Posted on July 3, 2009 in latest news
- For eggplants, choose the sunniest site you can find. Soil should be fertile, well-drained and rich in organic matter. The pH of the soil should be 5.8 to 6.8. Eggplants also need a lot of calcium, so add it to the soil planting.
- Start seed indoors at least 8 – 10 weeks before the last expected frost.
- After seedlings arrive, harden them off. Then transplant them to the garden when the danger of frost has passed and the ground temperature has reached 60 degrees. Add some compost or manure to each hole before you set in the plant.
- Set the standard size eggplants 18 to 24 inches apart. Compact and dwarf varieties can be a little closer together. Tall varieties should be staked wide apart to keep the eggplants off the ground.
- Place a paper collar around each stem. This will deter cutworms. Add floating row covers to protect new plants from wind, cold and insects.
- Three weeks after transplanting, spray plants with compost tea or fish emulsion and side-dress monthly with a balanced organic liquid fertilizer.
- Give eggplants about an inch of water a week and, once the plants are big enough and the ground is warm, mulch to retain moisture and prevent weeds.
- Pinch back new blossoms about three weeks before the first frost. This will guide the plants’ energy into ripening existing fruits rather than producing new ones that won’t live in the frost.
- Start picking eggplants as soon as they’re big enough to eat. Keep picking them till the fruits lose their gloss. If they’re brown and hard, it is too late.
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