The impact of cold weather on the growth and development of eggplant seedlings
The love for eggplants makes many people start growing them. However, our climatic conditions are not quite suitable for this subtropical culture. The most favorable temperature regime for the good development of eggplants varies from 26 to 30 degrees, and the heating of the air must be stable throughout the day. Constant changes in air and soil temperature, even in a greenhouse, contribute to the release of the ovary, as a result, the minimum yield, if any.
Growing conditions
The specific features of eggplant care characterize it as a very demanding crop. What do seedlings need for normal development?
- An abundance of light.
- Soil moisture.
- Careful loosening due to superficial roots.
- Fertility of the soil containing a lot of potassium.
- Stable temperature above 25 ° C.
The lack of one of the components contributes to a decrease in growth, a decrease in the size of fruits and their number. Growing seedlings is necessary so that eggplants can go through the entire development cycle, which is about three months.
Advice
Due to the special demands of eggplants, it is better to grow them indoors, where it is possible to create ideal conditions for development.
Growing seedlings goes through several stages.
- Preparation of soil containing a sufficient amount of minerals.
- Preparation and planting of seeds depending on the place of sowing and the time of transplanting in open ground.
- Seedling care with its subsequent transplantation to a permanent place.
Already at the stage of sowing seeds, attention should be paid to maintaining the optimal temperature regime, contributing to rapid germination and better development. The air temperature should be at least 20 ° C, and the soil temperature - from 15 ° C, otherwise the seedlings will appear much later. After sprouting, the dishes with sprouts are transferred for about a week to a sunny place with a temperature of about 18 ° C to strengthen the root system. If the temperature is higher, the leaves will begin to grow, and this will negatively affect the growth of the entire plant, because the roots are still weak.
After a week, the temperature is gradually increased, because too low values can lead to the death of the plant. It is necessary to carefully monitor compliance with the temperature regime when growing seedlings. Regular watering of eggplants is done with warm water (temperature - from 20 ° C).
Advice
For better soil warming, you can use a clean film.
Delays in seedling development and growth
Growing eggplant is associated with constant experiences that are associated with various indicators of abnormal plant growth.
- Slowdown in growth
This often happens when the roots are damaged during transplantation. To resume growth, you need to feed them with a special fertilizer. To prevent this from happening, you need to transplant correctly.
Growth retardation can also occur due to lack of space. To solve this problem, it is worth transplanting the sprouts into another container - larger. At the same time, try not to damage the roots.
- Withering seedlings.
Seedlings that wither during the day, recovering by the evening, are not a cause for concern. Constant wilting occurs for the following reasons: waterlogging or hypothermia of the soil, difference in temperatures in the upper part of the plant and at the roots, lack of air, disease.
High moisture can be reduced by adding dry soil and moving on to light watering.The difference in temperature is due to the ventilation of the greenhouse on a cold sunny day: cool air cools the stems of plants, and sunlight warms their leaves, thereby promoting active evaporation. To even out the temperature, you need to raise the container with sprouts higher to warm them up completely.
The problem of lack of air for the root system is solved simply: it is enough to loosen the soil. Hypothermia is most often a consequence of hardening in cold air. To normalize development, plants are watered with heated water. In case of culture disease, diseased sprouts are removed, and the remaining ones are sprayed with a special solution.
Advice
You can scare off pests with the help of ground red pepper, sprinkling it on the ground in a bowl with seedlings.
- Drying of the lower leaves.
It is a negative manifestation of a lack of nutrients and minerals. A similar sign suggests that the seedlings need urgent feeding, which can normalize development.
- The appearance of light spots.
If these are not pests, then the consequences of sunburn. To eliminate the consequences, it is better from time to time to create an artificial shade for the plant using a thick curtain or old newspapers. A similar sign can also signal an excess or shortage of fertilizers. Watering with cool water (below 22 ° C) can also cause stains.
- Leaf damage.
It occurs when various pests appear, which must be eliminated as soon as possible before they cause serious enough damage to the plant.
Advice
You can scare off pests with ordinary laundry soap. To do this, the entire surface of the leaves of the plant is wiped with soapy water.
Temperature regime
For better development of eggplants, the temperature should not be lower than 25 ° C or above 30 ° C. The control is carried out on the basis of thermometers installed near the ground and in the upper part of the room. On hot days, indoor temperatures can be higher than the maximum for a heat-loving crop. This is bad for pollination and the ovary, which may even fall off.
Also, heat, coupled with high humidity, are an incentive for the development of pests. To lower the temperature, it is necessary to ventilate the room and moisten its surfaces. Colds slow down the growth of plants, and may even contribute to their destruction. To prevent a sharp cold snap, the seedlings are closed at night.
Failure to comply with the regime entails incorrect development of plants. In this case, the leaves may acquire a purple hue, elongate sprouts, and overgrow them. Sharp temperature changes contribute to the formation of vapors on the film, which is a favorable factor for the development of gray rot and at the same time unfavorable for the development of eggplants.
It should be borne in mind that favorable conditions significantly accelerate plant growth. Therefore, if you want to get a good harvest quickly enough, you need to try to follow all the rules for growing them. Breeders have developed many different varieties that are resistant to temperature extremes, which greatly simplifies their care.
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