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Eggplants are probably the most thermophilic vegetable crop, because their homeland is hot India. Ten years ago, gardeners in most of Russia did not even dream of growing eggplants in their own gardens and dachas. Thanks to selection, today there are many varieties and hybrids of this vegetable, adapted to domestic weather conditions. Residents of the south and central parts of Russia now have access to growing "blue" in the open field, but northerners are better off not taking risks. To obtain consistently high yields, eggplants are best grown in greenhouses. And this article will help determine the best varieties of eggplant for greenhouses.
Which greenhouses are better
If earlier polyethylene film and glass were used as a material for the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses, today a more worthy analogue has appeared - polycarbonate. Now, most greenhouses and greenhouses are built from this lightweight and inexpensive material.
Polycarbonate greenhouses have a number of advantages:
- They are very lightweight, they can be built and repaired without much difficulty, you can even do it alone.
- Polycarbonate has a low thermal conductivity, therefore it retains warm air well inside the greenhouse, at the same time, does not let the cold inside.
- The material has sufficient transparency to allow penetration and dispersion of sunlight.
- Polycarbonate is more durable than glass and film, it cannot be injured.
- Has a long service life, the greenhouse does not need to be disassembled for the winter.
All this speaks in favor of polycarbonate greenhouses, which is why they are so widespread.
Which varieties of eggplant are suitable for growing in greenhouses
So that temperature fluctuations do not harm fragile and capricious eggplants, it is most reliable to plant the seeds in greenhouses made of polycarbonate or other material.
Planting in closed ground contributes to an increase in yield, since eggplant varieties for a polycarbonate greenhouse are the most productive.
Indeed, most often, hybrids are used - they do not need pollination, they tolerate transplantation better, and are resistant to diseases. Of course, such plants need more careful care, they require regular watering at least once a week, fertilization (three times during the entire growing season), pinching, pinching, tying, and more.
In principle, any type of eggplant is suitable for growing in a greenhouse. Experienced gardeners argue that for indoor ground it is better to use seeds of early and mid-season varieties - so vegetables will appear much earlier and ripen faster.
"Nutcracker"
One of the mid-early varieties with a fairly high yield - from one square meter of land you can get up to 6 kg of eggplants. Such productivity is provided by a large number of ovaries, because even on the tops of the bushes of this variety, buds appear.
The plant is sprawling with rather high bushes - up to 90 cm. Ripe fruits are very dark in color, their shape is oval, their diameter is large, and the average length is up to 15 cm. The weight of one eggplant variety "Nutcracker" often reaches 0.5 kg. Taste is also on top - the vegetable has a white and tender pulp. The fruits tolerate transportation well and are distinguished by their "keeping quality", without losing their elasticity and presentation over time.
This hybrid is intended for growing by seedling, the plants are transferred to a polycarbonate greenhouse in late spring or early summer. The first fruits can be obtained already on the 40th day after planting the seedlings.
The Nutcracker does not require any complicated care, all it needs is warmth and humidity. Mineral fertilizers can greatly increase the yield of this eggplant variety.
"Bagheera"
Another mid-early hybrid with high yields. From sowing the seeds to the appearance of the first eggplants, it usually takes about 110 days. The Bagheera variety is not affected by dangerous diseases, but requires comfortable conditions - constant temperature and humidity.
With such a microclimate in the greenhouse, you can get up to 14 kg of eggplants from each square meter of area.
The hybrid was bred specifically for small greenhouses and greenhouses, the bushes and the root system of plants are compact, which allows them to be grown in shallow containers with a substrate.
Eggplants grow small, their weight is about 240 grams. Their shape is oval, slightly elongated, and the shade is dark purple. The pulp of this variety is tender, light green in color. Young eggplants have absolutely no bitterness, but late harvesting leads to the appearance of this unpleasant aftertaste.
The fruits are used for cooking, pickling and preservation.
"Baikal"
Mid-season greenhouse eggplant variety. Against the background of other varieties, it stands out for its high growth - the bushes reach 1200 cm in height. For maximum yield (8 kg per meter), it is necessary to maintain constant humidity in a greenhouse with this eggplant. Otherwise, it is very unpretentious, disease resistant.
Fruits usually appear on the 110th day after sowing the seeds. Their shape is pear-shaped, with a slight curvature. The mass of one eggplant variety "Baikal" reaches 400 grams. The rind is dark purple in color. The pulp has a light green tint, does not contain bitterness. Vegetables tolerate transportation well and can be used for canning.
"Joker"
The cultivation of this ultra-early variety yields very bountiful yields. The fact is that on the "Balagur" bushes, the ovary is formed in the form of brushes, each of them contains 5-7 fruits. The first vegetables appear already on the 85th day after planting the seeds.
Eggplants grow small (80-100 grams) and are distinguished by an interesting spherical shape and a bright purple hue. If crops of other varieties are planted nearby, the color may change to dark purple.
The taste of "Balagur" eggplants is characteristic, pronounced, and the flesh is white and tender, the skin is smooth and shiny.
Plants are quite tall - up to 1500 cm, so they need to be tied up. Correct tying in this case is necessary, otherwise the bushes may break off. After all, about 100 eggplants ripen on each of them. The plant is resistant to most diseases.
"Fabina"
The "Fabina" hybrid appears very quickly and early, the first vegetables can be picked 70 days after sowing the seeds. Growing this hybrid is possible both in greenhouses and in the open field. The plant is quite unpretentious, the bushes are compact, small in height (45-50 cm).
The ovary appears at the same time, 7-9 eggplants can be removed from each bush at a time. The total yield of the variety reaches 8 kg per square meter.
The plant is resistant to most diseases, including the most dangerous - spider mites and verticilliosis. Vegetables can be stored for a long time and tolerate transportation well.
The fruits have a very dark, sometimes even black, shade. Their peel is glossy, elongated in shape. The average weight of eggplants is up to 220 grams, and the length is about 20 cm.The flesh of vegetables picked on time is dense, without seeds, has a pale green tint. The taste of Fabina eggplant is unusual, slightly mushroom. Therefore, the fruits are often used to prepare various snacks and salads, but they can be successfully canned and pickled.
"Black handsome"
Another variety for growing in greenhouse conditions is the mid-season “Black Beauty”. The plant gives one of the highest yields - up to 13 kg per meter. You can also grow this variety in the open field, but only in the southern regions with a stable temperature.
Eggplants are immune to dangerous diseases and bear fruit best in rich, fertile soil. This vegetable does not need sunlight, unlike other varieties, "Black Beauty" feels great in partial shade, and even in the shade. The main thing a plant needs is moisture.
The bushes grow low - up to 60 cm, differ in leaves and stems covered with thorns. The fruits are pear-shaped and lightweight - up to 250 grams.
The shade of the peel is deep purple. The pulp has a slightly greenish color (sometimes yellow) and a delicate taste without bitterness. Vegetables of the Black Krasavets variety are excellent for sale; they retain their presentation and freshness for a long time.
"Alenka"
The hybrid belongs to the early maturing and is intended for growing indoors. This eggplant has an unusual green skin. Fruits appear on the 104th day after sowing the seeds. They are cylindrical and large in size, the weight of one eggplant reaches 350 grams.
The bushes are not tall, they are distinguished by dense foliage and the absence of thorns on the stems and calyxes. The fruits are great for cooking and preserving, they have absolutely no bitterness. The yield of the hybrid is quite high - up to 7.5 kg of fresh vegetables are obtained from one meter of land.
City F1
The representative of mid-season hybrids for cultivation in a greenhouse is an eggplant "Gorodovoy F1". This variety is a real giant. The height of the bushes can be up to three meters, so the size of the greenhouse must be appropriate. Spreading bushes, have many fruits.
The fruits themselves are also quite "powerful", their weight reaches 0.5 kg, and the length is 30 cm. The shape of the eggplants of the "Gorodovoy" variety is cylindrical, and the color is dark purple. The pulp is tasty with a greenish tinge. Eggplants are suitable for canning and preparing side dishes, salads.
The plant is resistant to the tobacco mosaic virus. The yield of the variety reaches 7.7 kg per square meter.
How to prepare a greenhouse for planting eggplants
The polycarbonate greenhouse is not dismantled for the winter period, so you can start preparing for the new season in the fall. Eggplant is very picky about the composition of the soil, so preparation should be given due attention. The following steps must be followed:
- remove a layer of old soil and replace it with a new one;
- disinfect the ground by watering it with a solution of copper sulfate;
- deoxidize the soil using one of the methods (wood ash, dolomite flour, lime or crushed chalk);
- fertilize the soil abundantly with cow dung or compost fertilizer.
In late winter or early spring, when the props are removed from the greenhouse, you can dig up the soil and prepare the eggplant beds.
The holes are made at a distance of about half a meter from each other, half a glass of wood ash can be poured into each of them.
Seedlings or eggplant seeds can be planted in the soil watered with a manganese solution. This plant does not really like transplanting, so you need to make sure that a clod of earth is kept between the roots of the seedlings.
Young eggplant seedlings are very fragile, they are carefully transferred into the ground and deepened a couple of centimeters more than they grew before. Growing seedlings is possible only at a constant air temperature of at least 18-20 degrees - the cold is destructive for eggplants.
The seedlings are ready for planting in the greenhouse when there are 5-7 large leaves on the stem, and the height of the seedling is at least 20 cm.
The process of growing eggplants is quite complicated and time-consuming. Even the early varieties ripen for about three months, all this time the plant requires some care, watering and maintaining constant heat. But with a competent approach, and even having a polycarbonate greenhouse, it is quite possible to grow early vegetables for sale.
Experienced farmers advise planting seeds of varieties of different ripening periods, so the harvest will be stable, and fresh vegetables will be able to delight the owner until the first frost.
