use containers for dairy products.
- Do not sow a succession of eggplants of different ripening periods in one planting box. They differ in germination time and care requirements.
The container is filled with soil to 3/4 of the volume, then it is moistened. Place the seed and cover it with soil. Water again, cover with film and place in a warm place.
If you have never planted eggplant seedlings, then for the first time, do a small rehearsal with a small amount of seeds a couple of weeks before the recommended date.
The date for planting eggplant seedlings in Siberia is chosen based on the soil in which the vegetables will grow.
The easiest way to do this is in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Thermal conditions for seedlings will be provided. Eggplants are moisture-loving. Watering and nutrition are other important conditions for seedling growth. Seedlings up to 25 cm high, with nine leaves and small buds are considered high-quality.
The main difficulties that gardeners encounter when growing eggplant seedlings in Siberia are stretching, yellowing and falling of the plants. It cannot be said that sowing is the most difficult operation. The main attention will be required when observing temperature and humidity conditions. In addition, eggplant seedlings must have sufficient lighting and nutrition so that the seedlings do not stretch.
It is imperative to harden off tender eggplant seedlings, preparing them for the conditions of Siberia. Hardening is done gradually. First, access to street air is opened for a short time, then it is extended. More mature eggplant seedlings are taken out into fresh air for a short time.Before planting, leave for the whole day, then overnight. All these procedures are necessary when growing in open ground.
Seedlings with a shorter adaptation period are planted in greenhouses. You can take the container with seedlings into the greenhouse, gradually lengthening the time, and then plant them in prepared beds.
The soil in which eggplant seedlings are planted is prepared in advance. Be sure to maintain the optimal planting pattern and density for the variety.
During the first time after transplantation, the seedlings are shaded so that the sun's rays do not lead to burns or death of the seedlings. But for further development, a sunny place is just right.
In greenhouses, ventilation is constantly required, even on cloudy days. It is especially recommended to do this after watering to reduce air humidity.
In Siberia, eggplant seedlings can face another problem - insects. The Colorado potato beetle, spider mite and other enemies of nightshade plants attack the seedlings. In greenhouses, greenhouse whitefly is added. Effective means of combat are “Confidor” and “Barrier”.
Conclusion
We have considered the main issues; all that remains is to apply all this information in practice. Having withstood all the requirements, you can grow healthy, powerful and high-quality eggplant seedlings even in such a harsh region as Siberia.
