Diamond eggplant growing in a greenhouse. Eggplant diamond in your garden

Eggplants today are quite common among summer residents due to the variety of their varieties. The main differences between vegetable varieties are the shape of their fruits, taste qualities, color and ripening time. If you want to grow excellent vegetables, pay attention to the mid-season eggplant variety Almaz.

Description

The Almaz variety vegetable is considered to be a proven experience of many gardeners and time. This variety can be planted in regions with a warm climate in unprotected soil; in colder areas, eggplant varieties are usually grown in a greenhouse or greenhouse. The plant is quite tall: it can reach 0.6 meters. But at the same time, the vegetables themselves are located at the bottom of the stem, rising 0.3 meters above the ground. The leaf cup does not have thorns on its surface, so you cannot cut your hands when harvesting.

One of the significant advantages of the variety is its high yield. On average, up to 8 kilograms of ripe fruit can be collected per unit area. The shape of such vegetables resembles a cylinder with a length of up to 0.18 meters and an average diameter of 0.06 meters. On average, one eggplant weighs 0.13 - 0.14 kilograms. The level of fruit ripeness can be determined by the characteristic color of the vegetable: purple. The pulp of the fruit is greenish in color, it is quite dense and does not taste bitter at all.

Video “Features of the Diamond variety”

From the video you will learn about the features of this variety.

Sowing

Growing vegetables can be done in several ways: using seedlings or the seedless method, in which Almaz eggplant seeds are directly buried in the soil.

Growing young shoots begins at the very end of winter or early spring. To do this, the grains are sown in pre-prepared containers or in individual bags or pots. In this case, there is less risk of damaging the roots when transplanting young individuals.

In separate containers, seedlings take root much faster, produce more harvest, and the fruits themselves ripen several weeks earlier than when growing young individuals in a common container.

The soil for planting should be well loosened, rich in nutrients and soft. Best option- a mixture of turf, sand, peat and various fertilizers. Containers with grains are actively moistened, covered with film and placed for 10 days in a warm place where the temperature is kept at least 25°. After the first shoots appear on the surface, the temperature environment should be reduced to 15°. This simple procedure will help the plants form strong roots. Every few weeks the sprouts need nutritional feeding. To do this, young sprouts are usually watered with a urea solution (no more than 0.02 kilograms of the substance are used per liter of liquid). After a couple of months, the sprouts become significantly stronger and become ready for transplantation to a permanent place of residence.

It is worth moving seedlings into open ground with 4-5 leaves on them. Planting is done in a well-lit area. In this case, the soil where young individuals will grow should be richly fertilized with compost. Before planting seedlings in a new place, they need to be well watered. Between rows you should maintain a distance of 0.6 meters, and between holes - 0.3 - 0.4 meters. To transplant into a greenhouse, young individuals must be “older”: have about 7 leaves. The planting scheme in this case is no different from transplanting plants into unprotected soil.

Landing

As for the second method of growing vegetables, in this case it is worth sowing seeds that have previously been soaked in water or have already been sprouted. The soil for the procedure must be heated: have a temperature of at least 15°. In this case, the sowing density is 0.03 - 0.04 kilograms of grains per 10 square meters.

Experienced gardeners plant radishes along with the crop, which is an excellent weed protector.

Adult seedlings need to be thinned out, leaving only the strongest and most mature individuals, maintaining a distance of 0.2 - 0.3 meters between them.

Care

Caring for plants of this variety is no different from this activity for vegetables of other varieties. After planting, you need to moisten regularly (every 3 days). During drought, the crop needs to be watered more often. Weeding is very important for young individuals, because it loosens the ground and gets rid of weeds. The first fertilizer can be applied 20 days after planting.
As useful substance Usually a urea solution is used. The procedure is repeated a month later with the same solution with the addition of superphosphate. After the first fruits appear, you need to water the crop with mullein solution.

Harvest

As for harvesting, it should be done as the vegetable ripens. As soon as the fruits acquire a characteristic blue-violet color, they can be safely collected. After all, eggplants are characterized by not simultaneous harvesting of fruits, but uneven harvesting. As for harvesting technology, there is no need to pick ripe vegetables by hand. It is advisable to use garden tools for this purpose, for example, pruning shears. This is explained by the fact that eggplants usually form fruits from the bottom of the bush, so if picked carelessly, the fruits can be significantly damaged.

The Almaz variety is universal and enjoys well-deserved popularity among gardeners. It is famous due to its many advantages. But the vegetable also has excellent taste, dense structure.

In addition, the plant is unpretentious and produces rich harvests. A variety of excellent dishes can be prepared from its fruits. Such culinary creations will be especially tasty if the vegetables are grown with your own hands on your own plot.

Video “Growing eggplants”

From the video you will learn how to grow eggplants.

Eggplants are a tasty and healthy crop that many summer residents are happy to grow on their personal plot. Eggplants are not considered too whimsical or capricious plants; with proper care and timely feeding, you can get quite big harvest this culture. A vegetable with a rather exotic color is used in many culinary recipes. Eggplants are popular among adherents healthy image life, as they have low calorie content, great taste, complete set vitamins and macroelements that people need.

The photo shows eggplants of the “Diamond” variety

Growing eggplants in your garden is no more difficult than any other fruit and vegetable crop. The Almaz variety is especially popular, characterized by its high yield and good resistance to cold.

Diamond is a mid-season crop variety and can be grown both in open and closed ground, it all depends on the region and climatic conditions. About 120-150 days pass from germination of sprouts to full ripening of the fruit, depending on the soil in which the crop is planted. In case of unfavorable climatic conditions It is recommended to plant seedlings in greenhouses or greenhouses. Diamond is resistant to drought and shows excellent yield in northern regions.

Seedlings and adult bushes of the plant are resistant to mosaic and stolbur.

The height of the bush does not exceed 55-60 cm. During the growing season, the bushes are distinguished by early and friendly branching, which affects the good formation of the crop. The leaves of the plant are green in color with green-purple veins. The fruits are formed on the lower part of the bush; the eggplant calyxes do not have thorns, which simplifies the collection of ripe fruits.

The variety is characterized by high productivity; under favorable conditions it is possible to obtain up to 8 kg of fruits per square meter. Ripe fruits have a thick and durable skin, which allows the harvest to be transported over long distances.

Description of the fruits. Table

What you need to know before planting eggplants

Eggplants are light- and heat-loving plants. Optimal temperature air temperature for normal development and high productivity of plants should be 20-25 degrees. When the air temperature is too low, plants tend to shed flowers and leaves, which negatively affects further productivity. Too high a temperature is also contraindicated for the crop - plants slow down growth.

The culture thrives in mineral-rich soil. It does not need phosphorus too much, since long roots absorb the mineral from the soil well, but the presence of potassium and nitrogen in fertilizing must be mandatory.

A distinctive feature of the culture is that eggplants do not need too long daylight hours. The norm for them is no more than 14 hours a day; it is at this indicator that the most active flowering and fruiting is observed. To obtain the maximum yield, the following method is used: a frame of black opaque film is built on top of the greenhouse or film arch. It is recommended to remove this frame for 12 hours so that the plants receive their normal amount of light. For example, you can open eggplants from 8 am to 7 pm.

Preparing eggplant seeds for planting

Eggplant seeds "Diamond"

The Almaz variety is distinguished by a high content of seeds in its fruits, so many amateur vegetable growers independently stock up on seed material from the previous harvest.

To obtain good germination, seeds should be carefully prepared.

Table

Video - Eggplant seeds Diamond

Planting seeds

Eggplants of the Almaz variety do not tolerate picking very well, so to obtain strong and healthy seedlings, it is best to sow the seeds in separate containers in order to subsequently replant the plants directly into the ground. The eggplant Diamond has a very fragile and branched root system, which can be damaged when plants are forcibly separated from each other during picking.

The soil should be mixed: turf soil, sand, peat soil. It is worth noting that seed germination will be faster if all the necessary potassium fertilizers are immediately added to the soil: potassium, magnesium, nitrogen. You can use ready-made store-bought mixtures or peat glasses, in which the nutrient content is balanced.

When planting seeds, it is recommended to sow 2-3 grains in one small container in order to select the strongest plant in the future. If the seeds are sown in a box, you need to leave at least 5 cm between the seeds. The seed material needs to be immersed in the soil by 1.5-2 cm. For active similarity, certain conditions should be created for the seeds: the air temperature must be at least 22 degrees, constant watering and the presence of a film that will create a greenhouse effect.

After the seeds germinate, there is no need to create greenhouse conditions for the seedlings; the plant shoots develop well at a temperature of 14-16 degrees. Low temperatures allow the root system to form correctly and slow down the elongation of the stem. After some time, you can increase the temperature so that the above-ground part of the plant begins to develop.

During the entire growing of seedlings, you should not forget about watering and feeding young plants. Seedlings should be watered after 2-3 days and fed after 10-15 days. Most often, urea is used for organic growth, and if the plant stems begin to stretch upward sharply, potassium can be used. Also suitable for feeding organic species fertilizers

Organics for feeding eggplants Almaz. Table

Video - Planting eggplant seeds Almaz

Important to know!!! In warm climates with high humidity, eggplant seeds can be sown directly in open ground or greenhouses. After the seedlings have germinated, the plants should be thinned out, giving preference to the strongest and healthiest-looking seedlings. The distance between bushes should be at least 20 cm.

Hardening of seedlings

Despite the fact that the Almaz variety is considered a rather unpretentious type of eggplant, it is advisable to pre-harden the seedlings before transplanting them into open ground.

To do this, it is recommended to take the pots with seedlings to open air. This should be done a month before the plants are transplanted to a permanent location. The first time, seedlings should be hardened for 15-20 minutes, increasing the time interval every day. The weather should be warm and sunny, otherwise the plants can freeze, which will affect growth and yield.

Transplanting eggplants Almaz

In order for the plants to take root well in a new place, it is advisable to replant them only after 5-7 leaves appear on the stem and the root system has developed sufficiently. This happens 60-70 days after seed germination.

Optimal time to disembark at middle lane Russia - May 25 - June 10. At this time, the earth will warm up well, frosts on the soil are a rare occurrence. Before transplanting, you should water the soil in the greenhouse well and loosen the soil.

Plants are planted in rows, the root system is deepened into the soil by 6-7 cm. The recommended distance between rows should be at least 65-70 cm, between plants in a row - 25-30 cm. The optimal density is 6-7 plants per square meter of soil.

Caring for the Almaz variety after transplantation

When transplanting plants, it is advisable to choose a day that is not too sunny so that the plants have time to adapt to the new location. When planting, it is recommended to thoroughly squeeze the soil near the root to thoroughly secure the plant in the ground. After replanting, it is recommended to re-soak the soil with moisture.

When transplanted correctly, a mid-season crop quickly takes root in a new location. It is important that the seedlings are not planted too close to each other, which may later affect the formation of bushes and yield.

It is advisable to water plants in open and closed ground every 7-8 days. The Almaz variety is quite resistant to drought, but a lack of moisture can cause the seedlings to wither, which will quickly lead to the death of the plants.

During the growing season, Almaz eggplants require several feedings.

Table

Since the root system of plants is very fragile, it is advisable to carefully weed and loosen the soil near the bushes. You can use a mulching system to avoid weed germination and injury to crop roots during weeding. During the formation of the bush, it is recommended to remove the lower growing points so that the plant has several strong branches. During flowering and fruiting, excess ovaries should be removed, leaving 4-5 on the bush.

Be sure to systematically inspect the bushes for diseases and pests, and spray if diseases are detected.

Ripe fruits should be harvested constantly, as the ripening of the crop occurs unevenly. It is best to cut Almaz eggplants with garden pruners, since the fruits form on the lower part of the bush and if picked, the branches can be damaged.

Important to know!!! Ripe eggplants should be harvested on time, since overripe fruits that have brown peels become poisonous. When overripe, the pulp produces a toxic substance called solanine, which can cause problems with the digestion and respiratory system.

A garden crop such as eggplant is quite in demand. Breeders have developed many varieties of this plant. They differ in shape, color, taste, growing characteristics, and ripening period. The Almaz variety is in particular demand among summer residents. Detailed characteristics and a description of the Almaz eggplant variety, its main advantages, as well as the features of cultivating the vegetable - all this will be described in the article.

Many beginners wonder whether eggplant is a dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous vegetable. In order to answer the question, you first need to understand what is the difference between dicotyledonous plants and monocotyledonous plants. The main difference is the number of cotyledons. A crop that, after germination, has a pronounced tap root, is dicotyledonous. Representatives of monocots are grasses. So eggplant belongs to the class of dicotyledons.

Description of the Diamond variety

Among mid-season varieties The Diamond eggplant stands out, time-tested; it is cultivated on an open plot of land.

But if the dacha is located in the northern regions, it is preferable to build film shelters or greenhouses. Usually the harvest is harvested 110-150 days after full germination.

Knowing how eggplants grow, what their weak and strengths of this vegetable, there is a great chance of getting a rich harvest. Therefore, it makes sense to consider the features of the Almaz variety.

A brief description of Diamond eggplant is given below:

• The shrub grows 0.5 meters in height.
• Branching is early.
• The color of ripe fruits is dark purple, the surface is glossy. The shape resembles a cylinder.
• Each vegetable weighs from 100 to 160 grams.
• The pulp is dense in structure and lacks a bitter aftertaste. Its color is white.

Among the advantages that distinguish the Almaz eggplant variety are the following:

True, there are also some disadvantages. For example, fruits contain a lot of seeds. Although, this can also be considered as an advantage. After all, since there are a lot of seeds, the summer resident will not be tormented by the question of where to buy eggplants of this variety. Seeds from mature fruits can be used to germinate and grow a new plant. One of the disadvantages is that the fruits are located low and come into contact with the soil.

How to grow the Diamond variety?

Typically, Almaz eggplants are grown in one of two ways: directly in open ground or by seedlings in a greenhouse.

The first option is implemented when the soil warms up to a temperature of about +15 degrees. Growing seedlings involves sowing seeds. The procedure is usually carried out in early March or mid-February. Much depends on the climate of the region.

How Diamond eggplant seeds are prepared is described in detail below:

About how to plant Almaz eggplants on land open area in the Moscow region, presented below:

1. Prepare the site: dig up, fertilize with compost.
2. Water the seedlings generously.
3. Place the plant in the garden bed. In this case, you need to maintain distance. 2 seedlings are placed per square meter.
4. Sprinkle with soil.

The farmer’s further actions are how to properly care for the Almaz eggplant variety. It involves irrigating the crop every 3 days. On dry days, the frequency of watering is increased. Weeds are also removed and the soil is loosened. If the plant is tall, tie it up. It is also necessary to engage in the formation of bushes. Feeding is carried out a month after planting. Fertilize with urea solution. Fertilizers are applied a second time a month later. In this case, superphosphate is added to the urea. As soon as the first fruits appear, use a mullein solution.

Special grade Diamond

The description and varietal characteristics of the Almaz eggplant are well known not only for beginners, but also for experienced amateur vegetable growers. This variety has been cultivated in home gardening for a long time and very successfully, which allows us to classify it as popular and in demand in our country.

Diamond variety of eggplant can rightfully be attributed to a long-established variety, proven by experience and time, which is ideal for growing both in open ground, and in greenhouse shelters:

• The eggplant variety Almaz belongs to the category of varieties of medium maturity of the crop.
• Taste qualities harvested high.
• The fruits are characterized by high commercial values ​​and are suitable for transportation over long distances.
• The variety is highly resistant to damage by stolbur and mosaic, and also rarely suffers from wilting.
• At the stage of technical maturity, the fruits have a dark purple color, and at the stage of biological ripeness, the surface acquires a brownish-brown color.
• The length of ripe, cylindrical fruits can vary between 15-17 cm with a diameter of 30-60 mm.
• The average weight of a commercial fruit is about 110-165 g.
• The fruit pulp is tasty, greenish in color, sufficiently dense, without the presence of bitterness.

The plant grows low, about 45-55 cm. A characteristic variety of varieties is early and friendly branching, as well as a compact arrangement of fruits on the lower part of the bush.

Characteristics of the variety

Diamond eggplant is a universal, reliable, proven form. In warm regions, cultivation is carried out in open ground, in cold regions - in greenhouses and greenhouses. The Almaz bush grows up to 60 cm. The fruits are formed below the stem (30 cm from the soil surface). A thornless eggplant cup that will protect your hands from tingling.

In the description of Diamond, one cannot fail to point out its advantages:

• The main advantage when describing this variety is its good yield. On one square meter you can collect up to eight kilograms of fruit. They are cylindrical and reach a length of 13-14 centimeters. On average, the diameter of one eggplant will be about six centimeters. The weight of one fruit reaches 130-140 grams.
• An important advantage of Diamond is its resistance to phytoplasmosis, a mosaic virus. The variety has average resistance to fungal diseases (blight rot, late blight, fusarium).
• Excellent fruit tolerance.

Almaz eggplants are successfully used in cooking as a fresh and canned snack.

Features of cultivation

Diamond eggplant seeds are rarely sold by manufacturers in already processed form, so before sowing it is recommended to carry out a number of preparatory measures. Of particular importance is the pre-sowing soaking of seeds in any of the following solutions:

• daily soaking of the crop seeds in a solution of aloe juice diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio approximately one day before sowing;
• soaking the seeds of the crop for a quarter of an hour in a weak pink solution potassium permanganate at room temperature;
• soaking the seeds of the crop for five hours in an infusion based on onion peels and wood ash at room temperature.

Before sowing eggplant and Diamond seeds, it is recommended to carry out a number of preparatory measures.

Agree, it’s nice to open a jar of summer fruits grown on your own in winter. garden plot. In this article you will learn.

Quite often in lately Gardeners use pre-sowing soak solutions based on industrial growth stimulants, of which the best ones are:

• Epin;

• Zircon;

• Emistim.

Do you think it is beneficial to soak seeds in solutions?

YesNo

The Almaz eggplant variety is suitable for growing in open ground, under cover in greenhouses, and for growing in greenhouse conditions:

1. To grow in beds under film, seed material should be sown around mid-March, which will allow the seedlings to be transplanted to a permanent location from late May to mid-June.
2. When planting, the distance between rows should be about 60 cm. The standard distance from one plant to another should be at least 30-35 cm.
3. It should be noted that about five plants should be planted per square meter of planting area, and thicker plantings can be the main reason for a decrease in yield.

Expert opinion

Filatov Ivan Yurievich, private farmer for more than 30 years

To plant eggplant, you should choose the most fertile and protected areas, represented by loose soils. If crop rotation standards are observed, eggplants are practically not affected by diseases and pests, so it is impossible to plant seedlings of this crop after harvesting potatoes, tomatoes, and sweets. bell pepper or physalis. The best precursor plants for eggplants are onion plants, all types of cabbage, cucumbers, as well as legumes and winter wheat.

Care

Diamond variety of eggplant, like many other eggplants, requires systematic watering, which is carried out every three days. But in the first ten days after planting, it is not recommended to water the seedlings so that the plant does not weaken, and you should also know:

1. When growing young seedlings, it is important to periodically loosen the soil and weed out weeds.
2. 18-20 days after planting, the first fertilizing with urea is carried out. After 2-3 weeks, a second feeding with urea and superphosphate is carried out.
3. When the first fruits appear, it is good to use mullein as a top dressing.
4. To prevent diseases, remove the lower leaves on the bush and sprinkle wood ash around the eggplant bushes every two weeks.
5. Don't forget to form bushes. For optimality, leave three stems and remove the rest. The fruits are large and heavy, so you need to tie up the bushes.

To increase yield, increase pollination opportunities. To do this, it is necessary to attract more pollinators. How to do this? Insects that pollinate plants love sweets. When Diamond begins to bloom, you need to treat the bushes with a special solution:

• to a liter of hot water add 100 g of granulated sugar and 2 grams boric acid;
• 1 teaspoon of honey diluted with 1 glass of water.

Diseases and pests

Despite the fact that the Almaz eggplant variety has a fairly high resistance to damage by the most common and dangerous disease for the crop, it is necessary to regularly carefully check the plantings to identify foci of the disease.

Also, the planting of this heat-loving garden crop is often damaged spider mites, which reproduce especially actively in conditions high temperatures with high humidity.

Less often, plants are attacked by whiteflies, mole crickets and aphids. In some regions, massive damage to eggplant is caused by slugs feeding on the plants' foliage and shoots. To protect eggplants from pests, it is necessary to carry out timely treatment with systemic insecticides, as well as sprinkle the soil between the rows of wood ash and hydrated lime. Competent preventive measures, as well as a commitment to agricultural technology, reduce the number of chemical treatments and contribute to the formation of better crops.

Photo

In the photo you can see the Diamond eggplant in all its glory.

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Video

You can also watch a video where they will tell you how the Almaz variety grows in open ground.

Standard care allows you to obtain medium-sized fruits, which is very convenient when using the crop for preservation and when preparing almost any dish. In addition, gardeners highly value Diamond’s high stability to many of the most common diseases in home vegetable growing.

Almaz is a long-known and reliable variety of eggplant. He will thank you even for minimal care in a short summer good harvest. However, compared to others garden crops eggplant Diamond requires more attention and care, like all representatives of this type of vegetable.

A little history: when and by whom Almaz was developed

The Almaz variety was developed about 50 years ago. An application for registration in the State Register was submitted in 1979 by employees of the Donetsk Experimental Station (Ukraine). Today, the originators and patent holders are breeder N.M. Nasrullaev and the Intersemya seed farm (Stavropol Territory). Diamond has permission to be grown in the Central Black Earth Region, Volga region, and is zoned for Western Siberia, Urals and Far East.

Description of the variety: large-fruited, compact, undemanding

The variety is known to more than one generation of gardeners and has proven itself to be reliable and undemanding in care. It grows well in open ground, but can also be grown in greenhouses. It's hard to find negative reviews about Diamond. Only experienced vegetable growers who have tried many varieties and hybrids have found eggplants that are more delicious for themselves.

Diamond is mid-season, 109–149 days pass from the appearance of sprouts to the ripening of the first fruit. The period depends on the growing region, weather and care. In conditions where plants have enough sun, watering and nutrition, they develop faster. The bush of this eggplant is compact, 45–56 cm high. The variety is distinguished by early and friendly branching, that is, it grows many stepsons, which determines its high yield.

Almaz eggplant bushes branch strongly, cylindrical fruits grow on the stepsons

Diamond fruits are purple, have a classic shape, grow up to 14–18 cm in length, and 3–6 cm in diameter. The lower ones, the very first ones, touch the ground. In technical ripeness, the taste is rated “excellent”. Under the thin skin hides greenish and dense flesh without bitterness. The variety is good in hot dishes, snacks and winter preparations.

Eggplants of the Almaz variety are large, with shiny skin and dense pulp without bitterness

The weight of each eggplant is 100–164 g, sometimes more. Productivity per square meter, depending on growing conditions, is 2.1–7.5 kg. Overripe fruits (in biological ripeness) become brown. They are, of course, larger, but are not very suitable for food: the pulp is coarse, and there are hard seeds inside. By the way, Almaz is a variety, not a hybrid. Having bought the seeds once, you will be able to obtain them yourself from fully ripened fruits for all subsequent years.

Growing eggplants Diamond

The variety is grown through seedlings, since the ripening period of this vegetable is very long and when sowing seeds in open ground, the harvest may not be expected. They begin sowing seedlings in winter, usually in February.

How to calculate the time for planting seedlings

Its optimal age on the day of disembarkation is 60–70 days. If you plan to grow in open ground, then you need to count this period plus a week for the emergence of seedlings from the day when they run out in your region. return frosts. Seedlings are usually planted in a greenhouse 2 weeks earlier, which means the sowing date moves another 14 days back.

Video: calculating the sowing time of Almaz eggplant for Western Siberia

Suitable soil is half the success when growing seedlings

Soil for sowing eggplants can be purchased at the store. Good reviews receive soil mixtures Terra vita and Fasco. They do not need to be prepared or disinfected. The soil already contains loosening and nutrients.

Terra vita soil mixture receives the maximum amount positive feedback from gardeners

If you use soil from your site or collected it somewhere in the forest or near the house, you need to mix it with humus, peat or sawdust (in proportions 1:1:1) and add a glass of wood ash to a bucket of the mixture. But this is not enough: since such soil contains insects or their eggs and larvae, as well as harmful fungi and bacteria, the soil mixture must be heated to 100 °C by any means. in an accessible way: steam in a water bath, pour boiling water, heat on a stove or grill, in an oven or microwave to get rid of pests. After heat treatment, leave the soil alone for a week so that the natural beneficial microflora is restored.

Video: how to prepare the soil for seedlings yourself

Seed preparation and sowing: is it necessary to disinfect and why to germinate

The store sells unprocessed and processed (colored glaze) seeds. You can prepare seed material yourself by removing seeds from a ripe fruit and drying them well.

Almaz eggplant seeds can be removed from a fully ripened fruit, washed, dried and stored until sowing

Microbes and fungi can live on the surface of untreated and independently obtained seeds, so they must be disinfected before sowing. You can treat or disinfect seeds in one of the following ways:

• hold for 5 minutes hot water(+50 °C);
• immerse for 20 minutes in a strong solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 1 liter of water);
• etch for 15 minutes in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (2–3 ml per 100 ml of water).

After disinfection, wash the seeds, dry them and proceed to sowing.

To obtain earlier seedlings, germinate the seeds in a damp cloth or between cotton pads soaked in water at a temperature of +27–30 °C for several days. You cannot soak and germinate store-bought seeds in colored glaze - you will destroy the protective coating of fungicides and stimulants.

It is better to sow sprouted seeds at once, one at a time, in individual cups about 8 cm deep and wide. The germination of dry seeds is worse, so to save land, containers and window space, it is more profitable to sow them in a common box or plastic container, and then plant those that germinate in separate pots. Sowing depth is 1–2 cm. The favorable temperature for the emergence of seedlings is the same as for germination.

There is a method of sowing with boiling water to accelerate seed germination. Not all gardeners consider it effective, but many use it when preparing seedlings.

Video: sowing with boiling water for quick germination

Caring for seedlings: lighting, picking, watering, fertilizing, hardening

Move the emerging Almaz eggplant shoots to the brightest window without drafts. At night it should not be colder than +15 °C, and during the day it should not be hotter than +32 °C. The optimal temperature is +25–27 °C. In the first days, the roots of the seedlings are still weak, so always keep the soil moist, even on the surface, so as not to dry them out. Another important aspect is lighting. Eggplants need more light than tomatoes. In addition, they cannot be buried or covered with soil. This means that it is necessary to prevent the bushes from being pulled out due to insufficient lighting. If there is little light on the window, use phytolamps. You can also use a lux meter (a device that is used to measure light levels). With its help, you can understand whether backlighting is needed. The readings should be at 12 thousand lux (a unit of illumination measurement) and above. The length of day for good development of any seedling is 12–14 hours.

If you grow light-loving seedlings every year, buy a light meter - it will help you figure out whether the plants have enough light before they grow tall.

When 1–2 more leaves appear on plants other than cotyledons, pick the eggplants from the common container into separate pots. If you sowed directly into individual containers, then pick only when the size of the above-ground part exceeds the volume of the clod of earth in cups.

To know whether it is time to replant seedlings, use containers with transparent walls. You will clearly see that the roots have entangled the entire lump of earth and they have nowhere else to grow.

Eggplants do not like their roots being disturbed; they take a long time to take root in a new container and lag behind in development. Each pick can delay harvest by a week. Therefore, try to grow eggplants with only one transplant and handle the roots very carefully. When picking, carefully knock each plant out of the common container, grabbing a lump of earth with roots. Then place it together with the lump in a larger container and sprinkle fresh soil around it (this method is called transshipment). Do not separate eggplants growing close to each other; it is better to pinch one sprout.

Video: picking seedlings from a common bowl into pots

For growing seedlings with well-developed roots, constantly moist soil is no longer needed; the top layer should dry out. Loosen it or cover it with chopped dry grass. Water only when the leaves begin to droop. Eggplants in spacious pots can give such signals once every 2-3 days, and adults that have entangled the entire lump of earth with their roots - twice a day. Use standing water at room temperature.

Cups must have drainage holes. If you use disposable plastic ones, then drill them yourself, and not necessarily at the bottom. It is enough to make 2-3 holes on the sides at the bottom of the container (1-2 cm above the bottom).

The seedling period lasts 2 months, which means that Almaz eggplants need additional feeding. Give the first one 2 weeks after picking, then repeat every 10–14 days and stop a week before planting in a permanent place. As a fertilizer, use the well-known Fertika Lux (formerly Kemira) - 1 tbsp. l. for 10 liters of water. A week before planting in a permanent place, begin hardening: take the seedlings outside, gradually increasing the time spent in the sun to the whole day. Please note that on warm and windy days, seedlings need to be watered more often, and on rainy days, they need to be placed under a roof or canopy.

Before planting, gradually accustom the eggplants to sun rays and cool air

Preparing the soil on the site and planting

It is advisable to dig up the soil and fill it with fertilizers in advance (2-3 weeks in advance or in the fall) so that all components are mixed, dissolved and transferred into a form accessible to plants. All eggplants, including the Almaz variety, love fertile and loose soil. Add a bucket of compost or humus and 2 cups of wood ash per 1 m². In a greenhouse, eggplants can be planted together with tomatoes, but arrange the rows so that the plants do not shade each other: low-growing ones are in the foreground, facing south, and tall ones are in the background. That is, plant tomatoes below Almaz on the south side of it, tall ones - on the north. You cannot grow eggplants in the same greenhouse with cucumbers, since cucumbers need frequent watering, which increases the humidity in the greenhouse and causes the eggplant fruits to rot. Eggplants and peppers coexist well in the same bed.

Video: positive experience of growing eggplants and peppers in one greenhouse

The day before planting, water the seedlings well. The layout of the bed is 50×40 cm. The procedure for planting Almaz eggplant seedlings is as follows:

1. Make a hole the size of the pot.
2. Fill it with warm water.
3. When the water is absorbed, plant a bush with a lump of earth in the hole, sprinkle with additional soil and compact the planting site.
4. Mulch around the bush with dry grass.

Video: planting eggplants in open ground using the transshipment method

Caring for Almaz eggplants in open ground or greenhouse

In the first days of seedling life in a new place, it needs to be shaded. Start feeding after 2 weeks and repeat twice a month. Use complex mixtures of Fertika, Agricola, Clean Sheet and others marked on the package “For tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.” You can replace them with so-called herbal tea (pour any cut grass with water, wait 2-5 days before fermentation begins, then dissolve the resulting infusion in water in a ratio of 1:5). During the flowering period, give foliar feeding boron - 2 g of boric acid powder per 10 liters of water.

Video: caring for Almaz eggplants in open ground

The Almaz eggplant does not set fruit without pollination, so it is necessary to provide access to the greenhouse for pollinating insects. Bees are some of the best pollinators. In the greenhouse, you need to open the doors and windows to let pollinating insects in. Ventilation is also necessary after each watering.

Bees pollinate Almaz eggplants well in a greenhouse

Water the eggplants in the first half of the day at the roots according to the same principle as during the seedling period: the leaves are drooping, which means there is not enough moisture. Use 1–2 liters of water per plant. On dry and hot days, you can arrange a shower using a watering can.

Colorado potato beetle on eggplant: how to fight

Eggplants are often affected by the Colorado potato beetle. There are two ways to fight:

• collect beetles and larvae by hand;
• use insecticides, that is, poisons.

Fruits treated with chemicals are harmful to our health. But drugs have been created that are enough to be used once, immediately after disembarkation. For example, the drug Corado (1 ml per 10 liters of water) is absorbed into the leaves, spreads to all parts of the plant and has a detrimental effect on pests for 3-4 weeks. Thus, eggplants will be protected during the period when they are most vulnerable - they form young and tender leaves, bloom and begin to bear fruit.

The drug Corado protects Almaz eggplants from the Colorado potato beetle for 3–4 weeks

Later it is no longer possible to spray with insecticides. During the period of mass fruiting, beetles will have to be collected by hand.

Some gardeners have already experienced the effectiveness plastic bottles in protection against the Colorado potato beetle. The bottom and top of the bottles are cut off, and the resulting cylinders are placed on the newly planted sprouts. These cylinders remain on the eggplants until the end of the growing season; they do not limit the growth of the bushes in any way.

Colorado beetles can fly, but most individuals still crawl and attack eggplants from the ground. Smooth plastic is an insurmountable obstacle for them; they have not yet learned to move on it. An additional benefit of plastic “corsets” is that the plants receive protection from the wind, the soil at the roots dries out less, and the bushes take root faster.

Video: protecting eggplants from the Colorado potato beetle using plastic bottles

When is it necessary to form an eggplant bush Diamond

The formation of the Almaz eggplant bush causes a lot of controversy. Some gardeners do not plant bushes of this variety, others remove all the shoots below the first bud, and above they allow them to branch, while others grow them into one stem. Whether Almaz needs to be pinched depends on the region, weather and the condition of the eggplants. In the south, seedlings can be grown without any formation. In central Russia and Siberia, where the summer is short, proceed as follows:

In addition to weather conditions, there are also situations due to which eggplants do not have time to produce a full harvest. For example, you were late with sowing, the seedlings stretched out, grew weak, are delayed in development, the bush was severely damaged by Colorado potato beetles, etc. In other words, if you see that the bush is lagging far behind, only blooming when the first fruits are already ripening on the others, then form it into one stem, leaving only the top 3–4 stepsons. At the end of July, pinch off all the tops and remove flowers that have not yet set fruit.

Video: pinching eggplants Almaz

There is a practice of pinching the top of the eggplant stem during the seedling period for better branching. Eggplants of the Almaz variety branch beautifully without any pinching and produce many stepsons.

For any type of bush formation, tear off the lower leaves. They come into contact with the ground, begin to turn yellow and rot, and can become a source of infection for the entire bush.

How to preserve the harvest

Cut eggplants when they grow to the typical size for the variety - 14–18 cm. Remove the lowest fruits touching the ground as early as possible. otherwise they may rot. In addition, by removing the first fruit, you stimulate the bush to form new ovaries. Diamond can be stored fresh in the refrigerator for about a month. But to do this, take the fruits without the slightest damage and pack them in film. Eggplants are stored in the freezer until the next harvest. Moreover, you can make the same dishes from frozen ones as from fresh ones, but they cook faster.

Before freezing, eggplants can be cut into pieces or plastics; in winter, all you have to do is take them out and throw them into a saucepan or frying pan.

Delicious eggplant dishes Almaz

Almaz eggplants are devoid of bitterness, so they do not need to be soaked in salt water before cooking. Fresh eggplants are used to prepare side dishes, stews, lasagna, cutlets, dressings, they are added to various soups, salads, stuffed, and grilled. This vegetable is also a valuable raw material for canning. Among winter preparations, eggplant caviar is considered the most famous in Russia.

Video: appetizer in 5 minutes - grilled eggplant with sauce