The best early varieties of eggplant

Not every gardener decides to plant eggplants on his plot. These plants are a little capricious and very heat-loving; they require constant care and timely watering; they are susceptible to many diseases. But science does not stand still; every year breeders develop new varieties and hybrids that are more resistant to diseases, can withstand frost, and are easy to care for. And at the same time high-yielding!

When and how to plant eggplants in Russia

The climate of central Russia was previously considered too cold for the heat-loving eggplant. These vegetables could only be grown in the south or in greenhouses and greenhouses. They began to plant eggplants in open ground quite recently in the middle zone - suitable varieties have appeared for this, the best of which give an excellent harvest and are famous for their taste.

Experienced gardeners claim that the most suitable varieties for temperate climates are early ripening and very early.. Short ripening periods - from 75 to 100 days - allow the vegetable to ripen in such a short summer period. In addition, early-ripening eggplants are less likely to get sick and are less susceptible to rot and insect damage.

So, the best varieties for such conditions are early ripening eggplants, resistant to low temperatures and most diseases, producing a high yield and having good taste.

To properly grow early eggplant varieties, a number of conditions must be met:

1. Buy quality seed material, undergone fungicidal and antiseptic treatment, hardened from low temperatures.
2. Prepare seedlings, it is the seedling method of cultivation that is more suitable for early ripening eggplants. Seeds should be planted in disposable cups so that the roots of the plant are not damaged during transplantation and to avoid picking the seedlings.
3. Choose a well-lit, warm area for planting on open ground. Greenhouse varieties produce the highest yields, but they are more difficult to cultivate and are more capricious.
4. Fertilize plants several times: during planting in the ground, on the days of flowering and the appearance of the first fruits. Mineral fertilizers are used for this.
5. Water the plants in a timely manner - Eggplant does not tolerate drought well.
6. Remove infected or rotten seedlings in a timely mannerto prevent the spread of the disease.
7. Harvest regularly, preventing overripening of the fruits and damage to the bushes.

How to Choose the Best Eggplant Seeds

Each modern variety or hybrid of eggplant has its own pros and cons. To choose the right variety for specific growing conditions, you need to familiarize yourself with classification of this vegetable. So, eggplants are divided according to:

• Growing method – open ground, heated greenhouse, film greenhouse, temporary covering material.
• Maturation rates – early-ripening crops bear fruit on the 75-100th day after the first shoots peck, mid-ripening crops ripen by the 110-130th day, and late varieties will bear fruit only after 150 days of the vegetative period.
• Resistance to certain diseases and low temperatures.
• Taste qualities – eat vegetables with tender pulp and thin skin; they are more suitable for salads and side dishes. Those eggplants whose flesh is denser with a minimum number of seeds are best used for canning or preparing dishes with long-term heat treatment. For example, it is from hard and dense fruits that the most delicious caviar is obtained.
• Appearance – today eggplants can be not only the usual purple color, there are a lot of shades: from yellow to purple. The same applies to the shape of the vegetable - the usual pear-shaped shape is found only occasionally. There are spherical eggplants, egg-shaped fruits, and elongated and oblong-shaped vegetables.
• The last division of eggplants – these are selection hybrids and varietal crops. Hybrids are more productive, protected from external influences, and the varieties have better taste - the traditional rich taste of the “little blue ones”. Most often, the hybrid has a name with the symbols F1 at the end.

The combination of all these factors determines the final choice of eggplant seeds. After all, a lot here is a matter of taste and opportunity. Someone can grow vegetables in their dacha, visiting it only on weekends.And for some, eggplants become a daily job that brings in considerable income.

The most productive varieties

Probably every gardener is most interested in one question – how many eggplants he can get from his plot. Productivity largely depends on the selected variety. Most often, hybrid seeds produce the largest number of fruits, but there are several varietal eggplants that are also distinguished by their fertility.

"Nadir"

One of the early ripening and very productive eggplant varieties is “Nadir”. This variety is a “relative” of the famous “Almaz”. The bushes of the plant are low (up to 50 cm) and spreading, the ovary is formed at the bottom, closer to the ground. The first fruits from this plant can be obtained already on the 70-80th day after germination.

Eggplants grow of medium size - their length is about 15 cm, and their weight is often in the range of 150-200 grams. The color of the fruit is deep purple, the peel is thin with a glossy sheen.

The taste of eggplants of the “Nadir” variety is excellent, without bitterness, with a strongly pronounced aroma. The pulp is tender and fleshy.

The variety has a very high yield - up to 70 tons per hectare of land, which makes this eggplant one of the best-selling. The fruits tolerate transportation and storage well and remain beautiful and juicy for a long time.

The “Nadir” variety is quite demanding: in order to reap a high harvest, you need to water the vegetables on time and maintain high air and soil temperatures. To do this, great attention should be paid to the method of planting and processing of row spacing. Timely harvesting of eggplants (every 5-7 days) will increase the growing season and extend the productive “life” of the plant.

The variety must be grown from seedlings. To do this, I use the cassette method, which involves planting seedlings without damaging the root system.Seedlings are ready for transplantation when 7 leaves have already appeared on them, and this happens by the 60-70th day after sowing the seeds in cassettes.

You can see the fruits of the Nadir variety in this photo.

"Diamond"

One of the most famous eggplant varieties is the Almaz variety. The crop is an early ripening crop - the first fruits are ready for harvest on the 70-80th day after planting. The plant is distinguished by small compact bushes, their height rarely reaches 55 cm. Eggplants are tied in bunches at the bottom of the bush.

The color of ripe fruits is rich, dark purple. The skin is shiny, with a sheen. The pulp of the Almaz eggplant is white and contains absolutely no bitterness. The fruit size is small - 15-17 cm, and the shape is cylindrical.

A high yield from this crop can be obtained if the following conditions are met:

• timely irrigation;
• frequent collection of vegetables (every 6-7 days);
• high humidity maintained until the ovaries appear;
• compliance with the planting scheme;
• maintaining high temperature;
• planting in the ground using the seedling method.

All these measures help increase productivity; if they are followed, up to 50 tons of high-quality vegetables, ideal for sale, can be obtained per hectare of land.

"Negus"

The bushes of the plant are low - up to 50 cm, and are distinguished by the simultaneous appearance of lateral shoots. Eggplants are round in shape and small in size; the weight of one fruit reaches 180 grams. The pulp of the vegetable is very tasty and quite dense; this variety is excellent for canning.

It is recommended to grow Negus eggplants using seedlings. Seeds are sown in cassettes in the second half of February, seedlings are transplanted into open ground on the 65-70th day after this, the bushes should have 5-7 large leaves.

"Czech Early"

Another favorite variety among domestic gardeners is the Czech eggplant. The bushes of this plant are compact, reaching a maximum height of 60 cm. The fruits are ovoid in shape and quite large in size, their weight reaches 600 grams.

The pulp of the vegetable is greenish-white in color, without a bitter aftertaste and with an excellent aroma. The structure of the pulp is dense, which makes Czech eggplant universal – suitable for preparing main courses and canning. The standard peel color is dark purple.

This variety can be planted with seeds under film or seedlings. The plant is suitable for both greenhouses and open ground. Plant density greatly reduces the yield of the variety, so seedlings are planted no more often than 4-6 bushes per square meter of soil.

The yield of the variety reaches 4-5 kg ​​per square meter. A photo of the fruit is presented below.

"King of the North F1"

The first fruits appear on the 95-100th day after planting the seeds. They have an unusual oblong shape and small diameter; the length of eggplants reaches 30 cm.The color of the peel is dark purple, and the flesh is white, without bitterness.

Thanks to the large number of ovaries and large fruits, the “King of the North F1” hybrid is one of the most productive - up to 15 kg of eggplants can be obtained from one meter of soil.

"Purple Miracle"

Another early and productive variety is “Purple Miracle”. Its first fruits can be obtained on the 100th day after planting the seeds. They have an oblong cylindrical shape, dark purple color and soft green flesh.

The taste of the vegetable is excellent, without bitterness. The pulp is tender, eggplant is suitable for preservation and for preparing various dishes.

The fruits grow small - up to 110-140 grams, but they grow densely. This increases the variety’s yield to 14 kg per meter of land. You can see the “Purple Miracle” in the photo below.

"Behemoth F1"

One of the most famous eggplant hybrids is “Behemoth F1”. It is grown in greenhouses or greenhouses, the first fruits appear on the 101-110th day after planting the seeds. The name of the variety is associated with its unusually high growth - the bushes reach two meters in height, so greenhouses and greenhouses must be quite high.

The main advantages of the hybrid “Behemoth F1”: taste of the fruit, high yield, good presentation. From one square meter of greenhouse it is quite possible to get up to 14 kg of excellent eggplants.

"Purple Haze"

The very original variety “Lilac Fog” is known not only for its unusual shade, but also for its excellent adaptability to weather conditions.This variety is recommended by breeders for cultivation in any region of Russia; it tolerates cold well.

Externally, the plant is quite easy to recognize - its bushes are low (up to 60 cm), and the stem and shoots are covered with a continuous layer of edges. The leaves are also unique - bright green, large, without jagged edges.

The most remarkable thing about the variety is the eggplant fruit. They have a bright lilac color and delicate, white flesh. Eggplants are small in size, their weight varies between 110-270 grams.

The variety can be grown in a heated greenhouse, greenhouse or open ground. The first vegetables ripen on the 105th day after planting the seeds. The plant is resistant to blossom end rot and produces high yields - up to 6.5 kgm².

But the main feature of the culture is, after all, the appearance of the fruits, which can be seen in the photo.

What seeds to buy

There are a great many varieties of eggplants; only through “experience” can one determine the best ones. After all, for this plant, as for all vegetables, the type of soil, the climatic features of the region, the frequency of watering and fertilizing, and much more are very important.

Each gardener finds his best “blue” varieties and grows them year after year. To find a suitable variety, you need to try, experiment and, of course, follow the recommendations indicated on the seed packaging.

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