Content
Eggplant is a perennial plant, but for some reason our gardeners grow it as an annual. The eggplant fruit can be not only a purple cylinder, but also a berry of completely different colors. The color of eggplant skin varies from dark brown with a reddish tint to brown with a grayish tint, depending on the variety. The fruit can be pear-shaped, serpentine, spherical with white or slightly greenish flesh.
Eggplant is exotic because its homeland is India. From Latin the name “eggplant” is translated as “nightshade with an apple.” The ancient Romans believed that eggplant was a poisonous vegetable and that anyone who consumed it would become insane. It is also known as badrijan.
Modern eggplant hybrids are distinguished by high taste and fertility. From one bush per season you can collect a sufficient amount of ripe fruits, which are ready for transportation, storage and, of course, consumption.
Varieties and hybrids
All eggplants grown in our country belong to the Central Asian type of eggplant, to the ecological and geographical groups of the East and West. The eastern group represents early-ripening varieties, and the western group represents mid- and late-ripening varieties.
Let's look at the best and most grown eggplant varieties.
Baikal F1
The bush of this hybrid eggplant reaches an impressive size compared to others. It reaches 1.2 m in height. This eggplant can be grown in all types of greenhouses. Eggplant Baikal F1 are unpretentious and resistant to various diseases. The fruits are usually pear-shaped and dark purple in color with a glossy surface. The pulp has a medium density structure without bitterness. These are the best fruits for frying and making caviar for the winter. The fruits are good for pickling, salting and stewing. The yield of such a hybrid is 6-8 kg per square meter. m. The average fruit weighs 320 - 350 grams.
Joker
This hybrid grows in clusters. Each cluster consists of 4 fruits; on average, one bush produces up to 100 fruits in one season.
Since this variety has such a growth form, the fruits are elongated and oval. The color of the fruits is also different - they are brightly acidic in color. The flesh of these eggplants is tender and tasty, and the crust is thin. The plant perfectly resists various viruses, including the tobacco mosaic virus. Since the bushes of this eggplant are not too tall, usually not exceeding 1.3 m, they are excellent for various types of greenhouses. The yield of this hybrid is up to 8 kg per 1 sq.m. A ripe fruit weighs up to 130 grams.
Policeman F1
This plant grows up to 3 meters high and has spreading branches with thick stems. The fruits grow large, weighing up to 500 grams, cylindrical in shape and dark purple in color. The pulp is dense, greenish, and retains its shape during heat treatment. This hybrid is a late hybrid, so you have to wait a long time for fruits, but this wait is justified.In addition to the fact that eggplants are very tasty, they are also suitable for long-term storage and transportation. The hybrid of such an eggplant is resistant to various kinds of diseases, especially if it is grown according to all the rules.
Sophia
This variety of late-ripening eggplant is quite versatile. It is comfortable both in the greenhouse and in the open ground. Its bushes are low, but spreading. This is just a godsend for those who have a lack of sown area or it is limited.
The fruits are pear-shaped and dark brown in color, very fleshy and dense, reaching 900 grams in weight. Such eggplants necessarily require spraying for preventive purposes and constant care, since they are susceptible to many diseases, but at the same time they tolerate unfavorable weather conditions well.
Fabina F1
This hybrid is called ultra-early, since the fruits are ready for consumption earlier than others; ripening takes from 70 to 90 days.
The bushes grow to medium height and have a semi-spreading appearance; dark purple cylindrical fruits with a pronounced glossy sheen ripen on them. The fruits grow small in size, weighing about 200 grams, but have a pronounced mushroom taste, which allows them to be used for preparing interesting dishes; these are the best eggplants for Caucasian cuisine. The plant is not susceptible to verticellosis, it is not damaged spider mite. In addition, the fruits do not lose their shape and appearance for a long time, which allows them to be stored longer than the main varieties.
Purple Wonder F1
This is a truly versatile variety that can be grown in a greenhouse or in open ground.
Eggplant is absolutely not susceptible to sunlight and daylight hours.This feature helps to grow it in the conditions of Siberian weather and the Far North. The fruits grow dark purple in color and spindle-shaped with a glossy skin. These eggplants can be cooked any way you want, due to the fact that they are not at all bitter, like many varieties. They are resistant to many diseases, but they still require care and treatment against diseases.
Black handsome
An interesting hybrid that gets along well in a greenhouse. The plant is small and has very active growth.
The fruits are located at the very bottom of the bush. They are a cylinder with a color that varies from purple to almost black. The fruits weighing about 250 grams have tasty and moderately strong light green pulp. The variety is quite resistant to various diseases to which this crop is susceptible.
Black Moon
A mid-season plant with dense fruits that become slightly elongated as they ripen. Typically, these eggplants are dark purple with a glossy sheen. Such fruits are a priority for housewives and those who adhere to a healthy diet, since they are almost not bitter, but have soft dark-white pulp with pronounced taste. The most important things for this variety are moisture and sunlight. If the eggplants have enough of these factors, then the crop will not be afraid of any diseases.
Romantic
The early-ripening type hybrid enters the stage of fruit ripening on the 120th day after planting. The bush grows to medium height, about 1.5 meters, slightly spreading with a thick stem. The fruits at the final stage of ripening weigh 280 grams. The most interesting thing that can be distinguished from this variety is its mauve color. The fruits have pure white flesh with high taste.
Tirrenia F and Anet F1
Known all over the world and, perhaps, the best seed producer, the Dutch company Nunems sells its eggplant hybrids, which are perfect for growing in open ground from spring to autumn. These varieties are classified as early ripening, but they bear fruit until frost. The fruits of Tirrenia grow quite large in size up to 700 grams, they are rounded and elongated in shape. The seeds in the pulp are very small and almost unnoticeable; towards autumn there are none left at all, which is the result of parthenocarpy. This is the formation of fruits without pollination. Eggplant has a powerful stem and leaves, but is compact in size. Anet produces smaller fruits with an elongated cylindrical shape. The plant is distinguished by its height and luxurious leaves, which perfectly resist parasitic insects.
Nutcracker
The plant is of medium height, approximately 150 cm, semi-spreading type with well-developed bright green leaves and smooth edges. A slight thorniness can be observed on the surface of the leaves. The fruits are oval, weighing 350 grams and approximately 14 cm long. The values of the variety are its early ripening, good presentation and taste, and high yield.
Striped whale
This is an early ripening hybrid that ripens 90 days after planting. The compact plant, not exceeding 80 cm in height, bears small ovoid fruits weighing 80 grams with an original striped color. This crop belongs to a day-length-neutral form, but requires constant soil moisture. Like all eggplants, this hybrid performs best in loose, mineral-rich soil. The ideal soil, of course, would be chernozem soil, but loamy soil or sandy loam soil with a lot of organic matter in it would also be suitable.The crop responds well to the application of mineral or organic fertilizers during fruit ripening. This eggplant will be an excellent solution for growing in a pot on the balcony.
Above were presented the best varieties of eggplants that can be grown in central Russia, and some even further north due to their properties and characteristics. Now we should talk about how to grow these hybrids so that they delight you with a large harvest and excellent taste. The hybrids are clearly shown in the following video https://youtu.be/zYc5p-ZLmUk
Some recommendations for growing eggplant hybrids
Since eggplants are planted as seedlings, they need to be properly prepared. To do this, you need to plant seedlings in a heated greenhouse or at home in small pots or mineral cubes. Before planting eggplants, you need to prepare nutritious soil for them, which will consist of 6 parts of fertile turf soil, 4 parts of humus and 1 part of sand. It is in this mixture that eggplant seeds are planted so that they take from the soil all the substances necessary for growth.
Before planting them in the ground in the garden, you need to harden off the seedlings. If the temperature outside is not lower than 10 degrees, then the boxes with seedlings are taken outside. These are the best conditions for hardening. It is imperative to fertilize with superphosphate when there are 2 true leaves on the stem.
Seedlings are planted only when its root system is fully developed, and this can be determined by the appearance of the plant. It should be about 20 cm high, have 8 - 9 full leaves and several buds. If seedlings are planted in a heated greenhouse, this is done in late March - early April.And if it is not heated, then planting takes place only in early May.
It is best to use bulk soil for growing, which consists of humus, peat and garden soil. It would be useful to pre-apply fertilizers such as superphosphate, potassium salt and wood ash. It is best to add this soil to the greenhouse in the fall, so that by spring it is infused and ready to accept new plants.
In addition to proper planting, eggplants require constant care throughout their life, which includes maintaining optimal humidity and temperature conditions, timely loosening of the soil, protection from pests and diseases, and regular watering. On daytime days, the temperature in the greenhouse should be at 24 - 28 degrees Celsius with an air humidity of no more than 60 - 70%. The soil must always be in a loose state, so after each watering the soil is loosened.
Conclusion
The best varieties of eggplant are presented in this article. They are 100% guaranteed to give a good harvest, but with proper and constant care. Despite the fact that they produce a good harvest, eggplant is still a fastidious crop and requires sufficient attention from the gardener.
