Eggplant: Known as the Natural Aspirin, Plus Planting Time and Sowing Methods

Eggplant is hailed as “the natural aspirin”, with benefits such as preventing vascular sclerosis, and preventing and treating high blood pressure and coronary heart disease; moreover, eggplant itself is very delicious and is a common dish on the dining table. Today, the editor will introduce to everyone the planting time and sowing methods of eggplant.

I. Planting Time of Eggplant

Eggplant grows at temperatures between 20-30 degrees, so it can be sown twice a year. Based on different market times, we have divided it as follows: eggplant for early spring market can be planted from late December to early February, and eggplant for early autumn market can be planted from early July to late August.

II. Growing Conditions of Eggplant

1. Temperature

Eggplant likes high temperatures. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 25-30 degrees. During the seedling stage, the suitable daytime temperature for development is 25-30 degrees, and at night it is 15-20 degrees. Below 15 degrees, growth is slow and causes flower drop. When the temperature is below 10 degrees, metabolism becomes disordered.

2. Light

Eggplant is a light-loving crop and has relatively high requirements for both light duration and intensity. Under conditions of long sunshine and high intensity, eggplant grows vigorously, flower bud quality is good, fruit yield is high, coloring is good, and the skin color is darker and the quality is better.

3. Water

After rapid growth, eggplant needs more water. Water demand is greatest before and after harvest, so water needs should be fully met. Eggplant likes water but is also afraid of water. When the soil is moist and aeration is poor, it is prone to root rot, and high air humidity makes diseases more likely.

4. Soil

It is suitable for cultivation in soil rich in organic matter and with strong water and fertilizer retention capacity. Eggplant has relatively high requirements for nitrogen fertilizer. When nitrogen is deficient, flower bud differentiation is delayed and the number of flowers is obviously reduced, especially at full bloom. If nitrogen is insufficient, short-styled flowers increase and plant development is also poor. Under low nitrogen fertilizer conditions, the effect of phosphate fertilizer is not very significant, and in the later stage, potassium absorption increases sharply.

III. Sowing Methods of Eggplant

1. Select Good Varieties

Varieties with fruit about 30 cm long include Hongfeng, Changfeng, Zaofeng, Nongyou Long Eggplant, and Guilin Long Eggplant. Those with fruit about 25 cm long include Yuejiao No. 2, Yuefeng, and Shijie Red Eggplant. Among them, Hongfeng has large, uniform fruit and an attractive appearance; Yuejiao No. 2 is a variety with high resistance to bacterial wilt and verticillium wilt; Yuefeng and Shijie Red Eggplant have dark color and very good gloss; Guilin Long Eggplant has high yield and disease resistance, but its flesh is greenish.

2. Land Selection and Land Preparation

The seedbed and planting site should be selected as plots whose previous crop was not a Solanaceae crop, preferably paddy fields, with deep plowing and sun exposure, and raised beds more than 30 cm high. The bed width includes the ditch, 1.7 m for double-row planting and 1 m for single-row planting. The seedbed should be sprayed with quintozene or dexon at 500 times plus dichlorvos at 800 times 7-10 days before sowing and covered with plastic film for disinfection.

3. Apply Enough Base Fertilizer

The planting site should be given enough base fertilizer. Generally, per mu, apply 1000-1500 kg of fully decomposed pig, cattle, and chicken manure, 80 kg of peanut meal, 50 kg of superphosphate, and 80 kg of lime, applied when making the beds. 1-2 days before sowing, apply fully decomposed finely crushed farmyard manure plus 20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer and mix thoroughly with the topsoil.

4. Sow at the Right Time

The suitable sowing period for spring eggplant is late October to November, with a seedling stage of 60-70 days. The suitable sowing period for autumn eggplant is June to July, with a seedling stage of 25-30 days. In cool regions, off-season cultivation can be sown in March to April and transplanted in May. Generally, the seed rate per mu is about 15-20 grams.

The above is the detailed introduction by the editor to the planting time and sowing methods of eggplant. I hope it can help you!