There are many varieties of eggplants, among which gardeners can choose those that satisfy them in terms of ripening time, taste, color, and size. For those who appreciate large fruits, breeders have developed the Marzipan eggplant. This is one of the new hybrids that has various positive properties.
The variety was obtained by selection and seed production.
Features of the hybrid
Eggplant Marzipan is a mid-season variety with a ripening period of 120-130 days. It is suitable for growing in open ground, in greenhouses and greenhouses.
The originator gives the following description of the plant:
- bush height up to 1 meter;
- erect plant;
- leaves are large, green;
- The bush blooms with single flowers or flowers collected in inflorescences;
- the fruits are large, fleshy, classically shaped;
- fruit size is up to 16 cm in length, about 7 cm in width;
- the pulp is sweetish, not bitter, pale yellow in color;
- the skin is purple, shiny;
- the seeds are small and there are few of them.
Eggplant Marzipan produces a fairly large amount of fruit. From one plant you can collect over two kilograms of delicious blueberries, each weighing from 300 to 600 grams. The variety is intended for preparing any dishes, including canning. Marzipan is considered one of the best varieties for baking fruits on a wire rack.
Characteristics of the variety
Eggplant is native to the tropics and does not tolerate temperature fluctuations. If it gets cold at night to +15 °C, Marzipan F1 stops growing. At +5 °C the bush dies.
Important! Extreme heat for this variety is above +35 °C. Experienced gardeners do not recommend cultivating the Marzipan F1 eggplant variety in areas where summer temperatures are above +40 °C.
Productivity and fruiting
Mid-season Marzipan F1 is grown through seedlings. From sowing the seeds to the first ripe eggplants, it takes from 120 to 130 days. In warm climates, the bushes bear fruit until the end of October.
It is possible to remove about 2 kg of fruit from a Marzipan F1 bush, with an average weight of one eggplant ranging from 300 to 600 g. The crop is extremely demanding on soil quality. With good soil aeration and regular fertilizing, the fruits grow more than 1 kg. Even the presence of crust on the surface of the earth affects the yield. Regular loosening improves the condition of the roots.
The root system of eggplant is less developed than the above-ground part. Large fruits can weigh down the bush so much that they turn it out of the ground. The abundant harvest of Marzipan F1, pouring on the stems, requires support and garter.
Area of application of fruits
The pulp of Marzipan F1 eggplant has a surprisingly mild taste. Which reflects its “sweet” name. The bitterness characteristic of eggplants is completely absent, which allows the vegetable to be used in the preparation of any dishes and simplifies the preparation of fruits for the winter. The variety is also valued for its lack of obvious seeds.
The shelf life of collected fruits is more than a month. The dense peel allows you to transport Marzipan F1 without losing its presentation.
Resistance to diseases and pests
According to the characteristics and description of the variety, Eggplant Marzipan is resistant to most diseases and is rarely damaged by insects. According to gardeners, there is still a disease typical for this hybrid.
Blackleg is a root collar fungus caused by soil contamination. Infection of the stem can destroy the entire bush, so it is important to carry out preventive disinfection of the soil. The soil for planting seedlings should be calcined in the oven.
Like all nightshades, Marzipan F1 is threatened by the Colorado potato beetle. After the potato tops dry out, the pests move to the eggplants. At this time, chemical treatment of the bushes is impossible, since the fruits are already beginning to ripen. They protect plantings from beetles using mechanical methods: collecting by hand, shaking off leaves in containers. Infestation can be prevented by placing a fine mesh over the plantings.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Based on reviews of eggplant Marzipan F1, it is possible to make a list of its beneficial qualities:
- Cultivation in different climates, thanks to the versatility of the variety (for greenhouses and open ground).
- Resistant to short-term soil drying and heat.
- Large fruit and good taste of eggplants.
- Stable yield.
The disadvantage is the inability to use seeds from grown fruits for breeding the variety in the future. Planting material must be purchased every year. The hybrid variety Marzipan F1 does not transmit its characteristics through seed propagation.
Important! The variety is extremely light-loving. With a lack of sunlight, the peel does not acquire a characteristic shade: it may turn brown or remain light.
Disadvantages and advantages
According to reviews, eggplant Marzipan has the following advantages:
- the ability to grow the plant in any region of the country, and in the southern regions it grows in open ground, and in the northern regions - in greenhouses;
- the fruits have an excellent presentation;
- large fruit;
- the plant tolerates heat and drought well;
- eggplants are delicious, almost without seeds;
- excellent yield.
The disadvantages of eggplant marzipan include:
- demands on lighting: lack of light leads to lightening of the color of the skin;
- fragility of shoots under the weight of fruits;
- demanding on the temperature of the water used for irrigation: when using cold water, the plant sheds ovaries and flowers.
History of variety selection
A representative of the extensive nightshade family, eggplant appeared in Russia in the 17th century, but began to gain great popularity only recently. The exotic fruit gradually became familiar and appeared in fields and private gardens.
Not everyone likes the characteristic bitterness inherent in the taste of eggplant. Selection in recent years has been aimed at eliminating the taste of pulp and breeding varieties that are resistant to diseases and climate vagaries. Particular attention is paid to the ability of hybrids to grow in open and closed ground.
Marzipan F1 is the fruit of the work of seed breeders. The domestic hybrid variety of eggplant is universal: suitable for growing both in the south of the country and in the Far North in greenhouses.
Growing plants
Eggplant Marzipan can be grown in open ground, in a greenhouse. It is grown through seedlings.
Plant seeds are sown in late February - early March in seedling boxes. Seedlings are planted under shelter in May, in open ground in June, after the weather has completely warmed up and the threat of return frost has passed. At the time of transplantation, the seedlings should be 60-70 days old.
Description of eggplant Drakosha
The plant is a bush with a height of about 80-110 cm. The shape of the stem and leaves is characteristic of most Solanaceae. The strong, dark green stem grows almost vertically upward. Alternate leaves located on thick and long petioles form a relatively sparse crown, unable to hide large fruits from external view.
The pubescence of the leaves is quite rigid, making them appear rough and even prickly. The color of the leaves is light green, however, by the end of summer a barely noticeable purple tint appears on them.
Eggplant Drakosha is a monoecious plant with bisexual flowers. The flowers themselves are quite large - up to 5 cm in diameter, purple or white-violet. They are rarely located alone. Most often there are 5-6 flowers in an umbellate inflorescence.
Typically, flowering of the Drakosha variety occurs in early May - early June, although the timing may vary slightly depending on the time of planting. The Drakosha variety is an early ripening variety. The fruits ripen approximately 1.5 months after flowering (from 100 to 120 days from planting, depending on the climate). Peak yield occurs at the beginning of July.
Eggplant Drakosha can be grown both in a greenhouse and in open ground. In the case of greenhouse cultivation, seedlings can be planted in greenhouse soil in late April-early May. Directly into open ground - no earlier than the first ten days of June.
Description of fruits
The Drakosha eggplant fruits are common eggplant fruits that have some characteristic varietal characteristics. In particular, the shape of the berries of the Drakosha variety is not elongated, but pear-shaped.
The color of Drakosha fruits is deep purple. The skin has a pronounced gloss. There is no waxy coating on the fruits. Fruit sizes:
- length 16-21 cm;
- average diameter: 8-9 cm;
- thickening diameter – up to 16 cm.
The average weight of the fruit is 200-300 g, however, there are also giants up to 600 g. Moreover, they are not overripe, but have normal gastronomic qualities.
The pulp of the Drakosha variety has a whitish tint, it is sweetish, without any fiber. There is no bitterness even at late ripeness dates.
Growing seedlings
The Marzipan eggplant variety is planted in late February - early March. Before this period, seeds are planted only if additional lighting is provided.
Before you start sowing, you need to prepare everything you need. You should start by choosing a soil - you can prepare it yourself or purchase a ready-made substrate at a country store. The latter option has all the necessary substances and microelements.
When making your own soil, prepare a mixture of one part sand, three parts humus and four parts peat. Add a spoonful of superphosphate and a glass of wood ash to a bucket of soil.
Planting boxes are filled two-thirds with soil and watered. Then grooves are made 0.5 cm deep. The seeds are placed in them at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. To speed up germination and prevent drying out of the upper layers of the soil, the boxes are covered with glass or film.
Seed germination occurs at a temperature of 25 degrees.
At the cotyledon leaf stage, it is recommended to pick seedlings in separate containers. During transplantation, you should be extremely careful not to damage the root system. According to reviews, Marzipan F1 eggplants are difficult to restore damaged roots.
Initially, eggplants have enough nutrients contained in the soil. As the seedlings grow and develop, intensive feeding is carried out. It is best to give preference to complex fertilizers for seedlings. They are used according to the instructions.
Two weeks before planting in a permanent place, the seedlings are hardened off, gradually accustoming them to fresh air. You should start with 15 minutes, gradually increasing the time the seedlings stay in direct sun.
Growing the eggplant variety Marzipan
The best predecessors for all eggplants are cucumbers, cabbage or legumes. But it is not recommended to plant them after tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers.
Due to the requirements for heat and light, as well as slow growth, the Marzipan eggplant variety is grown in seedlings.
The plant is planted in the beds when the return of spring frosts is excluded, in the second ten days of June. By this time, the age of the seedlings reaches 65–70 days. Consequently, seeds are planted in the second half of March. See the Lunar calendar for the best days for sowing seeds and replanting.
For sowing, planting material from last year's harvest is used. The seeds are warmed up. First, four hours at +25°C, then for forty minutes the temperature is raised to +40°C. To disinfect, the seeds are placed in a manganese solution for 20 minutes. After this, they are washed and soaked in a solution with special agents that stimulate plant growth for 12 hours. After all stages of soaking, the seeds are laid out on a damp material (for example, gauze) and placed in a warm place until they hatch.
Eggplant is susceptible to blackleg disease. This fungus leads to darkening of the root collar and further wilting of the plant. Before sowing the seeds, the soil for seedlings is watered with boiling water and heated on a baking sheet for disinfection.
Sow eggplant seeds in small pots. In the future, this will protect the roots from damage when transplanting plants into open ground. From the first shoots that appear, the healthiest shoot is left, and the others are removed. The seedlings must be picked.
When the age of young plants reaches 65–70 days, they are planted in beds located in elevated and well-lit areas. The soil is enriched with a mixture of sand and humus for additional saturation with nutrients. Seedlings in pots are watered, taken out and placed vertically in planting holes and sprinkled with soil. The distance between bushes in a row should be at least 40 cm. It is better to water the plants with warm water for better survival.
Eggplant is a heat-loving plant. The optimal temperature for normal plant development is 25–30°C. Excessive plant requirements for soil moisture. The best indicator is 80%.
Eggplant is demanding on the quality of the soil, which must be light, nutritious and saturated with oxygen. If the plant does not have enough nitrogen, the growth of the bushes slows down, and if there is an excess of it, the growth process is delayed and the fruits are formed later.
Important: Poor soil slows down the ripening of plant fruits. The soil in the eggplant beds is constantly loosened, and the bushes are hilled up and tied up. Throughout the growing season, eggplants are watered every 10–14 days, with further loosening of the soil
Fertilize twice with a solution of superphosphate and urea.
The soil in the eggplant beds is constantly loosened, and the bushes are hilled up and tied up. Throughout the growing season, eggplants are watered every 10–14 days, with further loosening of the soil. Fertilize twice with a solution of superphosphate and urea.
The top is pinched at a height of 30–50 cm to stimulate branching. A properly formed bush has 3–4 lateral shoots, on which 5–6 fruits are located.
Approximately 25–35 days after flowering, the first harvest is harvested. The stem of the eggplant is woody, so they use pruning shears. Picked eggplants can be stored for a month.
The Marzipan eggplant variety is popular among gardeners due to the excellent taste of the fruit and resistance to unfavorable environments. Happy harvest to you!
Mikhail, an experienced gardener. Only for zakustom.ru
You will be interested in our article: “Eggplant Filimon - growing experience”
Landing at a permanent place
Eggplants are plants that love light and warmth, so they are planted when the temperature remains at 17-20 degrees. If it drops to 15 or rises above 30, then the plants shed buds.
According to the description of the variety and characteristics of eggplant Marzipan, before planting the seedlings in a permanent place, it is necessary to carry out preparations. A day before the planned planting, the bushes are watered abundantly. Repeat watering immediately before planting.
Plants are planted according to the scheme of three bushes per square meter. A distance of at least 60 cm is maintained between the rows, and the seedlings are transplanted together with a lump of earth without damaging the root system.
Plant care
According to the description, Marzipan eggplants do not require special care. These plants do not like excessive watering - 5 liters of water per square meter is enough. Water the beds once a week. After watering, the soil is loosened. If plants are grown in a greenhouse, it should be ventilated.
During growth, the bushes need to be shaped. Usually eggplants grow in 2-3 stems, all other shoots are removed. The remaining shoots are tied to a support. Also remove all leaves that shade the stems and flowers.
When growing eggplants in the northern regions, the bushes are pinched at a height of 30-35 cm. In this case, no more than six ovaries are left on one plant.
General rules of care
To get a good harvest, you must follow the following care rules:
- Throughout the summer, it is necessary to loosen the soil so that it does not become compacted. They especially carefully monitor the soil after rains and waterings.
- The bed with bushes should always be slightly damp. To get Marzipan eggplants, as in the photo, according to reviews, you should water them once a week. This variety is not afraid of drought, but it also cannot tolerate the dryness of the earthen clod.
- During the entire period of fertilizing of plant development, it is necessary to carry out three feedings. The first is done ten days after planting the seedlings, the second - two weeks after the first, and the third time the bushes are fed during the period when fruiting begins.
- Eggplants are plants that grow adventitious roots. This helps increase productivity. To stimulate the formation of roots, it is necessary to hill up the plants.
- The beds must be weeded and the bushes inspected for pests and diseases.
Reviews
Maria
This is only my first year growing eggplants. Until now, I believed that this heat-loving plant would never bear fruit in the garden beds. I was surprised that the bushes produced a friendly, good harvest. The fruits have grown large and have a pleasant dark color. Marzipan's are juicy, meaty and very tasty. I collected up to 7 fruits from one bush. At the same time, I planted plants every week so that the eggplants were large. I was very pleased with the result. The eggplants turned out very tasty. I made caviar from them for the winter, but our family also ate them throughout the fall in the form of various snacks.
Paul
I have been growing eggplants outdoors for many years and am always pleased with the results. The fruits grow large and juicy. I have special love for the Marzipan variety. He has very tasty eggplants. They are juicy, fleshy, and there are practically no seeds inside. They are without bitterness and very crispy. Plant care is minimal. The main thing is to prune bushes and shoots in a timely manner. My eggplants bear fruit until the beginning of October. That's why our family enjoys these vegetables all season long. We also prepare very tasty caviar from them.
Diseases, pests
Eggplants belong to the nightshade family, which includes tomatoes. These plants suffer from the same diseases.
Late blight is a widespread fungal disease that is characterized by the appearance of rusty spots on the foliage. In dry weather, the leaves dry out and fall off, and in rainy weather they become covered with plaque and rot. To combat the disease, copper sulfate and Bordeaux mixture are used. Plants are treated after sunset. Prevention of late blight involves burning diseased plants after harvest. Treating the bushes with a garlic solution helps a lot - two hundred grams are infused in three liters of water for three days. Then the solution is diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.
Eggplants can become infected with mosaic. This is a disease of a viral nature, in which the leaves become deformed - they become covered with pale green patterns. Yellow spots appear on the fruits. The affected bushes are removed, the entire instrument is processed. Healthy-looking plants must be treated with an antiviral drug. To prevent mosaic, treat plants with a soap solution prepared from 20 grams of laundry soap diluted in a liter of water.
Eggplants are often affected by aphids. It sucks out the sap of the plant, causing the leaves to curl and the bush to die. To combat aphids, chemicals or folk remedies are used. Ash tincture helps to cope with the pest: a glass of ash is mixed with 10 liters of water and a spoonful of green soap. The composition is allowed to brew for a day, then the eggplants are treated with it. To protect plants from aphids, it is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse, and also carry out preventive treatments of the bushes with chemicals or an ash solution every two weeks.
In dry weather, plants can be damaged by spider mites. Pests feed on cell sap. To combat it, plants are treated with special chemicals strictly according to the instructions. To prevent plant infection, eggplants are sprayed with water in hot, dry weather. This procedure is performed in the morning and evening.
Harvesting
As you can understand from the description and photo, Marzipan eggplants give a good harvest. When collecting it, the timing of fruit ripening should be taken into account. Harvesting too early will produce bitter fruits, while harvesting too late will have too large seeds and hard pulp. Therefore, the fruits are harvested during the period of technical ripeness, about a month after flowering. A clear sign of fruit readiness for harvesting is the bright, pronounced gloss of the fruit with a characteristic dark purple color.
Vegetables are cut with scissors or pruning shears along with the stalk. This procedure should be performed carefully so as not to damage the bush. The collected vegetables are eaten immediately, since they cannot be stored for a long time - during storage, eggplants become soft, their skin wrinkles. Vegetables can retain their appearance and taste for no longer than three weeks if stored in the refrigerator.
