Eggplant is a demanding crop that needs regular feeding for full growth and fruiting. We will find out what nutrients this vegetable needs, and at what time it is recommended to bring them.
What substances do eggplants need?
To fully develop and bear fruit, eggplants need a certain set of nutrients.
Micro and macro elements required for eggplant:
- Nitrogen. It causes active growth of green mass. With a lack of nitrogen, the bushes lag behind in growth, the ovaries are slowly formed, the ripening of the fruits is delayed. With an overabundance of this element, eggplants "fatten", the plants are actively increasing the green mass, and flowering becomes scarce.
- Potassium. Increases the plant's immune capacity and resistance to temperature extremes.
- Phosphorus. Promotes the development and strengthening of roots and ovaries. Accelerates fruit ripening.
- Boron, manganese, iron. They have a positive effect on the taste of fruits, contribute to the formation of flowers, and increase productivity.
The lack of one or another element can be determined by the leaves - they are more sensitive and tender in eggplants than in other crops.
Signs of nutritional deficiencies:
- The leaves turned yellow at the edges, the growth of the whole plant slowed down - there is not enough potassium.
- The leaves rise up, the plant drops flowers, the fruits do not develop - phosphorus is needed.
- The leaves are lethargic, the lower ones turn yellow first, and then all the others. The plant is deficient in nitrogen.
Terms of feeding eggplant
When growing eggplants, even fertile soils need nutrition. After planting seedlings in the ground, the culture is fertilized 3-4 times. On infertile soils, the frequency of fertilizing increases.
Top dressing is applied, focusing on the stage of vegetation of plants, and not on the calendar and specific dates.
Eggplant fertilization schedule:
- After the pick. This is the first feeding that is carried out at the stage of growing seedlings. If the seedlings are grown without a pick, fertilizers - nitrogen and potassium, are applied when two true leaves appear.
- Before the transplant. Regardless of whether seedlings are to be planted in open or closed ground, they are fed 8-10 days before transplanting - with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
- After disembarkation. Food is brought in 2-3 weeks after disembarkation, not earlier. Plant roots are not sufficiently adapted to the new environment, unable to fully absorb nutrients. Fertilize with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
- Budding. Carried out during the formation of ovaries or flowering. After the last fertilization, at least 10 days must pass. Fertilize only with phosphorus and potassium.
- Fruiting. Fertilize with phosphorus and potassium.
Top dressing methods
Eggplants, like most crops, are fed in two ways - under the root and by spraying. We will find out how these dressings are carried out and what priority is given.
Root
Most eggplant dressings are done using the root method.
Features of root fertilization:
- Fertilizers are given in the form of solutions.
- Fertilizing is combined with watering to prevent root burns. First, the plants are watered, and only then the dissolved fertilizers are poured.
- During the introduction of nutrition, the solution must not be allowed to get on the aerial part of the plants.
- The best time for root fertilization is morning or evening.
Foliar
Foliar dressing is resorted to if you need a quick effect on the eggplant bushes.
Features of foliar dressing:
- Fertilizer is delivered to plants by spraying.
- Solutions for foliar dressing should have half the concentration than analogs for root application.
- It takes about 1 liter of dissolved fertilizer to process one adult plant.
For foliar dressing of eggplants, not all fertilizers are used. Plants can be sprayed with boric acid, ash solution, Agricola and Kemira.
What fertilizers are used?
Eggplants are fed with different types of fertilizers, which differ in their composition, principle of influence, cost, environmental friendliness and other properties.
Organic
Organic fertilizers have a positive effect not only on the development of eggplants, but also on the condition of the soil.
The most popular organic fertilizers:
- Manure solution. Manure is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10, bird droppings - 1:20. The solution is insisted for one week.
- A solution of manure and grass. Crushed weeds are placed in a large container, manure solution and water are poured in (1: 1: 10). For 1 liter of solution add 50 g of wood ash. Insist one week. Before use, dilute with water (1: 3). For each eggplant bush - 1 liter of solution.
It is not recommended to feed vegetable crops with fresh manure - it is too concentrated and will cause excessive growth of green mass. In this case, the formation of fruits will be inhibited.
Eggplants can also be fed with humus, compost, ready-made organic fertilizers - "Bioton", "Gumi-Omi" and others.
Mineral
The main feature of mineral fertilizers is a high concentration, and a serious drawback is the ability to accumulate in plant fruits.
When choosing a mineral fertilizer, the following factors are taken into account:
- plant vegetation stage;
- needs for a specific element - determined by the appearance of the plant;
- soil characteristics.
The most effective and affordable fertilizers:
- Ammonium nitrate. Used as a nitrogen fertilizer for seedlings. Can be combined with potassium sulfate - if nitrogen-potassium nutrition is required, with phosphate rock - if nitrogen-phosphorus nutrition is needed. Ammonium nitrate is mixed with superphosphate immediately before adding.
Fertilizer must not be combined with urea. - Urea (carbamide). Used for nitrogen injection. Foliar application is allowed. It is desirable to apply separately from other mineral fertilizers. Urea can be added to the slurry to increase the nitrogen content, but it is not recommended to mix it with ash.
- Ammonium sulfate. Suitable for spring feeding, as it contains a lot of nitrogen in an easily digestible form. It is forbidden to combine with potassium nitrate and superphosphate. Mixing with manure is allowed. It is necessary to add ammonium sulfate to the manure solution right before applying to the soil.
- Potassium nitrate... Used during flowering. Contains potassium (13%) and nitrogen (45%), therefore it is not suitable for application at the stage of fruit ripening. It is forbidden to mix with other mineral sources of nitrogen, with manure and ash. It is possible to combine with superphosphate, but only before the very introduction into the soil.
- Superphosphate. An excellent source of phosphorus, which is used only on soils with normal acidity. On acidic soils, sodium monophosphate or potassium monophosphate is used.
- Potassium sulfate. Effective potash top dressing. Can be applied at any stage of the growing season. It is allowed to combine with any fertilizers containing nitrogen, it can be added to manure, ash, superphosphate. Dissolved potassium sulfate can be added to phosphate rock, but the mixture must be used immediately, it cannot be stored.
Complex
The complex mineral fertilizers contain all the substances and trace elements necessary for the development of eggplants.
The most popular complex fertilizers:
- Kemira Universal;
- "Ideal";
- Agrocola-Forte and others.
When feeding eggplants with complex fertilizers, it is important to strictly observe the dosage, since an excess of nutrients is also harmful to plants, as is their lack.
Folk remedies
To fertilize eggplants, many gardeners use folk remedies. They are available, do not require large expenditures, and unlike "chemistry" do not lead to the accumulation of harmful substances in the fruit.
How to prepare top dressing according to folk recipes:
- Ash. This is the most common folk remedy, which is introduced, both independently and as part of various dressings. How to prepare an ash solution:
- Dissolve 500 g of ash in a bucket of water;
- first fill in the ash with 2 liters of hot water, and then add cold water, bringing the volume to 10 liters;
- insist 24 hours;
- filter the infusion and apply at the root;
- for foliar feeding, double the amount of water.
- Iodine. Eggplant seedlings are treated with this pharmaceutical preparation. It not only saturates plants with a useful microelement, but also destroys pathogenic microorganisms. How to use iodine:
- dissolve 2 drops of ordinary iodine in 3 liters of water;
- pour the resulting solution under the root of the seedlings.
- Yeast. Can be used:
- Regular yeast. Dissolve 1 kg of yeast in 5 liters of warm water. Insist 24 hours. Dilute 1:10 with water before use.
- Dry yeast. Dissolve one sachet in a bucket of water. Add 2 tbsp. l. sugar to make the solution ferment more actively. Insist 2 hours.
- Banana solution. This fertilizer saturates the plants with potassium. Procedure:
- fill the skins of 2-3 bananas with water (3 l);
- insist the banana peel for 2 days;
- water the plants with the filtered solution.
- Herbal infusion. It is prepared from nettle, dandelion, plantain, lawn grass. How to prepare a green infusion:
- Mix the chopped grass mass with water (1: 2), cover and put in the sun to enhance fermentation;
- after a week, strain the infusion and use for root feeding, diluting with water 1: 5;
- application rate - 1 liter of solution per bush.
- Compost tea. It is a natural fertilizer that increases soil fertility and improves the taste of fruits. To prepare this fertilizer, you need a compressor. How to prepare the composition:
- dilute 10 ml of any sweetener in 3 liters of water - syrup, molasses, fructose, sugar, kvass wort;
- add 70 g of mature compost;
- place the compressor tubes in water and turn on the aeration system for about a day;
- use the prepared tea within 4 hours after preparation.
- Bread-yeast-based solution. This universal remedy increases the immunity of plants and stimulates their growth. Solution preparation procedure:
- mix the ingredients - yeast, ash, grass cuttings, fluff lime, bird droppings and black bread;
- soak the mixture for 6-7 days, and then dilute with water and water the plantings.
Fertilization chart
Fertilizers are given to eggplants according to a certain scheme. In each growing season, the vegetable receives the nutrients it needs.
Feeding seedlings eggplant
To grow strong and healthy eggplant seedlings, they have to be fed several times.
How to feed seedlings:
- First feeding. It is carried out 2-3 weeks after germination. Dissolve manure (1:10) and ash (1 tbsp. L.) In water. Add 4 liters of solution per 1 sq. m.
- Second feeding. It is carried out two weeks after the first. Dissolve 70 g of superphosphate and 25 g of calcium chloride in 10 liters of water. For 1 sq. m add 2 liters of solution.
- 7-10 days after the pick. If you are diving seedlings, then after transplanting, add a weak solution of manure - 1 tbsp. 10 liters of water. Or fertilize the seedlings with urea - put 1 teaspoon of the product in a bucket of water. Add wood ash - 1 teaspoon per individual pot.
You can also use purchased products. Eggplants can be fed, for example, "Kemiroi Universal", "Mortar", "Kornevin". Pour solutions of drugs under the root, avoiding contact with the leaves.
Top dressing after planting in open ground
Fertilizers are applied 12-14 days after transplanting to a permanent place.
The task of the first feeding after transplantation:
- to intensify plant growth;
- adapt seedlings to new conditions;
- promote the development of the root system.
You can use complex fertilizers, "Kornevin", "Solution", etc. - they not only promote plant growth, but have a positive effect on the formation of ovaries.
The first top dressing in a permanent place should contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
How to feed eggplants:
- mix the ingredients - superphosphate (80 g), urea (30 g) and potassium nitrate (30 g);
- dissolve the mixture in 10 liters of water;
- water the plants under the root with the resulting solution.
At the initial stage of cultivation, before flowering, you can also add:
- yeast feeding;
- boron, iron, manganese (for flowering).
Fertilizing during flowering
At the flowering stage, eggplants most need potash and phosphate fertilizers. Mineral fertilizers can be applied, but experienced gardeners prefer to use organic matter at this stage - manure or infusion of greens.
Feeding options for eggplant during flowering:
- Infusion of nettle. It contains calcium, nitrogen and potassium in an easily digestible form. Other herbs can be used instead of nettles. Dilute fermented solutions with water before use. The rate for one bush is 1 liter of infusion.
- Mullein solution. Mix 1 kg of mullein in a bucket of water. Add 100 g of wood ash. Use 1 liter of solution for each plant. Instead of mullein, you can use bird droppings, but you need to take half as much - 500 g per bucket of water.
- "Gumi-Omi". It is a safe substance used in organic farming. Contains composted chicken manure, as well as a balanced amount of P, N, K, sodium humate, trace elements - copper and boron.
- Recipe 1. Dissolve potassium sulfate (15 g), urea (15 g) and superphosphate (30 g) in 10 L of water.
- Recipe 2. In a bucket of water, dilute 10-15 g of superphosphate, potassium salt and ammonium nitrate each.
During fruit ripening
With the onset of fruit ripening, eggplants most of all need potassium, phosphorus, boron and iron.
Top dressing options during fruiting:
- Superphosphate. Dissolve 40 g of fertilizer in 10 liters of water.
- Potassium sulfate. Dilute 1 tbsp. preparation in 10 liters of water.
- Chicken droppings. Dilute 1 kg of manure and 4 tbsp in 10 liters of water. nitroammophoska.
Water the eggplants at the root with the resulting solutions - 1 liter per 1 plant.
Many gardeners, at the fruiting stage, give preference to organics and folk recipes. So, in particular, when the fruits ripen, it is useful to feed eggplants with an infusion of chopped grass, which is fermented for 2-3 days.
Feeding rules
To achieve the expected effect of fertilization, it is necessary to follow the principles of eggplant nutrition.
Eggplant nutrition rules:
- Eggplants are fertilized several times during the season. Vegetables need additional feeding at all stages of the growing season - from seedlings to the ripening period.
- Good fruiting is possible only on properly fertilized soils.
- The greatest effect from fertilizing can be achieved by alternating organic and mineral fertilizers, applied in accordance with the needs of plants at each specific stage. Organic matter not only nourishes the plants, but also makes the soil loose. Mineral, due to their high concentration, allow you to quickly saturate the eggplant with the necessary elements.
- Foliar dressing is rarely used. Eggplants, having delicate leaves, do not tolerate spraying with aqueous solutions. Such treatments are carried out only when absolutely necessary and on depleted soils.
- All fertilizers are applied in a strict dosage. Excess doses have a detrimental effect on plants.
- When a shortage or overabundance of an element is detected, its content is immediately corrected. So, with an excess of nitrogen, the beds are watered with a solution of ash or superphosphate, and if it is deficient, urea or a mullein solution is promptly introduced.
- On poor soils, top dressing is carried out every 10 days.
- By introducing fertilizers at the root, do not allow the compounds to get on the leaves.
Proper feeding of eggplants is the basis for high yields and large fruits.Fertilizers applied on time not only ensure the full development of plants, but also help them cope with the challenges of the environment.
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Russia. City Novosibirsk
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