Homeland of such a familiar and beloved vegetablecultures like eggplant are considered Southeast Asia. It was first grown in India and Burma. It was there, even in ancient times, that this vegetable was introduced into the garden culture. At the beginning of the first millennium, eggplant from India began to spread to neighboring countries, and in the eighteenth century it reached Europe. In Russia, it first appeared in the mid-seventeenth century, but for a long time it was considered a purely southern culture and therefore it was grown only in hot regions. But in the second half of the last century, this garden culture began to gradually appear on the personal plots of the Middle Strip of our country. For those Russian regions in which there is almost always a hot short summer, the most suitable varieties are Vera, Northern Blues, Globus, and Japanese Dwarf eggplant. The reviews of those who are already growing this vegetable crop on their site indicate that it grows well in open ground.
This member of the nightshade family hasvegetation period from one hundred to one hundred and twenty days. Those who have a low greenhouse on the site can choose the Japanese dwarf eggplant for growing. The reason this variety got its name can be understood immediately by looking at the height of its bush. At best, it grows to forty centimeters. Eggplant "Japanese dwarf", the size of the fruit which reaches an impressive size, can hardly be called small. These are quite large pear-shaped vegetables. Under optimal conditions, they grow up to eighteen centimeters in length and can weigh up to three hundred grams. At the same time, the "Japanese dwarf" is an early eggplant. The peel of its fruits is quite thin. Eggplant "Japanese dwarf", the color of the pulp of which is light beige, does not contain bitterness. Inside the fruit is tender and does not contain voids.
Eggplant "Japanese dwarf", reviews of which inmostly positive, hassle-free in the growing process. It was originally bred for open ground. This variety responds well to frequent watering and mineral top dressing. Eggplant "Japanese dwarf", the yield of which can be increased by using accelerating seed germination preparations, is often confused with another variety. This is a Korean dwarf. However, if you look at the photos of these two cultures, you can immediately see the difference. And first of all it concerns the size of the fruit. Eggplant "Japanese dwarf", reviews of which are much better than its "Korean counterpart", is much more common in domestic household plots. With abundant fruiting, the bush must be tied up. Regular use of drugs that increase the fruit setting is also encouraged.
Today, many growers grow on theirHousehold plots of eggplant. Planting for seedlings begins around the end of March. Seeds pre-selected by calibration should be processed. To this end, disinfection, stimulation, bubbling, etc. are carried out. It must be said that all eggplants need a similar approach. Planting on seedlings is carried out in pots filled with fertile soil or a specially treated substrate. To this end, peat tablets can also be used, which are provided specifically for such a crop as eggplant. They are sold in all specialized agricultural stores.
The required acidity must also be taken into account.substrate: it should be between six and a half to seven. Only in this case, the seeds will germinate normally, and as a result, healthy bushes of such a plant as eggplant will soon appear in the garden. "Japanese dwarf", reviews of the care of which indicate the unpretentiousness of the variety, does not tolerate picking.
Keep in mind that seeds are sown approximatelytwo or three months before transplanting seedlings to its permanent place. Germination is uneven. Sprouts can appear, both on the fifth and twenty-fifth day.
Japanese dwarf eggplant seeds shouldembed in a substrate at a depth of one centimeter. Shoots may appear already on the tenth to fifteenth day. Experts recommend sowing seeds in separate containers, since, as already mentioned, the culture negatively relates to picking. Eggplants of all varieties are considered heat lovers. The Japanese Dwarf is no exception. Therefore, to create optimal conditions for seed germination, experts recommend maintaining the air temperature within twenty-five degrees. At the same time, soil moisture in seedling pots in which the Japanese dwarf eggplant is placed is also an important factor.
Watering should not be excessive.It is necessary to constantly monitor that the soil is always moist, but without excess water. Otherwise, the roots of young shoots, suffocating without air, will begin to rot.
When growing eggplant seeds "Japanesedwarf ”, as, however, of other varieties, in no case should the substrate be allowed to dry, especially if its composition contains a significant proportion of peat. Otherwise, lumps will form, through which water, without stopping, will pass. As a result, the plant, before it becomes full-fledged, dries without getting moisture. If for some reason it happened that the substrate is dry, you should place the pots with peat for twenty to thirty minutes in the water so that they get wet, and the soil begins to retain water again.
Seedlings of this garden culture familySolanaceae should be placed in greenhouse soil in the middle or at the end of May. This variety is not an exception. Eggplant "Japanese dwarf" is transferred to the garden in the first decade of June. Ten to twelve days before transferring to its permanent place, seedlings are recommended to be tempered. For this purpose, in the room where the seeds grow in the substrate, you need to lower the daytime temperature, bringing it to eighteen degrees, and the nighttime temperature within fourteen.
When choosing eggplant varieties should be in advancedetermine where the culture will be grown - in a greenhouse or in the open ground. In this case, about the "Japanese dwarf" we can say that he feels rather well both in the garden and in the greenhouse. In addition, when choosing, you need to focus on regionalization of varieties. Japanese dwarf eggplant seedlings need to be planted in the ground without deepening. After planting, the soil should be properly mulched.
Eggplant space must be protected fromwind, sunny and clean from weeds. It is very good when there is light loamy or sandy loamy soil on the site. She is very fond of the eggplant "Japanese dwarf". Growing this culture, although it is considered an easy process, nevertheless, gardeners need to know some of the features of the “blue ones”.
If the plot has heavier soil, thenduring autumn digging, it is necessary to add peat and humus to the ground. The addition of river sand, sawdust or straw cutting also helps to make the soil lighter. This also needs to be done during the autumn digging. And if there is a lot of sand mass in the soil, clay soil, peat and sawdust should be added to it.
Planting scheme for eggplant seedlingsnext: 40 x 50 centimeters. It is advisable not to plant solanaceous plants near potatoes, peppers and tomatoes. The observance of crop rotation time is also of no small importance: the “Japanese dwarf” eggplant, the taste of which largely depends on the composition of the soil, can be grown in open ground only with these vegetables, but in no case after them. Moreover, after representatives of the nightshade family, including those described, this culture can be planted only after at least three years. At the same time, all other vegetable plants are quite suitable precursors. Eggplant of the Japanese Dwarf variety feels good after onions, carrots, early cabbage, cucumbers, legumes and all melons. Already finished seedlings must be watered abundantly a day before the transplant. Repeat the supply of a large amount of moisture to seedlings should be immediately before they are removed from the pots.
The process of planting eggplant in the ground is as follows:
Around the seedlings, the earth should be compacted, pouring a layer of mulch on top - dry soil or peat.
Since this culture, including the varietyeggplant "Japanese dwarf", very afraid of night cold, over seedlings for the first time you need to tighten the film, mounted on wire arcs. If the seedlings are transferred to the open ground in early May, then they are covered with a double layer of polyethylene. You need to remove the protective film in about mid-June, after the establishment of warm weather.
During the summer months should be regularlyto loosen the earth, not allowing the soil to condense, in particular, after rains. The soil should always be slightly moistened. Watering is best done with water slightly warmed up in the sun.
Timely need to remove weeds and watch,so that no pests or any diseases appear on the eggplant. Hilling is an indispensable process that stimulates the development of additional roots and leads to increased yields.
So that the eggplant bushes are well developed, it shouldremove the top of their main stem. This should be done when the plant reaches a height of thirty centimeters. After the appearance of lateral shoots, you need to leave the four or five of the strongest and remove the rest. Then it will be necessary to clean everything except fruit-bearing.
Eggplant care also involvesweeding weeds and loosening the soil, the latter should be shallow. The fact is that in this plant the roots are located quite close to the surface.
The first two weeks, eggplant will grow veryslow. You can help them with shallow loosening of the beds so that more air flows to the roots. It is recommended that you wait a while with watering, it is better to spray the plants with water with the addition of urea.
In the spring after transplanting, it is allowed to makeonly rotted manure, otherwise the Japanese dwarf will throw all its strength into the formation of its leaf mass, and the plant will be left without fruit. In general, for the entire season, judging by the reviews, this crop is enough for only three fertilizing with mineral fertilizer and slurry. Sometimes gardeners also use bird droppings. The first dressing should be given on the tenth day after planting, the second - after twenty-twenty-five days, and the third - when the first Japanese dwarf eggplant appears.
More often than other gardeners in our countryprefer to grow a culture of early varieties. They ripen, usually in one hundred and fifty days. Gardeners rarely choose late varieties, and even more often in the presence of a heated greenhouse, since the crop has to wait almost six months.
Unpretentious when grown, eggplant "Japanesedwarf ”gives the first fruits after seventy days from the appearance of the first sprouts. It forms small bushes forty-five centimeters high, having a lush rosette of leaves. Harvested about a month after the start of flowering, when the "blue" become glossy and acquire a characteristic color for this variety. Brown fruits for members of the nightshade family are considered overripe. The Japanese dwarf eggplant is no exception. Taste in this case is not the same, and the flesh becomes coarse.
If the bushes still have underdeveloped ovaries before the onset of autumn cold weather, you need to dig a plant with roots and transplant it into a greenhouse.
Eggplant should be cut with a pruner or knife along with the peduncle, while trying not to harm the shoots. Harvested fruits of the "Japanese dwarf" is better to eat during the week.
This variety is already well known in Russia.gardeners. Many of them leave very laudatory comments about this culture. Summer residents who do not have a greenhouse or a high greenhouse need to plant exactly the low varieties, including the Japanese Dwarf. Judging by the reviews, many gardeners seedlings are grown in cropped plastic bottles. The "Japanese dwarf" does not tolerate picking, so the seeds must be immediately placed in separate containers so that it can be easily reloaded into the ground.
That this is the earliest variety is another factor inthe benefit of choosing the "Japanese dwarf". Fruits in mid-July. "Blue" grow large, having excellent taste characteristics. Many of our compatriots advise planting the Japanese Dwarf variety. This is a very productive species, resistant to disease and growing without problems on open ground. Judging by the reviews, many have successfully preserved the fruits.
