The summer menu definitely includes eggplants. They have a unique but very pleasant taste, they complement vegetable dishes well and contain many vitamins. Eggplant Galich is grown throughout Russia. Although it, like other varieties, requires care, it is not difficult to get a good harvest. The variety tolerates stress and temperature changes well.
Origin | Landing location | Ripening period | Fruit color | Fruit weight | Fruit shape |
Variety | Open ground | Mid-season | Dark purple | 150-200 g. | Cylindrical |
Galich - description and characteristics of the variety
Brief characteristics and description of the Galich eggplant variety:
- The fruits ripen on the 112-140th day.
- The plant is compact, low-growing, the height of the bush is up to 70 centimeters.
- The fruit is dark purple with gloss, even black, the shape is cylindrical, sometimes pear-shaped.
- Pulp without voids and bitterness.
Description of the eggplant variety Galich
Eggplant Galich, the characteristics and description of the variety of which are given in the article, is intended for cultivation throughout the Russian Federation. In the southern regions it is grown in open ridges. In the Central and Northwestern regions, it is preferable to plant eggplant in greenhouses or under temporary film covers.
The eggplant variety Galich is relatively cold-resistant. It is not prone to forming barren flowers and shedding ovaries in cool weather. However, do not rush to plant seedlings in the ground. Returning spring frosts can destroy young plants.
Important! Eggplant Galich is demanding when it comes to watering. And at all stages of the growing season. Excess moisture when growing seedlings often leads to fungal diseases affecting plants. During the fruiting period, they, on the contrary, require increased watering.
One of the advantages of Galich eggplant is that the bushes are quite compact. Plants are of medium height, rarely growing more than 1.2-1.4 m. The trunk is strong, powerful, dark green with slight pubescence. At the base and in the internodes, the stems acquire an anthocyanin tint.
The branching capacity of Galich eggplant is average. Flexible shoots adhere closely to the main stem. The bushes seem to be closed, quite open, which makes harvesting easier. However, during the period of mass fruiting, it may be necessary to install supports.
The variety has medium-sized leaves. The leaf blades are round in shape. In a healthy plant they are slightly wrinkled and bright green. The Galich eggplant blooms with large bell-shaped flowers of a purple hue.
Galich - characteristics of the variety
By the time the fruits ripen, they gain up to 200 g of weight. The shape of the eggplant is cylindrical, the color of the peel is dark purple with a bright glossy tint. Thanks to its dense white pulp without bitterness, this variety is especially valued in home cooking. Reviews from housewives indicate that Galich is well suited for canning, preparing caviar and salads.
In greenhouse conditions, during the growth period, a low, compact bush is formed. The main stem is strong and stable. The side shoots are thin, with wavy leaves.
Characteristics
Eggplant Galich is a mid-season variety. About 4 months pass from the emergence of seedlings to the start of fruiting. It begins in the first weeks of July and continues until mid-August. In a greenhouse, the variety can bear fruit until September.
Galich eggplant productivity is above average. During the season, 6.5-7.0 kg of fruits are collected from 1 m². They can be stored in a cool place for a long time, maintaining freshness and taste. Vegetables also tolerate transportation well.
Eggplants are universally used. It is suitable for preparing side dishes, vegetable stews, and savory snacks. For the winter, caviar and all kinds of salads are prepared from the “blue ones”.
"Pros and cons"
Reviews of Galich eggplant from vegetable growers are mostly positive. They like the following characteristics:
- Possibility of cultivation both in a greenhouse and in open ground.
- Relative cold resistance.
- Compact bushes that can be planted up to 5-6 pieces per 1 m².
- Long-term fruiting.
- Excellent product and taste characteristics.
- No bitterness in taste.
- Versatility in use.
- High resistance of the variety to most diseases.
Among the disadvantages, they speak of the variety’s demanding watering regime, as well as a small number of thorns on the calyxes of the fruit, which causes some inconvenience when caring for plants and harvesting.
Planting and care
Growing eggplant Galich begins with sowing seeds for seedlings. In the middle zone they are sown:
- in the first ten days of March, if subsequent transplantation into a greenhouse is planned;
- at the end of March or beginning of April if they are growing outdoors.
It is better to prepare the soil for the Galich eggplant variety yourself. To do this, just mix garden soil and humus. Add wood ash or vermiculite, as well as a little superphosphate. The soil for disinfection is spilled with a hot solution of pink potassium permanganate.
Important! Galich eggplants are a variety. This means you can prepare their seeds yourself in the fall. In the spring, before sowing, they are soaked in a solution of potassium manganese or “Fitosporin” to kill the causative agent of late blight, which often overwinters on the seed. It is advisable to plant Galich eggplant seeds immediately in separate containers, since young seedlings do not tolerate diving well. You can sow 2-3 seeds in one container, burying them 0.5-1.0 cm in moist soil. The containers are placed in boxes, covered with glass and left to germinate in a warm room.
After germination, the seedlings are transferred to a well-lit place, and excess shoots are removed. During cultivation, it is provided with watering, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, and regular loosening of the soil. If there is a lack of natural light, additional lighting is provided using special phytolamps.
Seedlings of the Galich variety are planted in a permanent place in the greenhouse closer to mid-May. In open ridges - in early June, after night temperatures are within 10-12 degrees Celsius. In cool summers and when there is a threat of frost, they organize a film shelter.
The site is prepared in advance. Dig up and add rotted compost or humus. Wood ash and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are added to the holes. The planted eggplants are watered and the soil is loosened. Many vegetable growers recommend mulching the root circle with sawdust or straw.
During the growing season, Galich eggplants:
- water with warm water 2-3 times a week;
- weed the ridges, loosen the soil;
- After planting the seedlings, carry out 2 feedings with organic fertilizers, and then feed the eggplants of the Galich variety with mineral compounds containing potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium;
- If necessary, install supports and remove excess shoots.
Planting and caring for Galich eggplant is simple. With a little effort, even beginners in gardening can handle them.
Features of care
With the onset of stable warm weather, boxes with seedlings must be taken out to the balcony, loggia or placed under a film cover on arches in the courtyard or garden plot.
But at night they should again be brought into a warm place or a reliable shelter should be provided.
Eggplant seedlings should be planted in open ground in two rows. From one plant.
Watering rules
Watering is especially important during hot days. Eggplants do not feel very good in hot summers:
- In hot, dry weather, they should be watered once every two days.
- Make furrows between the rows and mulch them with straw or sawdust.
- You need to mulch not only the furrows, but also the ground around the bushes. This allows you to retain moisture longer and eliminates the need to constantly loosen the soil to prevent crust formation.
- Mulching also prevents overheating of the soil. Overheating in the root area can cause a plant to shed not only its flowers, but also its leaves.
- Watering directly into the furrows is good because the water does not spread, and less time and effort is spent on watering each plant separately.
See also
Description of the eggplant variety Market King F1, features of cultivation and careRead
How to fertilize
The seedlings are fed after 8-10 days with a solution of slurry (1:10), bird droppings (1:15) or mineral fertilizers, mainly a mixture of urea, superphosphate, and potassium sulfate taken in equal proportions (potassium can be replaced with ash, but you need to take it three times more than nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers).
Loosening and weeding
These agrotechnical techniques must be carried out systematically when growing the Galich variety.
Making furrows and regular loosening stimulates the formation of new additional roots. The roots begin to grow in the direction where water and fertilizing come from.
Sowing seeds and caring for seedlings
If the seedlings will be grown in a room on a windowsill, then this work should begin no earlier than March 20-25. First you need to sow the seeds in a small box or pot filled with soil mixture:
- The first version of the mixture is humus, garden soil, peat in a ratio of 3:2:1. You can add wood ash at the rate of 1-2 cups per 10 m
- The second option is humus, turf (1:1).
Selection and preparation of a landing site
Of course, in room conditions it is difficult to precisely maintain the specified temperature, but you must strive for this, otherwise you will not get good seedlings.
If the seeds are good and the temperature has been maintained, seedlings will appear in 10-12 days, or even earlier. Their absence after the specified period means that they did something wrong and should either increase the temperature or reseed.
Picking
With the appearance of 1-2 true leaves, the seedlings should be planted (planted) in pots filled with the same soil mixture in which the seedlings were grown.
The crops are watered after 2-3 days with warm water through a strainer, and when they have 3-4 true leaves - every day, preferably in the morning.
When to plant
In mid-March, sow some of the seeds in seedling boxes, keep them in a well-lit place, maintaining the soil temperature at least 15-30 degrees. Sow not too thickly so that the seedlings do not stretch:
- After 15-20 days, these seedlings are planted in a pot, greenhouse or bed. The main condition for this: the soil temperature should be at least 25-28 degrees.
- Most often, failures with growing eggplant seedlings are mainly related to temperature conditions. Do not sow seeds in cold soil.
Multi-colored varieties
Multi-colored eggplants will decorate any garden - the original fruits of unusual colors are pleasing to the eye. Gardeners highlight:
White egg
- White egg . Vegetables look like white eggs - they have a smooth white skin that resembles an eggshell. Fruit weight - 200 g, length - 10 cm. The taste of the pulp resembles mushrooms.
- Kermit. Small green fruits with white veins. The weight of the fruit varies from 80 to 150 g. The harvest is consumed raw and boiled.
- Mantle. Eggplants have yellow-orange skin with green stripes. The weight of the vegetable is about 120 g. The taste is without bitterness, the variety is universal in use.
Potted seedlings - a guarantee of high yield
It is known that eggplant seedlings tolerate transplantation very poorly, restoring the root system in 15-20 days:
- It is recommended to organize the cultivation of potted eggplant seedlings of the Galich variety.
- Leave one plant in each pot.
- In May, when hot weather arrives, you need to install it in a film greenhouse or under film shelters on arcs. In 15-20 days from high temperature, timely watering (water every day!) and application of fertilizers, the seedlings will reach condition by the time of planting. It’s not too late to land her on May 25th.
- Carefully planted in the soil, without disturbing the roots, it will outpace in development and yield the one that was tormented in the cold for two months.
Bush formation
Formation refers to the removal of excess shoots from the bush. Cut off all the stepsons that form below the first fork. While the seedlings are small, growth occurs in one stem, but as they grow, the stem branches into two shoots.
Until the stem forks appear, it is necessary to gradually remove all stepsons in the axillary zone of the leaf during the plant growth process.
This technique will help reduce the load in the early stages of bush growth and allow the plant to grow actively. By the time they bloom, the bushes will be completely strong.
The eggplants should continue to grow freely without further shaping. But at the same time, if stepchildren suddenly appear below the fork or from the ground, they must be removed in order to maintain formation.
Read also: Sweet cherry Lyubimitsa Astakhova: description of the variety, features of cultivation
Growing seedlings in eggshells
Try growing potted eggplant seedlings. They make cells in low cardboard boxes 10-15 cm high, measuring only 5 x 5, or even 4 x 4 cm.
Take an egg shell and be sure to make a hole at the bottom for drainage.
Fill them with fertile soil and sow two seeds in each. There is no need to rush into the sowing time - they do it in mid-April, or even after the 20th.
The main condition for this is that the soil temperature at the growing site should be 25-28 °C.
You will have to water these unique cassettes every other day and feed them with nitrogen fertilizers once a week, giving two tablespoons of urea, urea or ammonium nitrate per bucket of water.
Popular varieties
Among Russian gardeners, the following varieties of eggplant are in particular demand:
- Purple miracle. Its vegetables are shaped like a cylinder. The weight of one vegetable is 135 g.
- Vicar. It has short pear-shaped fruits, each weighs 300 g. The pulp is white, tender and tasty.
- Black Beauty. The fruits are black-violet in color, with a glossy surface. Their shape is slightly curved. The harvested crop can be used for long-term storage.
- Fat gentleman. Its fruits are round and fleshy. The pulp is snow-white, tender and incredibly tasty.
- Black Moon. This variety has spherical, tuberous fruits. The pulp is tender and mild in taste.
Black Moon
Late ripening varieties and hybrids
Such eggplants are planted through seedlings - this allows you to strengthen the plant’s immunity and enhance their protection from diseases and pests.
Sophia
The ripening period is 140 days. The tall plant reaches a height of 1.5 m. The fruits are large, pear-shaped, the weight of one is 700-800 g. The pulp is light, without bitterness. The peel is thick, so the fruits do not crack, and the harvest is suitable for transportation over long distances. From 1 sq. m harvest from 5 to 7 kg of juicy eggplants.
Mishutka
The plants are miniature, reaching a height of 80 cm. The ripening period is 145 days. The shape of the fruit is round-pear-shaped, weight - up to 300 g, length - 16 cm, diameter - 8 cm. The peel is black, glossy. Productivity - 5 kg per 1 sq. m. The Mishutka variety is universal in use; vegetables are used for preparing summer snacks and salads. Eggplants harmoniously combine with garlic, tomatoes and herbs.
Bull forehead
The ripening period is 150 days. The variety is unpretentious in cultivation and is suitable for planting in any region. Eggplant length is 20 cm, weight is up to 1 kg. The peel is glossy, brownish-violet. The pulp is dense, light beige, and not bitter. The harvest is suitable for processing and long-term storage. Eggplants of the Bull's forehead variety are distinguished by their high content of phosphorus, calcium and iron.
The best varieties and hybrids for open ground
Varieties and hybrids for open ground are immune to insect pests and diseases. Productivity does not depend on rain, winds and other climatic features.
Alekseevsky
The advantage of the variety is its resistance to frost and cold. The branched bushes grow up to 75 cm. The fruit ripening period is 120 days. Eggplant weight is 150 g, cylindrical in shape, tender flesh. Productivity - 9 kg per 1 sq. m. The variety is universal in application.
Vakula
Suitable for growing in gardens and fields. The plant is 1.5 m high, the fruit ripening period is 95-105 days. The pulp is dense, sweetish. The peel is thick, dark purple in color. The weight of one fruit is 400 g, per 1 sq. m harvest up to 12 kg. The Vakula variety is stored for up to three weeks in basements and cellars.
Joker
Up to 10 fruits are formed on one plant, so the bushes need a garter. Plant height is 1.4 m, ripening period is 90 days. The shape of the fruit is rounded and elongated, the color is lilac. Length - 19 cm, diameter - 7 cm. The pulp is light, without a bitter taste. Productivity - 8 kg per 1 sq. m.
Bourgeois f1
Ripening period - 110 days. The hybrid is characterized by a stable harvest and friendly fruiting. The height of the plant is 1.5 m. The round fruits are of a rich purple color, the weight of the fruit is up to 1 kg, the diameter is 14 cm. The hybrid is resistant to late blight and powdery mildew. To obtain a rich harvest, gardeners regularly fertilize the beds with liquid manure.
Negus
Resistant to weather changes. Plant height is 50-60 cm, suitable for planting in small areas. The shape of the fruit is round, the skin is purple, glossy. Weight varies from 200 to 300 g. The pulp is tender and not bitter. Productivity - 5 kg per 1 sq. m. The Negus variety is valued for its taste; eggplant produces delicious caviar.
Chinese lantern
Original red eggplants decorate the garden. The height of the bush is 70 cm, the flowers are large and white. Ripening period - 115 days. The shape of the fruit is round, the color is red or bright orange. The pulp is yellow-white, tasty and pleasant. Weight - 170 g, yield - 3 kg per plant. The harvest looks impressive as a festive table decoration.
Emerald f1
In cultivation, the hybrid is unpretentious and frost-resistant, resistant to diseases. Plant height is 1 m, spreading shoots. Ripening period is 110 days from the appearance of the first shoots. The fruits are elongated, green in color. Vegetable weight - up to 450 g. The pulp is not bitter, beige in color. Productivity - 5 kg per 1 sq. m.
Dragon
The variety is popular in the Urals and Siberia; it can grow in weak soils. Plant height is 1 m, foliage is average. The ripening period varies from 105 to 125 days. The fruits are pear-shaped, the skin is smooth and glossy, purple. Eggplant weight - 300 g, length - 20 cm. Productivity - 5 kg per 1 sq. m.
Harvesting and storage
The easiest way to protect fruits and plants from destruction as a result of low temperatures in early and mid-autumn is to cover them with agrofibre.
When the daytime temperature drops to 9 °C, eggplants of the Galich variety lose their ability to ripen.
Fruits of different shapes are stored separately from each other. They are regularly sorted, selecting overripe and spoiled specimens.
In room conditions, eggplants dry out quickly; it is better to store them in the cellar.
Under no circumstances should these fruits be stored in the light, because the toxic substance solanine accumulates in them. Solanine is an alkaloid; in addition, it impairs the taste of the finished product.
Self-grown eggplants do not contain toxic chemicals and are distinguished by high taste.
Without seeds
Eggplants without seeds are actively used in cooking. They make the most delicious and beautiful dishes. Such fruits are used for baking and stewing, preparing vegetable casseroles and stews:
- Galich. The ripening period is 114 days from the moment the first shoots appear. The fruits are cylindrical and elongated, one weight is 185 g. The color is purple, glossy. The tasty and juicy pulp without seeds is used to prepare juicy and tender caviar.
- Mileda f1. Ripening period - 100 days. The hybrid is grown in central Russia. The vegetables are oval-cylindrical, fruit weight is 120 g. The pulp is dense, with a rich taste.
- Lolita f1. Plant height - 3 m. Suitable for growing in a greenhouse. Eggplant weight - 300 g, length - 20 cm. The pulp is medium density, light green.