Content
Of all the vegetables that our gardeners plant in their summer cottages, the most delicate and capricious is the eggplant. It is precisely because of the problems with growing seedlings that many gardeners do not dare to plant them in their beds. And it’s especially offensive when seemingly healthy seedlings suddenly drop their leaves and become limp. We will tell you what to do in this case and how to prevent such a phenomenon below.
Reasons why eggplant seedlings fall
Most often, the answer to the question: “Why do eggplant seedlings fall?” lies in improper care of young plants. Eggplant seedlings are so delicate that even a short-term change in their growing conditions can have a significant negative impact on the plants. There are the following reasons why eggplant seedlings may wilt:
- change in watering;
- insufficient lighting;
- sudden temperature change;
- the occurrence of various diseases;
- pest damage;
- putrefactive lesions of the root system.
Let's go through each point in more detail.
Changing watering
Eggplant seedlings instantly respond to even the slightest change in the watering regime, let alone a long-term excess or lack of moisture. But if you choose between two extremes, then it is much easier to revive plants that lack moisture. Indeed, if young eggplant plants are heavily flooded, the delicate root system may not be able to withstand it and rot.
In addition, the temperature of the water for irrigation is of great importance. Eggplants, like other members of the Solanaceae family, have a very sensitive root system. Therefore, watering with cold water can negatively affect the tender roots and lead to the fall of the seedlings.
In order to avoid this, you need to follow simple rules for watering eggplant seedlings:
- Watering hatched eggplant seedlings is allowed only when the top layer of soil has dried out. In this case, it is worth abandoning the usual watering from a watering can, but only moisten the soil with a spray bottle;
- A week after the germination of eggplant seeds, young seedlings can already be watered in the usual way. The regularity of watering should be no more than once every 5 days;
- For irrigation, use only settled water at room temperature.
Insufficient lighting
Most often, eggplant seedlings that are grown in apartment conditions, where the illumination is quite low, experience a lack of light. And for normal growth, eggplant seedlings need light for 12-14 hours. Moreover, the older the seedlings, the more light they need. It is for this reason that apparently healthy seedlings may suddenly begin to drop their leaves or fall.
Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can cause burns on the leaves and wilting of the plant itself.
In order to prevent seedlings from falling or to save already damaged plants, fluorescent lamps are used. They are sold everywhere, but the peak of sales occurs in late winter - early spring, when gardeners begin to prepare seedlings. It is worth choosing a lamp not only according to the size of your wallet, but also according to the size of the installation location.
The lamps should be installed at a height of 15-30 centimeters from the eggplant plants. They should only be turned on in the morning and evening hours. The duration of lamp operation directly depends on the length of daylight in a particular area.
Sudden temperature change
A sharp change in temperature has nothing to do with hardening the seedlings. Measures to harden seedlings can only have a positive effect on young eggplant plants. But frequent sudden changes in temperature, on the contrary, cause plants to fall. It would seem that in both cases the temperature changes, so why such a different effect? The thing is that the sharp temperature drop is short-term. Eggplant seedlings do not have time to adapt to such changes in temperature and react to them by lowering their leaves or falling.
A sharp change in temperature occurs both as a result of drafts and when a window or vent is opened for a short time. Stabilizing the temperature can help fallen seedlings. If after a few days the seedlings do not rise, you can try watering the plants with a growth stimulator.
Exceeding the recommended dosages can negatively affect the root system of already weakened eggplant plants.
The occurrence of various diseases
Seedlings are young and unprotected plants, with weak, just developing immunity. Even if adult plants of the selected variety have resistance, say, to various types of spotting, the seedlings do not yet have immunity to them. Eggplant seedlings can be affected by both bacterial and fungal diseases:
- black spot;
- powdery mildew, both downy and true;
- blackleg.
The first two diseases are determined by external signs. In the case of black spot, these are black, dark brown spots on the foliage.
But powdery mildew first dries out the foliage of the seedlings, and then causes the entire plant to wilt.
Black spotting is quite difficult to treat. Fungicides are most commonly used, and reducing watering and reducing humidity can also help. Powdery mildew is treated with Fitostorin or Topaz.
Both of these diseases appear quite rarely, which cannot be said about blackleg. If the care conditions have not changed, and the plants suddenly fall, then the first thing to check is the base of the plant stem. If there are dark spots on its surface with small nodules in the middle, then this is an insidious black leg.
Blackleg is a fungal disease that is almost impossible to cure. The simplest thing you can do is remove the infected eggplant plant.You can try to treat it with Fitosporin, sprinkle it with ash or crushed eggshells, but most likely it will all be in vain.
Careful pre-sowing cultivation of the soil can avoid blackleg. To do this, use boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate.
Pest damage
The fall of young eggplant shoots can be caused by harmful insects. Most often this culture is attacked:
- whitefly;
- aphid;
- spider mite.
Chemicals can be used to combat them. In cases where you don’t want to spray young, weakened eggplant plants with strange chemicals, you can use good old potassium permanganate. A light pale pink solution is suitable for this. You can also spill it on the ground to destroy insect larvae.
Putrefactive lesions of the root system
All putrefactive lesions of the root system of eggplant plants occur under the influence of fungal spores, which look like a white or pinkish coating. At the same time, young eggplant shoots begin to fall only when the fungus has infected almost the entire root system. At the initial stages, root rot can be determined by the lower leaves: they turn yellow, then turn brown and dry out.
Root rot on eggplant seedlings is easier to prevent than to cure. Once the plants have fallen, they cannot be saved. Correct choice of soil and optimal watering regime will help to avoid putrefactive damage to the root system. You should definitely not use soil with an acidic pH level as soil for eggplant seedlings. You should choose neutral or alkaline soil.
Also, a favorable environment for the fungus is created by excessive fertilization with nitrogen-containing fertilizers and organic matter.
Conclusion
As you know, the best weapon in the fight is prevention. Therefore, in order for eggplant seedlings to grow well and not cause problems for the gardener, we recommend that you watch a video about the rules for caring for plants of this crop:
Good afternoon, dear Irina!
You can remove the film from containers with seedlings almost when the first green shoots appear. However, at this moment it is very important that the soil in the cups is constantly moist, otherwise the soil will become crusty. It will be difficult for the remaining sprouts to hatch through the rough crust, and they may die.
Without fear, remove the cellophane and place the container with seedlings on the windowsill. And one piece of advice. Eggplants and peppers are delicate crops. And the window sills are still cold in February. Be sure to place foam rubber or some rags under the containers so that your plants do not stop growing or freeze. Wishing you high harvests!
Hello! I sowed eggplants and peppers in plastic cups, covered them with cellophane and placed them in a warm place, but not on the windowsill. Today I noticed that several eggplants and peppers have hatched.Tell me, immediately how to hatch, remove the cellophane and place it in a bright place on the windowsill? Or wait a little? Thank you.