How do you take care of eggplant in the garden?
Eggplants do best when the soil is consistent soil moisture. Water regularly, especially when the plants are young so that they develop deep roots. Avoid overhead watering to prevent disease, but consider using mulch to keep soil moist, warm, and to keep weeds down. Generally, eggplants should get an inch (2.5 cm.)
How do I make my eggplant bear more fruit?
5 Tips for Growing Excellent Eggplant
- Try growing small-fruited eggplant varieties.
- Start seeds late.
- Anticipate eggplant flea beetles.
- Invite native pollinators.
- Provide timely feedings.
Do eggplants need full sun?
S. melongena thrives in full sun, with a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day, and fertile, well draining soil with a pH between 5.5-7.2. As members of the Solanaceae family, along with peppers and tomatoes, it’s no surprise that eggplants prefer hot weather.
Do you prune eggplant plants?
Pruning eggplant stems is best done when the plant is established and has already borne some fruit. If your plant has already gone through a period of production and seems like it’s starting to peter off, this is a good time to do some trimming. When pruning eggplant, the traditional shape to go for has three stems.
What are the best growing conditions for eggplant?
Eggplants can only grow in warm soil—50 degrees Fahrenheit or above. The best time to plant eggplant is in late spring after the last threat of frost. Eggplants have a long growing season, so you’ll need to start them indoors around eight weeks before your region’s last frost date.
What is the best fertilizer for eggplant?
A balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) is often recommended for eggplant. Feeding too much nitrogen at this point can result in large, leafy plants that fail to produce fruit.
Does eggplant grow in shade?
Growing eggplants outdoors requires full sun. Try planting them on a south-facing area of your yard once they are larger than 3 inches. Ample sunlight provides the energy needed for large fruit production through photosynthesis.
What is the best way to grow eggplant?
– Purchase some eggplant grown commercially and try out a few recipes to see if you like eating it. If not, do not plant. – Determine whether your neighbors like to eat eggplant. If they do not, do not plant. – We found that eggplant is prolific. One or two bushes created more than we could eat or give away.
Do eggplant plants need support?
Eggplants ( Solanum melongena) are fast growing members of the nightshade family. Like tomatoes, the large eggplant bushes need support as they grow. Some eggplant cultivars can reach 8-feet high, but most grow up to 4-feet tall with branches reaching 3-feet wide.
When can you plant eggplant?
Start seeds indoors in flats or peat pots 8–9 weeks prior to the last spring frost date. Seeds germinate quickly at temperatures between 70 to 90°F.
When to water eggplants?
– Spread plastic mulch around the base of your plants. – Apply organic mulch, like hay, leaves or grass clippings, 3 to 4 inches thick over your soil. – Make water jug irrigation by punching small holes in the bottom of a plastic, gallon jug, and burying it in the soil next to your eggplants. – Use a drip hose that slowly supplies water to the soil.