Cultivation of aubergines in the Urals and Siberia

Requirements for growing aubergines

These plants belong to heat and light-loving crops. Their homeland is sultry India. However, they are tried, and successfully, cultivated in the Urals and Siberia. With the climatic features of these regions, it is clear that the cultivation of aubergines there requires good care and knowledge of some techniques of agricultural technology.

First of all, you can get a crop only in a greenhouse. It should be noted that the cultivation of aubergines in the Urals and Siberia gives a result only when choosing early varieties, such as the Nutcracker, Robin Hood, Bagheera, Black Beauty, Vera, and others. With prolonged cultivation, varieties should be zoned through the light zone (Perm oblast - II, Sverdlovsk and Kurgan regions - III, most regions of Siberia - III light zone).

It is better if the greenhouse is heated, because in the Urals and Siberia return frosts are possible almost until the middle of June, and at the end of August the temperature can drop at night to 3-4 degrees and below. In an unheated greenhouse, if there is a threat of frost, measures will have to be taken to save the landings - it is recommended to water the land with warm water and put a container of smoldering coal in the greenhouse for the night.

In Russia, the cultivation of aubergines is done in a seedling manner. Seeding on seedlings is made in the beginning - middle of March. In order to better tolerate the eggplant low temperature, grown seedlings are recommended to harden, taking it out into the street. The temperature of the air should be at least 15 degrees, and the plants must be protected from direct sunlight and wind.

It is not necessary to tighten the seedlings with planting in the greenhouse, since from planting into the ground before the beginning of fruiting, the most rapid varieties are 45 days or more. Usually eggplants are planted in a greenhouse in late May or early June. The land there must have time to warm up to this time to 20 °.

Selecting a location and preparing the land

Eggplants can be planted in one greenhouse only with tomatoes or pepper. Thus it is necessary so to place plants that tall tomatoes did not obscure them. The greenhouse should be located in the sunniest spot of the site. Proper cultivation of aubergines requires good ground preparation. This crop grows better on light loam or on sandy loam soil. Clay and acid soils for eggplant do not fit. Bean and melon cultures are the best predecessors for them.

If the soil is heavy, it is necessary to add sand, peat and rotting sawdust into it - 1 bucket per square meter. Square meter. The earth must be deeply digged and loosened up. Before this, it is desirable to add ash from the calculation of 2 cups per square meter, superphosphate, potassium and ammonium nitrate - 1 tbsp. A spoonful of each fertilizer per square meter. Before planting, it is recommended to water the ground with a solution of Mullein (half a liter of Mullein on a bucket of water). Water at a rate of 3 liters per m2.

Many nitrogen fertilizers and manure to bring into the ground before planting is not necessary, since plants will drive a leaf mass, and the fruits will not form.

Successful cultivation of aubergines is possible only with good seedlings. Plants should be sturdy, a little higher than 20 cm high, with 7-10 leaves, a good root system. Before transplanting in a greenhouse, the seedlings should be well watered. At 1 square. Meter place no more than 2 plants. If the seedlings are in peat pots, their bottom and side walls must be torn, so that the roots can freely germinate into the soil. Eggplants do not like burying, so the hole should be such that the pot with the seedlings is not more than 1 cm below the surface of the earth. The well is watered, put into it a plant and covered with earth.

Care for aubergines

After planting, eggplants should be immediately tied to a wire taut from above. Water the plants once a week with warm water, not very abundant. The greenhouse should be ventilated after watering, the ground is loosened, but shallow, since the roots of the eggplant are superficially located.

Each bush should be bored. For a season three times bring fertilizers with the basic maintenance of phosphorus and potassium. Shrubs of plants are formed in three or two stems. Removing the ovaries reduces the yield, but growing eggplants in Siberia and the Urals requires leaving no more than 6 ovaries on the bush. Otherwise, the fruit may not ripen. Bushes are advised to pinch, not allowing their excessive growth in height.

Plants must be protected from the Colorado beetle, aphids and spider mite, periodically inspecting and processing in time from pests.