Eggplant Japanese dwarf: description and characteristics of the variety, yield with photo

Everyone who has ever come across the Japanese dwarf eggplant variety is well aware that cultivation does not cause any particular difficulties and allows you to get a good harvest. Even cold and uncomfortable climatic conditions are not an obstacle to planting a crop - plants will bestow fruits for their labors. Before you start growing a variety, it is recommended to understand the features of agricultural technology, find out how to get good seedlings, how to care for blue ones.

Description of variety Japanese dwarf

Japanese dwarf - an early ripening variety recommended for growing indoors or directly in the beds.It takes about 3 months from the day the planting material is planted in the soil until the first wave of the crop is received. When grown in unfavorable cool conditions, this period will stretch a little - the first fruits will ripen in 3.5-4 months.

The bushes of the variety are low, compact, rarely exceeding 40 centimeters in greenhouse conditions. The leaves are large, semicircular. The stems are powerful, easily withstand the weight of the crop. The fruits are slightly pear-shaped, reaching a length of 20 centimeters. Weight is not impressive - only 300 grams.

The color of ripe fruits is dark purple, almost black. The flesh is light, pleasant in taste, does not have bitterness characteristic of this culture. The fruits are used for different purposes - canned, frozen, used for second courses, salads.

Eggplant characteristics

Japanese dwarf is recommended for growing in regions with a temperate and even cool climate. In warm regions, seedlings are planted in beds, in cool regions you will have to use a greenhouse, otherwise you will not be able to get a crop.

The peculiarity of the variety is the duration of flowering. If the weather permits, the fruits are harvested until the very cold. In winter heated greenhouses, it will be possible to get fresh eggplants to the table even on frosty days. Productivity - up to 3 kilograms per bush.

The value of the Japanese dwarf is palatability, few seeds, tender flesh.

Features of growing seeds

To grow the Japanese dwarf variety and get a good harvest, regardless of the planting site (in a greenhouse or in the beds), you will need to first get seedlings. Seed material is recommended to be purchased at the store - homemade seeds have a low germination rate.

Before landing, prepare:

1. Prepare a solution of potassium permanganate (a few grains of the drug for 200 milliliters of water).
2. Dip the planting material into the solution, soaking time is a quarter of an hour.
3. Remove seeds floating on the surface.
4. Dry the planting material that has sunk to the bottom on a napkin.

No need to germinate - it is recommended to start planting immediately. Do not make the holes too deep - 1.5 centimeters is enough. Irrigate the soil surface with water, build a greenhouse made of polyethylene.

Soil is recommended to use ready. Suitable substrate for growing seedlings or tomatoes. If you need to prepare the soil mixture yourself, mix sod (4 handfuls), sand (1 handful), humus (2 handfuls).

Seedlings

It is recommended to start growing seedlings of the Japanese dwarf variety in March (from the 1st to the 15th). For gardeners in warm regions, the dates are slightly shifted - it is better to start germinating planting material in February (from the 20th to the 28th).

The first sprouts appear within the second week after planting the seeds. Place the container on a light windowsill, be sure to create an artificial shadow - use a newspaper, a thin curtain.

Airing should be carried out daily - high humidity in the greenhouse will be detrimental to tender sprouts. The flowering of the surface of the substrate will lead to the development of bacterial diseases and fungal diseases, it will not be possible to save the plants.

Features of cultivation

There will be no particular difficulties in obtaining young bushes ready for transplanting into the beds. The main thing is to follow the rules of agricultural technology:

• carry out frequent but meager irrigation of the surface of the substrate with warm water;
• once a week, turn the container with plants on different sides to the sun (this will avoid stretching the sprouts);
• alternate watering with nutrient formulations (use infusion of ash - 50 grams of substance per half liter of water).

Another important growing rule is to monitor the temperature, the room should be at least 27 degrees.

Preparation of beds and transfer to open ground

Eggplant beds Japanese dwarf is recommended to cook since autumn. When digging, add humus, plentifully powder the soil with wood ash. The blue ones like light soils, so you can add a little sand.

The scheme recommended for planting a variety is 60 by 40 centimeters. To move young plants to the beds, start in early summer. For closed ground, the desired transplant time is the 20th of May.

How to plant seedlings

Water wells abundantly, irrigate the soil in which seedlings are grown in advance. Transplant plants without shaking off the substrate from the root system. After planting, re-irrigate, put a thick mulch layer (sawdust, bark).

If planting was carried out on the beds, the first days you need to monitor the air temperature. At night, it is better to cover the plants with mats or film. Only after the bushes grow and take root, stop using covers.

Rules for crop care

Caring for the Japanese dwarf differs little from growing other varieties of eggplant. The main rule is to create comfortable conditions for plants - to provide regular watering, nutrients, to start fighting diseases and pests in a timely manner.

How to water a plant

Use only warm liquid to irrigate the soil. An excess of moisture is detrimental to the bushes - it is better to water more often, but add little water. A mandatory rule is to irrigate the soil on the soil surface, especially during the period of plant development. After the start of fruiting, it is allowed to water the leaves, but do this only in cool cloudy weather.

How to properly feed

Feeding should be started 2-4 weeks after planting young plants in the garden. Fresh organic matter is strictly prohibited - it is a source of diseases for blue ones. For the first fertilization, use mineral compounds. The last top dressing is carried out with mullein infusion. The regularity of applying nutritional formulations is once every 2-4 weeks.

Weed removal and hilling

Mulching layer, laid even when transplanting plants, will save weeds. If mulch has not been used, you will have to do weeding, which is best done often, trying to loosen the soil at the same time as removing weeds.

Hilling up is not necessary - the bushes are compact, firmly held in the ground. If the stem is too bare and the roots are washed to the surface with water, it is recommended to sprinkle them with a small amount of soil and put mulch.

Cutting

For the full development of plants, pinching is recommended. After the bush has reached 30 centimeters in height, remove the top of the main stem. Follow the side shoots - you need to leave only 3-5 powerful branches, remove the rest.

Pest control methods

Slugs and aphids can be found among the pests on Japanese dwarf eggplant. Treatments are carried out with insecticides or home remedies (infusion of pepper or tobacco, per liter of water - 50 grams of a sharp substance). Slugs are best harvested by hand.

The use of chemicals is allowed during the growth and flowering period. Stop using drugs 2-3 weeks before harvest - plants are able to accumulate harmful substances that are excreted for quite a long time.

How to protect crops from disease

The most dangerous diseases that can destroy adult plants of the Japanese dwarf are fusarium and black leg. The use of drugs to combat diseases is not recommended. The only way to deal with diseases is to ensure the correct watering and temperature regimen.

Excess moisture is completely excluded - reduce the amount of water, carry out frequent loosening, remove leaves and stems affected by the disease.

Preventive measures against diseases of the Japanese dwarf - regular treatments with Bordeaux liquid, blue vitriol. Be sure to ensure that soil moisture occurs moderately - excess water is the main enemy of plants. It is also not recommended to thicken the bushes - this threatens the spread of diseases.

When and how to harvest

Japanese dwarf fruit picking is recommended during the period of technical maturity - the shade of eggplant should not be too dark. The blue ones will ripen in the storage room.

Use a pruner for harvesting - remove the fruit with a small part of the stalk. Send immediately for storage or recycling.

Further storage

To store the Japanese dwarf, use dark, cold rooms. Suitable for these purposes, the lower shelf of the refrigerator or cellar. Stack fruits in one layer in boxes.

Be sure to regularly check the condition of the eggplant. If rot or signs of spoilage appear on the blue ones, use immediately for cooking, cutting out suspicious places.

Japanese dwarf is a variety recognized by many gardeners for its excellent taste and unpretentiousness in cultivation. The only drawback of the culture is that the shelf life does not exceed 1 month, even if the necessary temperature conditions are provided, therefore it is better, after harvesting, to send the fruits for processing.

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