Eggplant seedlings do not grow
After picking eggplant seedlings from a common box into individual pots, a problem may arise due to which the leaves begin to wither.
This is caused by damage to the roots during transplantation. In this case, the drug “Kornevin” will save you. But before carrying out the procedure, inspect the roots. If they turn brown, it is better to transplant the eggplant into a large container and add the drug.
Eggplants are capricious in the wind, even the lightest. Therefore, it is better to keep seedlings away from windows. If there is no such place, then for the time of ventilation it is better to move the box with vegetables to another warm place.
On forums you can often come across questions such as “ Why do eggplants fall?” " It is the wind that causes this problem. Therefore, before planting the plant in open ground, it should be hardened off. During this period, do not forget about fertilizing, which will strengthen the seedlings for future “living” on the street. It is better to use ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium salt as fertilizer.
Preventive measures
The main measure to prevent leaf wilting in eggplants is good care and strict adherence to agricultural practices. How to prevent eggplants from wilting:
- Transplant seedlings into open ground only when optimal growing conditions are created. The soil must be well warmed up. Add all the necessary mineral and organic fertilizers to it in advance.
- Strictly observe the regime of fertilizing and watering. Use warm, settled water. It is strictly prohibited to use cold water for watering eggplants. Carefully monitor the condition of the soil, avoiding drying out and stagnation of water.
- Before transplanting into open ground, harden off the seedlings for two weeks. Take her out into the fresh air every day, constantly increasing the time of “walks”.
- For preventive purposes, spray plants with a mixture of soap and copper sulfate - mix 2 tbsp. l. and 1 tsp. respectively with 10 liters of water. First grate the soap on a coarse grater.
Causes of wilting
When growing vegetables in open ground, gardeners encounter such a problem as wilting of eggplant leaves . This happens mainly during the day in sunlight, and in the morning they are restored.
are several reasons for this problem :
- Waterlogging of the soil from excessive watering, resulting in acidification. In this case, you will smell a musty smell near the box. It’s easy to get rid of this problem - just reload the eggplants and add soil to new large pots. Frequent watering should be avoided;
- Temperature difference . Cold air enters from the cracks of window frames or from an open window. At this time, the sun's rays hit the leaves and evaporate moisture. There is a difference in temperature. This problem can be solved in the following way: raise the pots with seedlings 20 cm higher using a bowl;
- Lack of air for the root system. The growing seedlings are very crowded in the box, so oxygen does not reach the roots. This can be corrected by loosening the top layer of soil and adding drainage holes;
- Hypothermia . During hardening, eggplants may wilt. Therefore, before hardening, the plants need to be watered with warm water;
- Blackleg. This disease occurs due to excess moisture. The leaves wither and dark spots appear on the stems. Gradually the seedlings die. Affected shoots should be removed, and healthy ones should be sprinkled with ash to draw out excess water. After this, you can add Previcura.
Why do seedlings wither?
Growing eggplant seedlings is a responsible task that requires maximum attention and care from the gardener. If you make one mistake, the seedlings begin to get sick, weaken, and may even die. One of the most common reactions is wilting.
Reasons for wilting of seedlings:
- Natural process. If the leaves wither during the day when the bright sun is shining, but nothing like this happens in the morning, then wilting is a natural reaction to light. Don't do anything. If a similar phenomenon is observed at any time of the day, then look for another reason.
- Cool indoors/greenhouse. Eggplant is very heat-loving, and its seedlings are even more so. A slight cold snap is enough to make the seedlings “sad.” Moreover, wilting can provoke cooling of both air and soil. Eliminate drafts and block cold air flows from the street.
- Moisture deficiency. If the seedlings do not receive enough water, the leaves become lethargic, they become thinner, and droop. The substrate in which seedlings grow should always be slightly moist, but without stagnant water. As soon as the soil becomes dry, water your eggplants immediately.
- Picking. Replanting often causes the cotyledon leaves to wilt, and this is considered a normal situation. Plants simply adapt to new conditions. To reduce stress, transplant seedlings into a substrate that is 100% identical in composition to the one in which it grew.
- Fungus. In the early stages, fungal diseases often cause seedlings to wilt. Just in case, spray the seedlings with fungicides (for prevention).
How to find the cause of seedling wilting and correct the situation:
- Check if the seedlings have a musty smell and if the root system is rotting.
- Take out a couple of seedlings along with a lump of earth. Healthy seedlings have white, fluffy roots. If they change color, reduce watering.
- If plants wither due to the difference in air temperature and in the container, balance them. To do this, raise the pots by 20 cm. Any stand is suitable for this purpose.
- If the cause of wilting is the roots not receiving enough air, the solution to the problem is loosening the soil, increasing the drainage holes and reducing watering. Often, adding wood ash helps correct the situation (if the plants lack potassium).
What to do if white spots appear
This problem often arises among beginners who keep a box of seedlings on the windowsill. First, examine the plant under a magnifying glass for the presence of parasites.
If there are none, then the spots on the leaves and stems are burns from a lamp or the sun. It is enough to simply move the plant away from the lamp or shade the shoots from sunlight using tulle.
Spots on the leaves may appear due to an excess of fertilizers, especially potassium-calcium nitrate. You can get rid of this problem using a weak solution of potassium permanganate and treating the leaves with a mixture of ferrous sulfate and citric acid.
What to do if eggplant seedlings fall and die: step-by-step instructions
If eggplants sprout and fall, what should you do in such a situation? It is recommended to take immediate action. To do this you should do the following:
- Pay attention to the lighting parameters. Eggplants may disappear due to lack of light. In such a situation, it is recommended to use ultraviolet lamps. If the plants are located in a bright area, the problem may be related to burns. In such a situation, it is necessary to shade the bushes during maximum solar activity.
- Use only filtered and settled water for irrigation. It should have a temperature of +23...+24 degrees.
- It is important to maintain the temperature in the room. During the day the readings should be +23 degrees, at night - +18...+19.
- The room must be ventilated regularly. In this case, drafts must be avoided.
- If diseases develop, take action immediately. First of all, you should reduce the humidity parameters. This will significantly slow down the growth of fungi. If the bushes are severely damaged, infected plants must be removed. This will help prevent the spread of the disease.
- If there are pests on the leaves of the bushes, they should be washed off with a soap solution. This will help save the plants.
Why do the leaves curl?
Leaves can become deformed for various reasons:
- improper humidity;
- lack of lighting;
- excess salt in the soil;
- parasite damage;
- lack of minerals.
Let's talk about each problem separately.
Eggplants love water , so due to lack of water their leaves can curl. In this regard, it is recommended to water the plants 3 times a week with settled water at room temperature. You should also periodically check the top layer of soil. If it is dry, water the seedlings .
Poor lighting also leads to deformation of seedling leaves. Therefore, you should make a daylight plan. The seedlings should stand in the sun for up to 12 hours, after which they must be sent to a dark place.
Spider mites also cause leaves to curl. To determine this, just carefully examine the seedlings with a flashlight and a magnifying glass. If a parasite is found, wipe the leaves with soapy water or spray them with garlic solution. You can also use anti-spider mite medications.
Lack of minerals affects eggplants. This condition is caused by a lack of nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. You can replenish the supply of minerals with fertilizers. The main thing is not to overdo it.
Soil salinity . This problem occurs when there is an excess of fertilizers. The plant begins to wither, and the leaves curl and dry out. To get rid of this problem, just rinse the soil with clean water.
Features of growing eggplants
Eggplants grow best in soil that has a neutral or slightly acidic environment. That is why, before planting eggplants, you should fertilize the soil and bring its pH to normal.
High-quality soil in which seedlings can gain strength can be prepared from:
- 40 kg of humus;
- 150 g magnesium sulfate;
- 300 g of potassium sulfate;
- 300 g ammonium nitrate;
- 600 g superphosphate.
The soil for planting seeds should be prepared in advance. All of the above components must be mixed thoroughly. It is advisable to leave the mass to winter outside or in a cold utility room.
You can also use peat tablets. They contain all the necessary nutrients. Before sowing, you just need to soak them in water and let them swell. Afterwards, the plants are transplanted into the soil along with the tablet.
About 3 weeks before sowing the seeds, the soil is brought into a warm room or heated in any other way. It is recommended to keep the seeds in water before planting. To disinfect and enhance growth, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate, a few drops, which should be added to 1 liter of water. It is advisable to water the soil in the greenhouse with potassium permanganate, and then in the holes in a permanent place.
The seeds need to be buried approximately 1 cm. Only in this case will germination be satisfactory. To increase the number of sprouted seeds, it is also advisable to cover the greenhouses with film. This should be done until the first cotyledon leaves appear above the ground. Seedlings should be watered as the soil dries.
Plants also need hardening. To do this, you need to ventilate the greenhouses. Seedlings in portable beds should be exposed to air from the moment 3 true leaves appear.
Yellowing of eggplants
Seedlings collect nutrients from the soil that are necessary for growth and development. However, many beginners do not know why eggplants turn yellow.
This happens because vegetables need a microelement such as molybdenum. You can replenish the supply using the Sudarushka fertilizer for nightshade crops . Fertilizing will have a good effect on the seedlings and the fruits will stop turning yellow.
Necessary actions
When the reasons why the eggplant leaves turned yellow have been established, you need to think about what to do to correct the situation before they die. Here are a few options you can try without risking your plants:
If the plants turn yellow, it is urgent to provide them with fertilizers containing large amounts of nitrogen.
In order for the crop to develop normally in the future and no longer have limp leaves, it also needs minerals and nutrients. All of them are contained in the same fertilizers, which can be purchased at a specialty store.
- Sometimes the leaves on eggplants can not only turn yellow, but also become spotted. Such a defect can be easily noticed if you look at them through a magnifying glass. Such anomalies occur, as a rule, due to the plant being infected with parasites (mainly in greenhouses), or if it has been exposed to the scorching rays of the sun for a long period of time.
If a special lamp for illumination was installed in a greenhouse or greenhouse, then it must be placed at a certain distance from the seedlings. You need to try to ensure that it is not directly above the leaves of vegetable plants.
Yellowed and spotted lower leaves of eggplants growing in a vegetable garden or garden must be carefully trimmed. To prevent this from happening again, they should be covered with newspaper or a white cloth when the heat outside becomes unbearable. In this way, you can protect the fruitful crop from death.
- If yellow or brown spots appear along the contour of the eggplant leaf, this means that the plant is in dire need of potassium. In this case, a special fertilizer containing this microelement will help correct the situation.
- Do not water plants with cold water. Quite often the leaves of this plant turn yellow when exposed to low temperatures.
Eggplant is a heat-loving crop. It immediately reacts negatively to any, even the slightest, change in temperature, so you need to be extremely careful so that this plant does not die even before the fruiting season begins.
It is worth remembering that greenhouse crops suffer from various diseases much more often than those growing outdoors.
Accordingly, they need more careful care. In order not to think about why eggplants turn yellow in a greenhouse, you need to create the most favorable conditions for them to grow, and they will definitely reward you with a good harvest!
Damage to the plant
Vegetables are usually damaged by parasites. Therefore, you need to frequently inspect the leaves for the presence of the pest. Usually it is whiteflies, aphids and fungus gnats that cause harm.
Whiteflies suck sap from the upper inner side of the leaf. Aphids also love to feast on plant sap, and leave a sticky trail behind them. Fungus gnats settle in the soil and eat the root system of the vegetable.
To get rid of pests, you first need to disinfect the seedlings with laundry soap and water. This will destroy the sooty fungus that develops in areas where aphids and whiteflies are active.
On the way to the harvest
Finding the cause of a change in the condition of seedlings, making a correct diagnosis and providing emergency assistance to a withering plant is a big step towards a rich harvest. Daily observation of young plants and fulfillment of their simple but necessary requirements will help you in this important task.
NOTE! Find out what diseases eggplants are susceptible to: what to do if the seedlings fall, stretch out or completely die? Causes of white spots and leaf curling. And also what pests can attack young seedlings?
Eggplant leaves turn yellow: possible reasons
Lower leaves of eggplants turn yellow
If this is the only alarming symptom, most likely we are talking about a normal biological process. Quite often, the lower leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow after permanent transplantation - this is an adequate response of the plant to a stressful situation. Eggplant directs all its forces to maintaining the top of the plant in a viable state, sacrificing the lower leaves.
Another option is that they have grown old, cannot fully cope with the functions of photosynthesis, and the plant gets rid of them. In this case, you can carefully remove the lower leaves.
Yellowing of the lower leaves is also possible in very dense plantings - since the leaves do not receive light, the plant “does not see the need for their maintenance” and gets rid of it.
Infectious diseases of eggplant
It is more difficult when the cause of yellowing and wilting of seedlings is dangerous fungi and bacteria. Without taking prompt measures, you can lose seedlings, so it is important not only to know the signs and methods of treatment, but also preventive measures.
Bacterial spot
Occurs at any stage of the growing season, including in “little blue” seedlings. Numerous black spots with a yellow rim appear on the leaf blades. Then the bushes dry out and wither. The disease is caused by bacteria transmitted through contaminated seeds and soil.
The infection cannot be treated, so the plants are immediately removed from the pot or box, and the soil is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate.
For prevention:
- disinfect the soil before sowing seeds in seedling boxes;
- pickle eggplant seeds (especially those that are prepared independently);
- use high-quality soil for planting plants.
On a note! It is not allowed to take soil for seedlings from garden beds and greenhouses.
Causes of yellowing
- This is a completely normal reaction of eggplants when transplanted into the ground. The crop is stressed and the leaves turn yellow. Over time, greens restore their structure when adapting to new conditions.
- Lack of micro- and macroelements.
- Spider mite. It is difficult to notice, the size of the pest is small. But you can look at the back of the sheet and see black dots. They are the ones who say that the plant is massively infected with spider mites. At the initial stage, it is difficult to notice the appearance of the pest, since the eggplant has no visible signs of this. Only then do the leaves begin to turn yellow. If proper measures are not taken, they may fall off completely and the plant will die. Spider mites love hot and dry climates, which are favorable for growing this crop. This is why eggplant is susceptible to visits from such harmful insects;
- Lack of essential nutrients. This indicator is very important when growing vegetable crops. Therefore, it is important to feed the plant correctly. The disease can occur not only in ripe eggplant, but also in its seedlings. Yellowing begins from the lower leaves, as they grow closer to the root system, which takes up nutrients. In addition, flowers may wither and fall off;
- An important cause of the disease is Fusarium wilt. The fungus is able to penetrate the root and vascular system of the plant. As a result of this, the leaves begin to wither and turn yellow. When the disease is in an advanced state, the eggplant dies completely. On the cut of the stem you can see a brown ring. In inclement weather, you can clearly notice the fungus on the plant. When water gets on the leaves, pink spots are visible;
- The tops may also turn yellow due to parts of the root being eaten by pests in the soil;
- Temperature changes and sudden changes in climatic conditions can cause damage to vegetable crops;
- Eggplant is also a light-sensitive crop. That is why it is necessary to grow the crop in open spaces, avoiding heavily shaded places. Otherwise, you can disrupt the necessary metabolism and get yellowed leaves and a poor harvest. As the plant ages, you may also notice yellowing leaves and wilting.
Lack of micro- and macroelements
If the lower leaves of the eggplant turn yellow first, then this is a lack of macronutrients. Upper – lack of microelements. The soils in central Russia contain microelements that are difficult for crops to absorb. Agronomists and summer residents often encounter this. To compensate for the lack of microelements, foliar feeding is necessary.
Potassium deficiency - leaves begin to turn yellow at the edges. After which the sheet dries and can bend upside down. What to do: in such a situation, it is necessary to add potassium sulfate, potassium humate, potassium monophosphate, or at least herbal ash.
Phosphorus deficiency. The leaves are directed upward at an acute angle. Solution to the problem: applying phosphorus-containing fertilizer at the root or along the leaf.
- Zinc deficiency. First, yellow leaves appear from below, and eventually from above. It can be confused with eggplant blight or Alternaria blight. What to do: treat the sheet with zinc sulfate.
- Nitrogen deficiency manifests itself in light green leaves. Solution: fertilizing with urea, manure and mullein.
A lack of microelements manifests itself in yellowing of the upper leaves of the crop. This is how a lack of iron, manganese, and chlorine manifests itself.
But more often, yellowing begins with a lack of calcium - the tips of the leaves look like burnt ones.
If there is not enough boron, the leaves begin to lighten and curl. The growing points die off and the eggplant begins to bush.
With a lack of sulfur, yellowness also appears.
How to save a plant
Methods for combating wilt are simple; they depend on the degree of damage to plants. That is why seedlings should be inspected daily. Such measures will allow discrepancies to be identified in a timely manner.
If the seedlings turn yellow, then feed them with nitrogen fertilizers:
- chemical origin: nitrogen nitrate or urea;
- organic substances: infusion of chicken manure or cow manure;
- humate.
If the seedlings are covered with white spots, this means that they have received sunburn. Try to cover the bushes with any protective film that does not transmit or dilute the flow of light. If the eggplants have not yet been planted in the ground and are grown indoors, then try to reduce their daylight hours, and also move the pots away from the glass.
If the leaves are covered with brown spots, this indicates a lack of potassium fertilizers. In this case, feed:
- potassium nitrate;
- potassium magnesia;
- nitroammophoska and other complex preparations.
If the soil is not depleted, but the plants in it still die and dry out, then the cause may be its drying out. In this case, you should simply water the plants, and after a day, loosen the soil under them.
Why do the lower leaves of eggplants begin to turn yellow?
Most often, eggplant leaves from the bottom row turn yellow. This is because the root system is the main point of nutrient absorption. And first of all, all their reserves necessary for full growth and fruiting go to the root. Accordingly, the lower leaves lose nutrition and eventually begin to fall off.
Most pests are found on the soil layer. When a plant begins to be damaged by a spider mite or other uninvited guest, the eating begins from the bottom row. Therefore, it is important to constantly examine the plant and notice the disease in time in order to take the necessary measures.
Causes of yellowing leaves in a greenhouse
Eggplant is a popular crop among gardeners and summer residents.
Eggplants are grown in open spaces. But it happens that weather conditions do not allow this. Then greenhouses come to the rescue.
Every gardener knows that moving eggplants indoors is necessary for a good harvest. Therefore, it is important to follow the recommendations and propagate the crop correctly.
But, there are situations when the leaves begin to turn yellow even in greenhouse conditions. Even a gardener with extensive experience can encounter problems.
- The first problem is incorrectly selected soil. The plant mainly receives all nutrients through the root system from the soil. That is why it needs to be fed, watered, loosened and monitored. By choosing it incorrectly, you can disrupt the vital processes of a culture and cause damage to it. This often occurs especially in plants growing in peat. This is not the only reason. There may be several of them:
- Eggplant sensitivity. It can be very difficult for a plant to adapt. Especially if there has been a sharp change in climatic conditions. As a result, yellowed leaves may be found. After some time the problem disappears. It is only important to maintain the correct growing conditions.
- Very often, greenhouse plants are exposed to a disease such as tobacco mosaic. Eggplant is no exception. Yellow spots appear on the leaves. The fruits cease to retain their elasticity and usual appearance. The cause of this disease is poor lighting. In addition, temperature changes have a bad effect on the crop and lead to this disease. Productivity is reduced several times.
- Greenhouse conditions do not eliminate the risk of developing Physarium wilt. It is very dangerous because you can lose the entire culture if you do not notice it at the right time.
- I would also like to note that even in a greenhouse, eggplant leaves can get sunburn. An inexperienced gardener may miss the period of time when it is necessary to shelter the plant from scorching rays. As a result, you can get burns in the form of yellow spots.
The flea beetle is not the eggplant's best friend
The cruciferous flea beetle, contrary to its name, does not disdain any food and happily devours eggplant leaves, turning them into a sieve. A flea beetle can appear immediately after planting seedlings in a greenhouse, since it awakens in just thawed soil. This pest is especially dangerous for young plants, since the slightest damage to the leaves can lead to the complete death of eggplants. The flea beetle and its larvae are equally harmful, because they destroy young leaves with equal efficiency.
FACT! At first glance, a flea flea that is quite harmless and not at all interested in eggplants can destroy all the plants in a matter of days.
To prevent the flea beetle from bothering the gardener and his plants, it is better to carry out preventive measures even before the first individuals appear on the plants. Among the folk methods of protection against this insect, the use of ash, soot from chimneys and tobacco dust stands out. Spraying eggplants with a solution of 70% vinegar essence (one tablespoon per large bucket of water) can be no less effective. If these methods turn out to be ineffective, then you have to turn to chemistry: “Decis”, “Bankol”, “Intavir” and the more popular “Aktara” reliably get rid of fleas in one or two sprays.
ADVICE! Some gardeners recommend trying classic dog flea shampoo diluted with water (1-2 caps of liquid per bucket of water) as a means of control.
How to avoid the problem of yellowing leaves
If you find a spider mite on a plant, you must immediately begin to fight it. After all, this pest causes enormous damage to the crop.
- An infusion of onion peels helps a lot. 100 grams must be filled with boiled water in a volume of 5 liters. The infusion should be kept for about 5 days. Then strain and process the eggplants with it for a week.
- Garlic is also an excellent folk remedy for fighting spider mites. To do this, you need to chop it very finely and add 1 liter of water. After a week, you should dilute the solution by another 50% of the total volume and spray your crop.
- There are ready-made preparations, such as: Fitoverm, Actellik and others. For each of them, special instructions for use are included upon purchase.
If a lack of nutrients has led to yellowed leaves, then it is important to fertilize. It is necessary to give eggplants root fertilizer. In addition, treat the plant. Throughout the entire period of crop ripening, it is necessary to provide the crop with a sufficient amount of phosphorus and potassium. It is these chemical elements that can create favorable conditions for the growth and development of the root system, and, accordingly, the stem and leaves.
Fertilizers with potassium are an antifungal agent. It increases resistance to the development of this disease. Against Fusarium wilt, it is necessary to treat the seeds in advance before planting.
It is important to observe crop rotation. Use products that promote good crop development.
Fighting spider mites
All eggplant pests are dangerous in their own way, but most often gardeners are bothered by spider mites. Both adult individuals of this insect and their larvae, which no less quickly destroy young shoots of eggplants, are dangerous for the plant. The spider mite leaves behind very noticeable marks: all the leaves of the plant begin to resemble a frequent patient in the manipulation room - as if in a small hole from injections. Over time, a characteristic marbled tint of the leaves is formed from many points, and the reverse side of the leaf becomes covered with an unpleasant cobweb, which the mite uses as a reliable shelter.
Overwintering in the upper layers of soil and plants remaining from the previous season, spider mites can haunt gardeners from year to year. To protect eggplants in a greenhouse from this pest, the top layer of fertile soil should be replaced every year.
IMPORTANT! The hotter the summer, the more actively spider mites reproduce. And high temperatures also provoke more rapid drying of already damaged leaves.
Insects can either completely destroy the plants or simply significantly weaken them, reducing the eggplant yield to almost zero. The fight against them is effective only when caring for the plant is systematic and clear. In order for spider mites to reproduce with some slowdown, it is recommended to use biological products - for example, Akarina or Fitoverma. Spider mites often do not react at all to folk remedies and other relatively gentle remedies, so in this case only insecticides such as Aktary, Actelletika or Karbofos remain effective.
Prevention measures
There are special preventive measures against various crop diseases:
- Watering mode. It is important that the soil is not dry. Otherwise, the eggplants will die because they cannot tolerate hot conditions.
- Feed the plant to avoid nutrient deficiencies.
- Treat seeds before planting with potassium permanganate.
- Choose your soil carefully.
- Choose a place where the water regime is not disrupted. Strong moisture promotes the development of pests and fungal diseases.
- Replant eggplants with care. The root should not be exposed. This way the plant will quickly get used to new conditions.
- Check the plant and remove diseased leaves in a timely manner.
- Choose an early time for watering (morning).
- Monitor the culture constantly so as not to miss the moment of disease.
- Loosen the soil to ensure full access to oxygen.
Sometimes the leaves just curl. This is a symptom of dryness and lack of moisture.
Wherever you grow eggplant, in a greenhouse or in open ground, you must follow all the conditions and recommendations. Only then can you get a harvest that will not disappoint you. If you neglect all the rules, you can get not only yellow leaves, but also a low number of fruits.
Tips from summer residents
In many ways, it helps to avoid leaf wilting by choosing a variety suitable for growing in the region, taking into account its climate and weather conditions.
This crop is demanding on the soil : it grows best on sandy or loamy soils. In other cases, it grows more slowly, produces a small harvest, and requires more careful care.
Many summer residents do not grow seedlings in peat pots: despite the fact that they provide plants with nutrients, seedlings in them often wither.
When planting eggplants in open ground, you should not:
- thicken the plants: this will not only lead to wilting of the leaves, but will also significantly reduce the yield;
- overdry the bushes;
- loosen the soil deeply so as not to damage the roots.
For prevention, all tools and containers for storing seedlings are disinfected.
Eggplant leaves are withering: urgently saving the situation
It’s annoying to see how yesterday’s healthy plants’ leaves wither. In this case, you urgently need to save the situation, and first of all, find out why the eggplant leaves are withering.
Eggplant leaves wither: looking for the cause
Gardeners I know often ask me why eggplant leaves wither. I once encountered this phenomenon too. There may be several reasons for this behavior, namely:
- Damage to the root system, I blame the mole cricket for this, but mice can also take over the garden bed. I recognize the mole cricket by its paired passages near the plants; they are sometimes hidden under the leaves;
- Vegetables react to lack of moisture with limp leaves;
- Watering with cold water;
- The settlement of thrips or aphids that extract juice from the leaves is also characterized by limp leaves;
- Excessive moisture can cause drooping leaves;
- Soil stuffed with fertilizers will not be to the liking of eggplants;
- Frosts can cause eggplant foliage to wilt;
- Increased acidity of the soil will lead to sagging foliage;
- Troublesome Fusarium and Verticillium wilt causes foliage to wilt, yellow, and then die.
How to help eggplants with limp leaves
To understand what caused the leaves to wilt, I take a closer look at the plants. If the foliage is green, it means there are no pests or diseases on the vegetables.
If I find the passages of a mole cricket or shrew, I lay out the poison.
I check the soil moisture. On dry lands, when moisture evaporates quickly, it is important to use mulching, which will both retain moisture and make the soil loose. Periodically, I spill the mulch with phytosporin so that the lower layers do not become a haven for fungal diseases.
If the soil is acidic, the following recipe will do: I dilute a glass of ash in a bucket of liquid and let it sit for about five days, then water the plants. It’s also a good idea to add bone meal between the vegetables, and then mulch with compost.
If pests attack, I spray the vegetables with a solution of karbofos or actellik. When the ovaries have already begun to grow, I switch to environmental spraying:
- I prepare a solution with tomato tops: I chop up the leaves and shoots and add water, leave for a couple of days and spray;
- Datura infusion also helps get rid of harmful insects;
- Garlic infusion also helps against aphids.
With fusarium wilts, phytosporin helps in the initial stages; I water the plants with the solution from a watering can directly over the leaves.
If eggplants dry out when grown in a greenhouse
In a greenhouse, drying of eggplants is most often associated with a lack of nutrients. A crop in limited soil may suffer from a lack of nitrogen and potassium, which affect the growth of green mass and its condition.
The second common reason in a greenhouse is a violation of the nutritional regime - waterlogging of the soil, as well as the development of fungal diseases due to excessive watering with cold water.
Important! Gardeners recommend using warm, settled water for irrigation.