Eggplant "Little fingers"

Seedlings of this crop for open and protected ground are grown in the same way.
Preparation, timing of sowing seeds and care of seedlings are identical to peppers and tomatoes, but eggplants are usually sown ten days earlier. Seeds should be sown in a box with a nutrient mixture to a depth of about 2 centimeters. The soil then needs abundant watering, and after excess moisture has drained, the box is placed in a warm place (but not next to a radiator). The box is covered with film (so that the lower soil layer does not dry out), and after the first shoots appear, it is moved to a lighter and cooler place.
As the seedlings emerge, the film is gradually removed from the box. After the first leaf appears, the seedlings must be transplanted into separate cups or pots.
The main rule for caring for eggplant seedlings is watering: the soil should be constantly moderately moist. A good harvest will be given by seedlings 10-12 centimeters high, with 5-7 true leaves, a thick stem and a developed root system. Eggplants do not tolerate transplantation well , so it is better to grow them in separate pots.
Hardening of plants is important: they take root faster and can be planted in open ground earlier. When preparing the site, organic fertilizers (compost, humus) and mineral (ammonium nitrate 30-40 g per m2 or urea 20-25 g), phosphorus and potassium at the rate of 20-30 g per 1 m2 are added.
Eggplants are planted 50-70 cm between rows and 25-30 cm between plants. Before planting, eggplants need abundant watering. Seedlings are selected with a lump of earth so as not to damage the root system. They should be planted vertically, 2-3 cm deeper than they grew. After planting, they are watered abundantly for 5-10 days and shaded in sunny weather.
Growing eggplants in greenhouses or hotbeds has its own characteristics.
The seeds are sown earlier than for open ground - in early to mid-March, the seedlings are prepared only in pots, without picking. The planting scheme is also different - 40-60 cm between rows and 35-40 cm between plants.
Care mainly consists of watering, loosening, fertilizing and weeding. Fertilizing, depending on the condition of the plants, is carried out every 20-25 days: 10-20 g of ammonium nitrate or 10-15 g of urea and 10-15 g of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. A solution of mullein (1:10) or bird droppings (1:15) is also used - 10 liters per 8-10 plants. You need to be very careful with fertilizing, since a high concentration of nutrients can cause great harm to plants. After fertilizing, watering or rain, the soil is loosened and slightly hilled up. Eggplants reach maturity 25-40 days after the formation of the ovary. The fruits must be collected regularly, since delays reduce the yield.
Eggplants are 90% water, 3% sugar and fiber, and contain many vitamins and minerals. Eggplants contain carotenoids, vitamins C, B1, B2, microelements - copper (0.01 mg%), iron, manganese (0.05 mg each). They contain the most potassium. The main medicinal merit of eggplants is the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. Eating eggplants improves heart function and prevents the deposition of lactic acid salts. In addition, they will be useful for patients with gout, uric acid diathesis, and liver diseases.