Feeding eggplant seedlings at different stages of growth: useful tips for gardeners

Healthy seedlings are the key to a good harvest. Therefore, effort should be made to grow it. However, you can often hear inexperienced summer residents complaining about failures in this matter. It’s worth thinking and answering the question: has everything been done correctly? In this article we will talk about how to feed eggplant seedlings, when and in what dosages to apply fertilizer.

Why fertilize eggplants 2. First application 3. Second application 3.1. Mineral fertilizers 3.2. Organics 3.3. Folk remedies 3. Third use 4. Fourth use 5. Recommendations

Photo by G. Kuzmitskaya: Seedlings need additional nutrition.

Inexperienced summer residents believe that it is enough to sow the seeds, place the container on a bright windowsill and water it periodically. Like, the seedlings will grow by themselves. Unfortunately, it is not. Even if you bought good fertile soil and quality seeds, you still need to do the troublesome work of caring for the seedlings. This applies to any culture. Especially eggplants - a delicate and whimsical crop that requires special skills.

The efforts spent on growing healthy and strong seedlings will subsequently return in the form of excellent “little blue” harvests, which occupy more and more space on our beds and tables.

Why do eggplants need additional nutrition?

An important role in care is given to timely feeding. A complex of nutrients is necessary for the normal and timely growth of any seedlings, especially demanding eggplants.

• Nutritional deficiency immediately affects the growth rate of vegetative mass and the development of the root system.
• A lack of nutrients makes young seedlings vulnerable to pests and various diseases.
• Full-fledged well-groomed seedlings, when planted in the main place, tolerate post-transplant stress much more easily, quickly adapt to new conditions and are more resistant to possible bio- and abiostressors of any region.

Timely feeding is an integral part of complete care. To carry them out correctly, you need to arm yourself with knowledge. Then everything will work out for you. An important condition is compliance with optimal deadlines. Next, we’ll tell you how to feed eggplant seedlings after germination.

Photo: If there is enough nutrition, the plants develop faster and produce a harvest.

Complex mineral supplements

It is recommended to feed eggplant seedlings with complex mineral fertilizers. They allow young plants to be given balanced nutrition. They contain all the necessary micro and macroelements necessary for the development of green mass and roots.

Suitable fertilizers for eggplant seedlings:

• "Kemira Universal";
• "Ideal";
• "Señor Tomato";
• "Agricola forte";
• "Breadwinner" and other drugs with a similar composition.

Any of the listed drugs is diluted with water in the dosage specified in the instructions.

First feeding of eggplant seedlings

The first fertilizing depends on the quality of the soil used. It must be loose, permeable and supplied with nutrients. The simplest and most reliable option is purchased soil. It contains all the necessary complex of macro- and microelements. This will ensure timely germination and high-quality initial development before picking. In this case, there is no need to feed the seedlings.

If there is not enough food, then:

• seedlings are stunted;
• leaves are poorly developed;
• leaves may fall off or change color;
• the stem is thin;
• the root system is poorly developed.

Not all signs will necessarily appear. But, if you suddenly notice that something is wrong with the seedlings, think about additional nutrition. You can feed with various solutions in minimal concentration. Ready-made store-bought preparations are good and easy to use.

For example, Agricola is a mineral complex prepared specifically for vegetable seedlings. Use strictly in accordance with the recommendations on the package, reducing the dose by 2 times. Widespread folk remedies available to every experienced summer resident will not cause harm.

Photo: For picking, it is advisable to use the same soil as for sowing.

How to determine what eggplants lack?

Any fertilizer applied to the soil must contain one of the main elements that eggplants need for nutrition. Their deficiency in the soil can be determined by the appearance of the plants, especially by the leaves, which are thinner and more tender in eggplants than in most other garden crops.

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So if:

• growth slows down, the leaves begin to turn yellow at the edges (a so-called marginal burn appears), then the plants lack potassium;
• the leaves are raised up and directed towards the stem, flowers fall off, fruits do not develop - there is not enough phosphorus;
• the leaves look frail and weak, begin to gradually turn yellow, starting from the lower ones, the bush stops growing - there is a lack of nitrogen.

For young, newly planted bushes, nitrogen deficiency is especially dangerous. On soils poor in this element, eggplants slow down their growth, remain low, do not branch, and form small light green leaves.

Second application: how to feed eggplant seedlings after picking

The second feeding of eggplant seedlings is carried out after picking (10–14 days). After the procedure, seedlings need additional strength and energy.

At this point, 2–3 leaves have been formed (3–4 weeks pass from germination). The eggplants have already recovered from stress, have mastered the new space a little and are ready to receive additional nutrition. It will help in further adaptation, increasing immunity to diseases and the full passage of all phenological phases before planting in the ground. However, as a rule, one more, or even several subsequent feedings will be required. It all depends on the condition of the plants. You can use different types of fertilizers:

Mineral supplements

Better for the culture: superphosphate (simple and double), characterized by a balanced content of N, P, K, nitrophoska, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate (not recommended for growth on acidic soils). The first feeding should be well supplied with phosphorus, which stimulates the formation of an excellent root system. Examples of mineral supplements:

When using conventional mineral fertilizers, you need to add microelements (for example, Humate or others from specialized stores). Soon after picking, fertilizing (root or foliar) with any available growth stimulant - Epin, Zircon - will be a useful preventive and anti-stress technique.

Photo by G. Kuzmitskaya: Feeding eggplant seedlings at home with superphosphate.

Organic (natural) fertilizers

First of all, this is the use of water infusions (infuse for 2-3 days) of bird droppings (1:20), mullein (1:10) or stale manure (1:10). But it is better not to use manure - it contains a lot of highly concentrated nitrogen. Eggplants will grow greatly to the detriment of the development of leaves and roots. Water strictly at the root, otherwise there is a high risk of leaf burns. The main purpose is nitrogen replenishment. Nitrogen starvation will be indicated by yellowed leaves and weakened stems.

Feeding eggplant seedlings with folk remedies

It is common to feed eggplant seedlings with ash, iodine and yeast solutions.

A pack of wet yeast and 12 g of sugar should be diluted in 1 liter of warm water and left for 2-4 hours. Used when diluting the resulting solution with water in a ratio of 1:10. One application per season is sufficient.

Dissolve 300 mg of ash in a bucket of water, leave for 24 hours, filter and use.

The peels of 2-3 bananas need to be poured with 3 liters of boiling water and left for several days. After filtering, water the seedlings. This is a valuable natural potassium fertilizer.

To feed eggplant seedlings with iodine, you need 1-2 drops per 3 liters of water. Water at the root.

If all standards are observed (light, temperature, moisture) and proper care, two feedings are enough - after picking and before moving to a permanent place. But if the plants seem to you somewhat depressed, frail, with pale leaves, then you will have to work on them more.

Photo: Often two feedings are enough; the rest are added in case of developmental problems.

Folk remedies for feeding

Fertilizers made at home .

Seedlings respond well to infusions of weeds - nettle, quinoa, dandelion, wood lice, chamomile, plantain, henbane, datura, clover, sow thistle, wheatgrass.

Recipes:

1. Plants are cut before the seeds are ripe.
2. A third of the plastic barrel is filled with chopped grass.
3. Do not pour water to the brim, as fermentation will occur and the mixture will increase in volume at this time.
4. The barrel is covered with a lid or polyethylene with holes through which the gas will escape.
5. For 50 liters of infusion add EM-preparation and 4-5 tbsp. spoons of urea to speed up fermentation.
6. The barrel should stand in the sun for 7-10 days. The mixture is stirred from time to time.

When the liquid stops fermenting and becomes light brown, the infusion is diluted with water 1:10 and watered under a 1 liter seedling bush.

To activate soil microflora, make a yeast-based fertilizer:

600 g of compressed yeast, 500 g of ash, 10 g of sugar and 100 g of crushed eggshells are diluted in 1 liter of warm water.

The product is infused for 3-4 hours.

For irrigation, dilute 1:10 with water.

In order to saturate the soil with microelements, the following folk remedies are used:

• Potassium - banana peel infusion.
• Starch is a decoction of potato peels.
• Calcium and vitamins - brewed tea and eggshell infusion.

You can also water your vegetables with old aquarium water. It contains plant residues and fish waste, which have a positive effect on the condition of eggplants.

Every 30 days it is worth carrying out foliar feeding. To do this, use a solution of magnesium sulfate (1 g per 5 l) and boric acid. It promotes the formation of female flowers and ovaries.

How to feed eggplant seedlings for growth

Conducted 7–10 days before planting in a permanent place. You can use any of the above compositions and solutions, or prepare an aqueous (5 l) composition: superphosphate (35 g) and potassium salt (15 g). If the growth of the above-ground mass is insufficient, you can add 5 g of ammonium nitrate. Potassium humate is an adequate replacement for mineral and organic fertilizers.

Photo: The drugs will help overcome plant stretching.

How to feed correctly

There are two ways to apply drugs: root (under the root into the soil) and foliar (spraying on the leaves and stem). The first one is more common.

There are several important rules for feeding:

• 1–2 hours before the procedure, water the soil with plain water to protect the root system from burns.
• The volume of solution for each plant should be commensurate with the volume of regular watering.
• Be sure to adhere to the established dosages and do not rush to feed your “pets”. Please read the instructions carefully before use. Too much fertilizer is much worse than too little.
• Make sure that the solution does not get on the leaves and stems (if this is not a foliar treatment). After watering, water the eggplants with clean water.
• The best time for root feeding is early in the morning; for foliar feeding, it is advisable to do so even after sunset.
• Apply different types of fertilizers alternately.

___________________________________________________________________________________ Read our other articles about growing eggplants: When to plant eggplant seedlings 2022: recommendations on varieties, regions and the Lunar calendar Peppers and eggplants: growing correctly Golden rules for growing eggplants Eggplants in a greenhouse: growing and care ___________________________________________________________________________________ What do you feed your eggplants with? Share your reviews and recommendations with other gardeners in the comments.

How to strengthen with nutrients?

When growing seedlings, you will need to feed two to five times. It all depends on the nutritional value of the substrate and the condition of the plants. It is better to purchase special soil for eggplant seedlings (when and how to plant eggplant seedlings?). And if you make it yourself, then you need to take the soil on which cucumbers or cabbage grew and add sand.

The soil for eggplant seedlings must be loose, contain all microelements and have low acidity.

There are two stages of fertilization:

1. Before the dive.
2. After the pick.

Before picking, complex fertilizers and organic matter are applied. Fertilizing begins immediately after the first leaf appears.

After germination, eggplants need potassium and nitrogen, later you need to add fertilizers containing phosphorus (after how many days do eggplants sprout?).

Fertilizing is carried out in liquid form at the root. If the nutrient mixture gets on the leaves, you need to rinse with clean water. It is better to water in the early morning while the sun is not yet active.

After picking, dry nutrient mixtures are used, which include phosphorus and potassium. Fertilizers are diluted in water and also applied at the root.