Content
When choosing an eggplant variety for planting, summer residents, first of all, focus on its taste and what they intend to use the fruits for. To grow a versatile crop suitable for roasting, baking and canning, try growing long-fruited varieties. They are tender and pleasant to the taste, the skin does not have a characteristic bitterness, and the latest hybrids bred by breeders are not only well preserved, but also frozen.
Growing Long Eggplants
Planting and growing long varieties is not much, but still different from usual. These plants are heat-loving and love to be planted in open soil during warm periods. But before choosing a place to transfer seedlings, you need to consider several points.
If you plant seedlings in the ground after root crops and melons, the soil must be loosened and fertilized. To do this, add 50-60 g of superphosphate and 10-15 g of potassium to 10 kg of plant and animal humus. Fertilizer is applied to the soil in late autumn, when root crops and melons are harvested and work begins on loosening the soil for the winter.
Before transferring long eggplant seedlings to open ground or a greenhouse, harrowing is necessary in the spring. This work is carried out in the middle or end of March, when the soil is completely dry from the melted snow. In April, in those places where there will be beds with eggplants, enter urea (nitrogen fertilizer).
Growing seedlings from seeds
The long variety of eggplant, just like the regular one, can be grown from seeds. Before sowing, planting material undergoes calibration and disinfection. To select healthy seeds, it is necessary to immerse all planting material in a saline solution. After 3 minutes, the full-bodied seeds will sink to the bottom, and the hollow ones will float to the surface. The selected grains are washed several times with warm running water and then dried at room temperature, spreading them on a cotton napkin.
Seeds of the long variety must be germinated before planting in the ground. To do this, pour the calibrated planting material into a small plate or saucer and cover it with a layer of filtered paper soaked in a growth stimulator. The plate with the seeds must be placed in a warm place. After 3-5 days they should hatch.
In the greenhouse
If you are going to grow seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouse, the substrate for the seedlings must be prepared in advance. To do this, cover the soil with a thick layer of manure (10-20 cm) and leave it for 2-3 weeks. In early March, planting material can be sown in such soil. In addition, all wooden parts of a greenhouse or greenhouse are treated with a 10% solution of bleach or freshly slaked lime.
The temperature in the greenhouse during seedling growth is maintained within 23-250C. All the time the seedlings are in the greenhouse, the temperature is adjusted as follows:
- During the day – 18-200WITH;
- At night – 12-160WITH.
Experienced gardeners know how important it is to maintain a strong root system of eggplants during the transplanting process, so growing seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouse is considered optimal for obtaining healthy and disease-resistant plants.
In landing containers
To get a tasty and rich harvest, planting material of long varieties of eggplants is planted in humus-peat planting containers. The substrate for seedlings is prepared based on:
- Humus - 8 parts;
- Sod land - 2 parts;
- Mullein – 1 part.
All components are thoroughly mixed and allowed to stand for 1-2 days. Then add 50 grams of superphosphate, 10 grams of urea, 5 grams of potassium to 1 bucket of the resulting substrate. The resulting soil is filled into containers so that it takes up 2/3 of the volume. The hatched seeds are planted in it and sprinkled with a 1 cm layer of soil. The seedlings are watered in the morning, once a day, and after a few days, as needed, fresh soil is added to the pots.
As soon as the long eggplant seedlings have grown, become stronger and are ready to be transferred to the garden bed, the open ground soil is prepared for planting. To do this, it is fertilized with any superphosphate fertilizer at the rate of 250 g per 1 m2.
How to grow Long Purple eggplant seedlings
Of all the long varieties of eggplant, the “Purple Long” variety is the most famous in central Russia.Let's look at growing long eggplant seedlings using this variety as an example.
First of all, it is worth saying that all long eggplants need regular feeding. This applies to both seedlings and the plant itself, right up to the full ripening of the crop.
For seedlings of the “Long Purple” variety, we use the following type of fertilizer (per 1 bucket of water):
- Potassium salt 15-20 g;
- Ammonium sulfate – 20-25 g.
Among organic fertilizers when growing long eggplants, gardeners use slurry, bird droppings and mullein. In this case, bird droppings or mullein are pre-fermented in a large container for 7-8 days before starting feeding. The resulting mass is diluted with water in the following ratio:
- One part bird droppings to 15 parts water;
- One part mullein to 5 parts water;
- One part slurry to 3 parts water.
It is recommended to feed young seedlings of long varieties of eggplant, alternating organic and nitrogen fertilizers.
The first time the seedlings are fertilized 7-10 days after the first shoots appear, the second time is carried out another 10 days later.
Two weeks before transplanting the “Long Purple” variety into the ground, the seedlings need to be hardened off. If you grew seedlings in a greenhouse, then open the frame first for 1-2 hours, and then, gradually increasing the time, bring the hardening to 8-10 hours a day. It is very important to take into account the air temperature here. If spring is late and the temperature during the day barely reaches 10-120C, the hardening time needs to be reduced.
2-3 days before transferring the seedlings, be sure to treat the eggplant with a solution of copper sulfate (take 50 grams of the substance per bucket of water).This will prevent the possible development of fungal diseases.
The “Long Violet” variety is planted in open ground only when the seedling is strong and has at least 5-6 full leaves.
Eggplant “Long Purple” is one of the best early-ripening and productive varieties. The ripening period of the fruit is 90-100 days, the height of the bush does not exceed 55-60 cm.
When fully ripe, the fruits reach a length of 20-25 cm and are dark purple in color. The weight of one eggplant is 200-250g. The variety has excellent commercial and taste qualities and is widely used in canning and pickling. A distinctive feature of the variety is a long growing season with a “friendly” yield of fruits.
The best varieties of long eggplants
On the shelves of shops and markets today you can see a large number of eggplant seeds of various shapes and colors. Among them are long eggplants, recommended for planting in the southern regions and central Russia. Here are just a few varieties known among farmers due to their high yields and excellent taste.
Banana
The variety is early ripening. The period of fruit ripening is 90-95 days from the moment of germination.
Resistant to low temperatures in the air and soil, viral and fungal diseases. Seedlings can be grown both at home and in a greenhouse on open ground.
The average weight of the fruit is 150-170 grams, length is up to 25 cm. A distinctive feature of eggplant is that the fruit is somewhat curved when ripe, reminiscent of the shape of a banana.
The most tender
This variety is classified as mid-season.Harvesting in warm regions begins in early August, in the northern regions - in early and mid-September. The length of the fruit is 20-22 cm, and the diameter often reaches 6-7 cm. Average weight is 200-250 g. Features of the variety - bushes in open ground grow up to 100-120 cm in size, so during the process of growth and fruiting the plant needs staking.
Long purple
The variety visually resembles “Long Violet”, with only one difference – its fruits are lighter and thinner. Eggplant is classified as mid-season. The bush grows up to 60 cm. During the ripening period, the fruits reach a weight of 200-220 grams and a length of up to 20 cm. The variety has high taste and commercial characteristics, and is resistant to temperature changes. It is recommended to grow seedlings in film greenhouses.
Long Pop
A new variety of long eggplant with high yield. Eggplant is an early ripening plant, the ripening period is 60-70 days from the first shoot. In the southern regions of Russia, the first fruits can be obtained already in mid-July. The height of the bush does not exceed 60-70 cm. The average weight of the fruit is 250 g, the length of the fruit is 20-25 cm, and the thickness of individual specimens can reach 8-10 cm.
Scimitar F1
This hybrid is classified as mid-season. The period of full ripening is 95-100 days. The plant can grow up to 80-90 cm in height, so when growing Yatagan, provide supports for its garter. The fruits are dark, lilac with white juicy pulp. The average fruit weight is 180-200 g, length is up to 20 cm.
King in the North
A variety of long eggplants, bred by breeders specifically for the northern regions of Russia. “King of the North” is resistant to cold snaps and winds. The variety is classified as mid-season. Seedlings must be grown only in greenhouse conditions.When fully ripe, eggplants can reach up to 30 cm in length and up to 8-10 in volume. The average fruit weight is 250-300 g.
Conclusion
When choosing long varieties of eggplant for planting, be sure to pay attention to the manufacturer’s recommendations specified in the instructions. Watch the video on how best to grow delicious long eggplants:
