Why is my eggplant growing so slow?
Why are my plants so small and growing slowly? Eggplants are sensitive to the cold. Either a transplant has been planted into cold soil, or a young plant has experienced cold weather, or a transplant that became root bound before being planted may be stunted for a short while or for the full growing season.
What is the best fertilizer for eggplant?
A balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) is often recommended for eggplant. Feeding too much nitrogen at this point can result in large, leafy plants that fail to produce fruit.
How do you get eggplant to bear fruit?
Make sure your eggplants receive at least two inches of water per week. They’ll need more than that when the weather is particularly hot. Eggplant blooms are pollinated by the wind. These plants don’t depend on pollinating insects like bees to get the job done.
What should you not plant next to eggplant?
Eggplant – A good companion for amaranth, beans, marigolds, peas, peppers, spinach, and thyme. Do not plant eggplants near fennel. Fennel – Not a companion for any garden food plant, fennel will actually inhibit growth in bush beans, kohlrabi, tomatoes, and others.
How long does it take for eggplant to bear fruit?
Harvest eggplant 65 to 80 days after transplanting, depending on the variety. When starting from seed, expect 100 to 120 days to maturity. July, August, and September (even into October) are all harvest months for eggplant, depending on where you live and the variety you planted. Don’t wait too long to harvest!
How do you make eggplant grow faster?
Start seeds late Thanks to their broad leaves, eggplant seedlings grow quickly, gaining size faster than tomatoes or peppers. If you have a long, warm growing season and use a split season planting plan, you can start seeds in midsummer for a fall crop.
Do eggplants like full sun?
As a basic rule of thumb, vegetables grown for their fruit or roots—such as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, potatoes, or carrots—require full sun, which is defined as a garden location that receives at least six hours of direct sun each day.
Do eggplants need support?
Like tomatoes and peppers, eggplants should be staked for optimum growth and yield (Figure 2). Staking keeps the eggplant fruit from touching the ground, which reduces disease and improves fruit shape, particularly on elongated fruit. Staking also makes harvesting easier.
What month are eggplants in season?
SEASON: Although available year-round, eggplant is at its peak from July to October. CHOOSING: When selecting, look for eggplants with firm, glossy skin. Size and color vary widely among types, but the eggplant should feel heavy.
How do you increase eggplant yield?
Eggplants prefer warm soil. You can speed up their growth, by laying black plastic over your garden soil a few weeks before planting or mulching the plants with dark compost. 8. The first few flowers may drop off of each plant and fail to produce, but the remaining flowers will each yield a single fruit.
How often should Eggplant be watered?
Eggplant also needs consistent water, at least 1 inch per week. It is better to give one thorough soaking than several frequent, short waterings, because frequent watering promotes shallow roots.
Can you overwater eggplant?
Try not to over-water your eggplants because it can cause fungus and disease. On the other hand, short, frequent watering makes your eggplants develop shallow roots that dry out quickly, and yellow leaves develop.
Why is my eggplant turning white?
If there are white, powdery spots on the leaves of your eggplants, your plant may have powdery mildew. These spots gradually spread over a large area of the leaves and stems. Leaves infected with powdery mildew may distort or gradually turn completely yellow, die, and fall off, which may expose fruit to sunburn.
How deep do eggplant roots go?
about 2 feet deep
Does eggplant come back every year?
Although eggplant is a perennial, it is more commonly grown as an annual. Eggplant flowers are star-shaped in various shades of purple and usually form on opposite leaves as either solitary blooms or grouped in clusters of two or more. They are perfect and primarily self-pollinating.
What kind of root system does eggplant have?
Eggplant has a moderately deep root system (36 to 48 inches), most of which will be in the top 18 inches of soil.
What can I grow in 6 inches of soil?
Squash – plant 1 per 2 square foot in just 6 inches of soil. Beans – Bush beans, Pole Beans and Runner Beans….Corn – plant 4 per square foot of soil.
- Broccoli – plant 1 per square foot of soil.
- Cabbage – Chinese cabbage, 1 per square foot.
- Potatoes – Fingerling potatoes, 4 per square foot.
What can you grow in 4 inch pots?
The Best Vegetables for Containers
- 4-5″: chives, lettuce, radishes, other salad greens, basil, coriander.
- 6-7″: bush beans, garlic, kohlrabi, onions, Asian greens, peas, mint, thyme.
- 8-9″: pole beans, carrots, chard, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, leeks, peppers, spinach, parsley, rosemary.
What vegetables can grow in 12 inches of soil?
Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Beetroot, Bok choy, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Celery, Celeriac, Chinese cabbage, Corn, Endive, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Kohlrabi, Kale, Leeks, Lemongrass, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Onions, Potatoes, Radish, Rhubarb, Scallions, Shallots, Spinach.