Eggplant has long been one of the healthy and favorite vegetables and is successfully grown in different regions of our country - under film or in open ground. Among the many varieties, the Roma F1 eggplant is especially popular, the description of the variety testifies to its excellent taste.
The early ripening hybrid F1 quickly gained recognition among gardeners for its high productivity, versatility of use, and high commercial characteristics.
Characteristics of the variety
The height of the Roma eggplant reaches 2 m; it forms powerful bushes with large wrinkled leaves of bright green color. They produce elongated pear-shaped fruits of a traditional dark purple color, characterized by:
- early ripening periods - they are 70-80 days after transplanting seedlings into open beds;
- light, tender pulp and lack of bitterness;
- smooth, shiny surface;
- uniformity - the length of the fruits of the Roma F1 variety is, on average, 20-25 cm, and the weight is in the range of 220-250 g;
- high yield - from 1 sq. m you can get up to 5 kg of eggplants;
- long period of fruiting - until the onset of frost;
- excellent keeping quality;
- resistance to diseases.
Diseases and pests
The bushes are resistant to major diseases:
- gray rot;
- phytosporosis.
The main enemy of bushes is the Colorado potato beetle. Pests are capable of eating all the foliage in a day. You will have to fight insects from the first day after transplanting the bushes into the ground.
To repel beetles use:
- short-acting insecticides that kill larvae. The last treatment can be carried out a month before harvest;
- folk remedies.
Growing seedlings
Eggplant Roma F1 loves open, light areas with fertile soil and grows well on loam and sandy loam. The most convenient way is to grow through seedlings. Seeds are planted by the end of February or in the first ten days of March.
Sowing seeds
Seeds of the hybrid variety Roma F1 do not require pre-soaking. They are planted in soil prepared from garden soil and humus, taken in approximately equal parts with the addition of a small amount of sand. If the seeds are pre-germinated, the soil should be warmed to +25 degrees before planting. Eggplant seeds are planted to a depth of 1.5 cm and covered with film. This will speed up seed germination. The room temperature should be maintained at 23-26 degrees.
After 15 days, after the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the crops are transferred to a well-lit place. At this time, it is advisable to reduce the room temperature to +17-18 degrees to ensure the development of the root system. After a week, you can again increase the daytime temperature to +25 degrees, and at night maintain about +14. Such a contrasting temperature imitates natural conditions and promotes hardening of seedlings.
Roma F1 eggplant seedlings are picked after the cotyledon leaves appear. Tender sprouts are transferred carefully, with a lump of earth, trying not to damage the roots.
Important! Eggplant does not tolerate picking, so experienced vegetable growers advise immediately planting the seeds in separate peat pots.
Landing
Eggplant Bagheera F1 is an early hybrid that is planted by seedlings. Sowing time is from mid-March.
Seeds are planted in containers (cups, pots) with a volume of 250-300 ml. Purchased soil (loose and nutritious) for nightshades is suitable for filling. You can make your own soil by mixing garden turf with compost and neutral peat. Add 1 part sand to 6 parts of turf.
Before germination, the containers are covered with film; when leaves (1-3) grow, the seedlings are watered with nutrient solutions. 30 g of potassium sulfate, 50 g of nitrate, 100 g of superphosphate are diluted in 10 liters of liquid. After 14-15 days, fertilizing is repeated.
Seedlings aged 65-70 days can be transferred to stationary beds.
The need for fertilizers per 1 m2 is:
- 6-7 kg of compost;
- 40 g phosphorus-potassium supplement;
- 100 g ash powder.
Preparing seedlings for transplantation
The description of the variety recommends that young sprouts of the Roma eggplant be provided with regular watering, preventing the soil from drying out, since the eggplant is painfully tolerant of a lack of moisture. However, it is also impossible to over-moisten the soil. Roma eggplants should be watered with settled water, the temperature of which is not lower than that maintained in the room. Many gardeners use rainwater for irrigation. In order not to expose the roots of the plants, it is better to use a spray bottle. After watering, you should carefully loosen the surface of the soil so that a crust does not form. In addition, loosening reduces moisture evaporation.
In order for Roma F1 eggplant seedlings to be strong and healthy, you need to provide them with good lighting. If there is not enough daylight, you need to connect additional lighting. Lack of lighting will lead to the sprouts stretching out, reducing their immunity, and after transplantation it will be difficult for them to adapt to new conditions. With proper care, two months after sowing the seeds, Roma F1 eggplant seedlings will be ready for transplanting into open soil.
Two weeks before transplanting, the seedlings begin to be hardened off by taking them out into fresh air and gradually increasing the exposure time. After the end of night frosts around May - early June, Roma eggplants are transplanted under film covers or into open beds. By this time, they should already have formed a strong root system and up to a dozen true leaves.
Top dressing
Eggplant seedlings need repeated feeding, regardless of the structure and nutritional value of the substrate in which they grow. Only plants planted in a permanent place are fertilized. Do this 3 times per season:
- 2 weeks after transplantation;
- at the beginning of the appearance of buds;
- during the ripening period of the harvest.
The best fertilizers for the first feeding are cow manure or bird droppings diluted in water. The second feeding should contain:
The third supplement consists of phosphorus and potassium. It is always done 40 days before harvesting the fruits. That is why at this stage they do not use chemical compounds that promote the accumulation of nitrates in fruits, but are limited to simple compounds.
Features of cultivation
Eggplants of the Roma F1 variety grow well after predecessors such as carrots, onions, melons or legumes. Among the features of their cultivation are the following:
- thermophilicity - growth and pollination of eggplants are inhibited at temperatures below +20 degrees; “little blue ones” do not tolerate frost very well, which must be taken into account when replanting seedlings;
- plants should be provided with sufficient moisture, otherwise the ovaries will begin to fall off and the fruits will begin to deform;
- The yield of Roma eggplants is highly dependent on soil fertility.
Beds for Roma eggplants need to be prepared in the fall:
- dig the selected area to the depth of a spade bayonet;
- clear the ground of weeds;
- at the same time add mineral fertilizers to the soil and mix well;
- In the spring, dig up the beds again, removing the remaining weeds and destroying the larvae of harmful insects in the soil.
Important! To preserve moisture, it is better to carry out spring work after rain.
Transplanting into beds
The day before transplanting eggplants of the Roma F1 variety, you should water all the seedlings well. If it is in boxes, you need to water it immediately before digging it out and planting it in the ground. Eggplant seedlings are deepened into the ground by 8 centimeters, the root collar is also hidden in the soil by 1.5 cm. The plants need to be replanted with a lump of earth; if it crumbles, you can prepare a mash of clay with mullein and lower the root part into it.
If seedlings grow in peat pots, they should simply be placed in prepared holes filled with water. The soil around the pot should be compacted and mulched with peat. The optimal size for planting eggplants Roma F1 is 40x50 cm.
At first, seedlings should be protected from night cold. You can organize a film shelter for them using wire arcs. You can remove the film when constant warmth has established - approximately in mid-June. However, even at this time, cold snaps may occur at night; on these days, the bushes should be covered with film at night.
Roma eggplants need some time to adapt to new conditions, so they will develop slowly in the first weeks. These days it is better to create partial shade for them, stop watering and replace it by spraying the bushes with a weak aqueous solution of urea. Air access to the roots can be ensured by systematically loosening the soil under the bushes.
Eggplant care
As evidenced by the characteristics and description of the variety, eggplant Roma F1 does not require complex care. Agricultural technology consists of:
- regularly loosening the soil under the bushes after watering or rain to avoid compaction;
- systematic watering with settled and sun-heated water, while avoiding waterlogging;
- timely fertilizing with mineral fertilizers and organic matter;
- careful hilling of bushes for the development of adventitious roots;
- periodic inspection of bushes and removal of weeds;
- preventive treatments against diseases and pests.
Some recommendations will increase the yield of bushes and speed up the ripening time of fruits:
- after the formation of 8 fruits, remove the side shoots;
- pinch the tops of the bushes;
- When the bushes bloom, pick off small flowers;
- for better pollination, shake the bushes from time to time;
- periodically remove yellowed leaves;
- water in the evening.
Watering
Watering should be regular and plentiful. Be sure to water the soil after applying mineral fertilizers. The best liquid for irrigation is water that has been left standing for several days. During this time, it will heat up and get rid of chlorine.
The frequency of watering depends on weather conditions. On cold days, watering is reduced. To retain moisture on hot days, mulch the soil. Indicators of lack of moisture:
- drooping leaves;
- falling buds;
- loss of ovary:
- yellowing of fruits.
Excess moisture also has a negative effect on fruits and plants. Evidence of this is rotting of the stem and spoilage of the fruit.
Reviews from summer residents
Eggplant Roma F1 has earned the best reviews from farmers and gardeners.
Pospelova Maria, 41 years old, Kursk
An excellent variety, high-yielding, and does not require complex agrotechnical techniques. They are attracted by short ripening periods. I really like the delicate taste of Roma eggplants, without any bitterness. If at the end of summer there are still unripe fruits on the bushes, I dig up the plants and transfer them to a greenhouse, where the eggplants ripen. We have been growing the Roma variety for two years now and are very pleased.
Kurnosov Vasily, 60 years old, Zheleznovodsk
Every year I plant eggplants on my plot. I try different varieties, including Roma F1 eggplant. I liked it for its delicate taste and early ripening. The rules of care are not at all burdensome. I try to grow eggplant in seedlings, in peat pots, so there are no problems with replanting. Its good keeping quality is also attractive.
Valentina Korosteleva, 58 years old, Volgograd
Among all the eggplant varieties that I grew on the plot, I liked the hybrid variety Roma F1 the most. Excellent taste, use fresh and make preparations for the winter. I try to follow the correct recommendations, I plant dill and cabbage nearby, and periodically inspect the bushes to protect them from the Colorado potato beetle. I periodically spray it with ash and herbal infusions.
Gorshkov Efim, 70 years old, Astrakhan
Our climate allows us to grow Roma eggplant without seedlings. As soon as the earth warms up, I sow the seeds on the beds prepared in the fall and cover them with film. If you pay a little attention and provide comfortable conditions, the eggplants will yield an excellent harvest. The Roma F1 eggplant variety is liked for its early ripening and good taste.
