The Latest Eggplant Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial

Eggplant Seedling Raising

1. Determination of the seedling raising site and sowing time: In Shanxi Province, winter-spring crop eggplants in solar greenhouses are generally sown in mid-October. In order to bring them to market earlier, eggplants need to be raised as large seedlings with a longer seedling age, usually 90-100 days.

2. Seed soaking and sprouting: First put the seeds into 55°C warm water, using an amount of water 5-6 times the amount of seeds, stir continuously, and maintain the water temperature at 55°C for 10-15 minutes, then soak the seeds for 8-12 hours in the water as its temperature naturally drops. Eggplant seed coats are thick and absorb water with difficulty; if the seeds have not been fully fermented, they are even harder to germinate, so they should first be washed with a 0.2-0.5% alkaline solution and repeatedly rubbed and washed with clean water until the seed coats are clean and free of mucus before soaking. Alternatively, they may first be soaked in a 1% potassium permanganate solution for 30 minutes before soaking. During soaking, change the water once every 5-8 hours. After the seeds have fully absorbed water, rinse them clean with clean water and take them out, wrap them in multiple layers of wet cloth or burlap, shake off the water, place them in a container, and put them in a warm place to sprout. The suitable germination temperature for eggplant is 25-35°C. Because seed maturity varies, the temperature and oxygen in the germination bag are uneven, which causes uneven seed sprouting. Therefore, it is best to use alternating-temperature sprouting: in one day, 30°C for 8 hours and 20°C for 16 hours. After 5-6 days, 75% of the seeds will have sprouted white, with uniform sprouting. During sprouting, frequently turn the seed bag, which helps with gas exchange through the seed coat.

3. Sowing: Eggplant growth requires relatively high temperatures. In greenhouses it is best to sow in seedling boxes; this method allows them to be moved freely and makes it easier to regulate temperature and light. First spread a layer of nutrient soil 3 cm thick in the seedling box; water thoroughly the first time, and after the water has seeped down, scatter a layer of fine soil, broadcast or drill the seeds, cover with fine soil 1 cm thick after sowing, then cover with plastic film and remove it promptly when the seeds emerge.

4. Seedling stage management: After sowing, the room temperature should be 25-30°C with uniform light, and seedlings emerge after 5-6 days. After 80% of the young shoots have emerged, lower the room temperature to 20-25°C during the day and 20°C at night; when it exceeds 28°C, ventilate appropriately, but the ventilation amount must not be too large or too sudden. When the room temperature drops to about 20°C, stop ventilation. When the cotyledons have unfolded and the first true leaf is just tipping out, the room temperature can be raised to 25-27°C during the day, 16-18°C at night, and the soil temperature to 18-20°C, to promote smooth true leaf growth until transplanting. Under conditions of sufficient soil moisture, eggplant grows and develops well; when moisture is insufficient, flower bud differentiation is delayed, the fruiting period is postponed, and early yield declines. Before sowing and transplanting eggplant, the bottom water must be watered sufficiently, and afterward water can be supplemented appropriately according to seedling growth to meet its growth needs. Eggplant seedlings have strict requirements for light conditions; sufficient light not only favors flower bud differentiation but also allows seedling growth and development to proceed smoothly. When light is insufficient, flower bud differentiation is delayed, seedlings become leggy and abnormal flowers appear, directly affecting yield formation. To improve light conditions, the seedling box can be tilted toward the south to capture light. Enlarging the area of the nutrient paper bags used for transplanting and setting a reasonable arrangement density also help improve light conditions.

5. Transplanting: Eggplant roots have poor regeneration ability and new roots are difficult to form, so generally seedlings are transplanted only once into nutrient paper bags when they have 2-3 true leaves and flower bud differentiation has not yet begun. Raising seedlings in nutrient paper bags is a relatively good method for protecting eggplant roots; just be careful to add more nitrogen fertilizer when preparing the nutrient soil. 1-2 days before transplanting, water the nutrient paper bags sufficiently, judging by moisture being visible at the bottom of the bags. When transplanting, shake the seedlings out of the already loose soil in the seedling box, plant them into the nutrient paper bags along the roots, and do not bend them. The standard for strong seedlings when eggplant is planted out is: seedling height 18-20 cm, 6-7 leaves, more than 70% of the first eggplant showing buds, stems thick and strong, purple, and a well-developed root system.

Planting Out

1. Before planting out, apply 5000 kg of base fertilizer per mu; after deep plowing and leveling, make high ridges 60-65 cm wide and 15 cm high, then open two shallow furrows on the ridges and water the bottom water sufficiently. After the water seeps down, plant according to a spacing of 30-40 cm between plants, then take soil from between the two shallow furrows on the high ridge to close the furrows. The planting depth should be such that the seedling block is level with the ground surface. Plant 3000-4000 seedlings per mu.

2. The planting time should be chosen during the warming period just after a cold wave has passed. According to the patterns of northern climate conditions, choosing this planting time can ensure that sunny weather is maintained for 3-5 days after planting, which helps the seedlings recover. Planting should be done on the same day during the high-temperature period from 10:00 to 14:00.

Management

1. The biggest difficulty after planting eggplant is insufficient soil temperature, so cold protection and insulation must be strengthened during the low-temperature season after planting. For 7-10 days after planting, keep the room temperature above 30°C, thereby raising soil temperature, supplementing night temperature, and helping the seedlings recover as quickly as possible. Also try to keep the soil temperature stable at 16-18°C. After the seedling recovery period, the plants begin normal growth, and attention must be paid every day to uncovering the curtains for light; if light is insufficient, flower drop is very likely to occur. After seedling recovery, the first eggplant flower opens and the plant enters the fruiting period; at this time, attention should be paid to regulating the balance between vegetative growth and reproductive growth, lowering the room temperature to 25-30°C during the day and 15-17°C at night. This can allow the eggplant to flower and fruit while also keeping the branches and leaves luxuriant. When the room temperature exceeds 25°C, begin appropriate ventilation to remove excess moisture in the greenhouse, increase carbon dioxide content, raise light intensity, and reduce flower drop. Even on cloudy days, appropriate ventilation should still be maintained, only paying special attention to the ventilation amount and duration.

2. After eggplant is planted out and the seedling recovery water has been watered, do not water again until the first eggplant has generally grown to 3 cm in size, then water and fertilize. The first fertilizer and water amount can be somewhat larger, applying 10-20 kg of ammonium sulfate per mu or 1000 kg of manure slurry. When the second eggplant (opposite eggplant) begins to swell, give the second fertilizer and water; afterward, apply fertilizer and water once every 10-15 days. Water and fertilizer must not be lacking in the middle and late fruiting stages.

3. Eggplant is a light-loving crop, but natural light in winter-spring cultivation in solar greenhouses can hardly meet its needs, causing plants to become leggy, short-stigma flowers to appear, and fruit deformities. Therefore, in addition to cleaning the greenhouse roof every day, reflective screens should also be hung to narrow the light difference in the middle and rear parts of the greenhouse and increase light intensity.

4. 2-3 days before the eggplant flowers open, use 25-30 ppm 2,4-D to smear the fruit stalk, or spray the flowers; each flower should be treated only once, not repeatedly, and the liquid must not be splashed onto the leaves.

5. Prune in time to improve ventilation and light conditions. After the first eggplant swells, remove the side branches sprouting below the first eggplant and the lower old leaves; the axillary buds below the second fruit (opposite eggplant) must also be removed.

6. During the peak fruiting period, appropriately increase the amount of fertilizer and water, generally watering once every 7-10 days, alternating chemical fertilizer and organic fertilizer. At the same time, increase ventilation to meet the needs of photosynthesis and promote fruit ripening.

Harvesting

When the eggplant has fully swollen and the fruit is purple and glossy, harvest early to increase early yield and raise output value. When harvesting, it is best to cut at the fruit stalk to reduce bruising.