Causes of Eggplant Flower Drop and How to Prevent It

Eggplants are extremely popular in our daily lives. Whether used in cooking or as snacks, they are a favorite of many people, so there are also a great many farmers who grow eggplants. Especially in rural areas, basically every household will plant them when the eggplant growing season comes, since they can be used both for their own consumption and sold at the market for money. However, during cultivation, flower drop often occurs, seriously affecting eggplant yield. So today let us take a look at how to prevent eggplant flower drop.

Causes of Eggplant Flower Drop

There are many causes of eggplant flower drop: it may be that the temperature has not reached the required level, that there is not enough or too much water, poor development of the eggplant flowers, insufficient nutrients or improper fertilization, insufficient light, or finally damage from pests and diseases. But what they all have in common is that they cause eggplant flower drop, thereby reducing eggplant yield. So we need to carry out proper flower drop prevention according to the different causes.

Symptoms of Eggplant Flower Drop

For different causes of flower drop, although it is all flower drop, there will still be some subtle differences. But usually, about three or four days after the flowers bloom, the flowers will fall from the eggplant plant. At this point you will notice that some flowers only have their petals fall, while others fall together with the flower stalk. Those that only lose their petals are generally dropped due to damage from pests and diseases, while there are many more possible reasons for those that fall together with the flower stalk.

Prevention and Control Methods for Eggplant Flower Drop

1. Temperature

If eggplant flower drop is caused by temperature, then we need to pay attention to what the optimal temperature for eggplant growth is, and adjust the temperature to that range. In daily life, the temperature difference between day and night is somewhat large, so in order to prevent eggplant flower drop, we had best adjust the temperature to above 15°C at night, and the daytime temperature is best kept between 25 and 30°C. Only in this way can the normal growth of eggplants be ensured. If flowers still drop under these conditions, then it has nothing to do with temperature.

2. Water

If the humidity in the soil is too high, or if it is too dry, it can also cause flower drop. So we need to observe whether the moisture in the field is reasonable. Generally, we just need to touch the soil with a finger; if it feels moist, that is about right. If we go by the normal standard, that is to say the soil humidity should reach about 50 percent, so that eggplants can grow better. Therefore, we generally water about once every week. If the rainy season comes, the rainwater needs to be drained from the field, otherwise it will cause the plants to develop disease.

3. Nutrients

If the nutrients in the soil are insufficient, or if the fertilizer applied is incorrect, that will also cause flower drop. Especially during the flowering period, the nutrients required are very great. As for the flowering period, we generally use phosphate fertilizer and potassium fertilizer as well as an appropriate amount of urea, which can promote flowering and preserve fruit. Moreover, we must fertilize in a timely manner so as to ensure no flower drop. Remember not to apply nitrogen fertilizer in a one-sided way.

4. Light

Eggplants have relatively high light requirements. During their growth period, they need sufficient light to maintain normal growth, but the intensity of light and the duration of light should not be too excessive. Normally, about eight hours is best. Therefore, when planting, the issue of light needs to be taken into consideration when choosing a site, or a shade shed should be built.