How to collect eggplant seeds: ways at home, growing with

Eggplant is native to Southeast Asia. But, despite this, this vegetable is very popular in our country. And this is not surprising. Many varieties of eggplant are endowed with excellent taste, high yield and useful qualities of the fruit. From them you can cook a variety of dishes and preserves. However, not every gardener knows how to properly collect eggplant seeds. How this process is carried out and what is required for this will be described in detail below.

Collecting seeds

There are several ways to harvest eggplant seeds at home. Consider those options in which the collection will be the least laborious, and the quality of the future harvest will remain at a high level.

Methods of harvesting seed material:

1. The testis is crushed into several pieces. Separate parts of the eggplant are ground through a fine sieve. In this case, the mass must be skipped so that only seeds remain on the surface of the grid.
2. The selected eggplants, from which the seed material must be collected, are cut into several thin slices. Then carefully, using a fork, spoon or knife, the seeds are removed.

Regardless of which method is chosen, after extraction, it is recommended to rinse the seeds with running water. fit for further use.

Selection of eggplant

Experienced vegetable growers know that the quality of seeds directly depends on the testis. With the right approach to the choice of eggplant, you can be sure of the vigor of germination, abundant fruiting and high commercial characteristics of the fruit. Moreover, from year to year, the culture will adapt to the climatic conditions of the region, which will simplify plant care.

So, consider the rules for choosing a testis:

1. For the subsequent breeding of eggplant, it is recommended to focus on varietal crops. The fact is that although hybrid plants are endowed with high resistance to various diseases, they nevertheless lose their commercial qualities with further breeding.
2. The characteristics of the variety must correspond to the climatic and soil conditions of the region. Otherwise, the testis will not have time to get biological ripeness.
3. To keep seed quality at the highest level, seedlings should only be selected from strong and he althy crops. In this case, it is recommended to give preference to the first formed fetus.
4. In order for the seeds to be hard enough, the eggplant must be fully ripe. The stage of ripeness can be determined by the greenish-gray or yellowish-brown skin. If the fruit does not have time to ripen biologically, after removal, it is recommended to remove it to a dark, cool place for ripening.

Although there are certain rules for seed selection, the quality of the seed is also affected by how it is dried and stored.

Seed drying and storage

Eggplants, unlike other nightshade crops, require compliance with certain conditions that will ensure long-term preservation of seed material. So, after the seeds are collected, they must be thoroughly dried. Drying outdoors in a dark place is considered the best option.

If weather conditions do not allow, the seeds are laid out in a thin layer in a ventilated room on a sheet of paper. This process usually takes several days.

When the seed material is completely dry, it needs to create a set of external factors that will ensure a long shelf life.

Eggplant seed storage technology:

1. Tara. Cloth bags or paper bags are considered the best packaging for seed material.
2. Temperature. Eggplant seeds are not recommended to be stored in a damp room. The optimum temperature is considered to be + 10- + 15 degrees. At the same time, drafts must be excluded, otherwise the planting material will become unusable.

If these requirements are met, the seeds do not lose their quality within 3-5 years. After the specified time, it is recommended to replace them.

Growing eggplant from seed at home

Eggplant is a rather whimsical crop that requires some care when growing. However, with effort, each gardener, using the seeds of his own harvesting, will be satisfied with the results of the yield and the high quality of the fruit.

Necessary conditions

Today, the consumer market offers early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties of eggplant. Each species requires compliance with certain growing conditions. So, early and mid-ripening crops are intended for cultivation in the northern regions of the country, where the climate is quite severe. These varieties are grown, as a rule, in greenhouses and greenhouse facilities.

For more southern regions, gardeners choose late-ripening eggplants. Their growing season - from seed germination to the biological ripeness of fruits, allows you to get a crop in the open field.

Capacity selection and soil preparation

Eggplants have a fairly weak root system, which is severely damaged during transplantation. For this reason, gardeners, for growing seedlings, are advised to use peat pots.

As for the soil, it should be neutral in acidity and rich in nutrients. Therefore, if the land was taken from the place where solanaceous crops grew before, it is recommended to fertilize it with nitrogen and mineral fertilizers.

Preparation and sowing of seeds

Before planting seeds, you must first prepare the planting material. Such actions will help prevent the development of diseases and strengthen the root system of plants. Seed preparation consists of disinfecting measures. For this, a 5% saline solution is prepared. Then seeds are dropped into it for 5 minutes. After the specified time, they are washed with hot water for 20 minutes. After the planting material is prepared, you can start planting it.

Seed placement technology:

1. Peat pots filled with prepared soil.
2. The earth is carefully spilled with warm water.
3. In each container, a recess of 1-1.5 centimeters is made.
4. Pack 1 seed into the holes.
5. Eggplant seeds are sprinkled with earth and watered by airborne droplets.

At the end of planting, the pots are covered with foil and placed in a warm, dark place.

Crop care

A set of measures aimed at obtaining strong seedlings is to create favorable conditions for seed germination.

Crop care includes:

1. Maintain temperature +25-+27 degrees.
2. Prevent the soil from drying out.

In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is not waterlogged. With a sufficiently large amount of moisture from the pots, it is necessary to remove the film. Otherwise, with an additional greenhouse effect, the seeds will inevitably die.

Seedling care

When the first shoots of seedlings appear, the container must be transferred to a warm, bright place, with a temperature regime of +20-+23 degrees.

Follow-up seedling care practices include:

• timely watering;
• loosening the soil;
• fertilizing with complex fertilizers.

Also, when growing seedlings, do not forget about diseases and pests.

Disease and pest control

To prevent the development of diseases or the harmful effects of pests, seedlings must be periodically inspected. In the presence of insects or deformation of plants, appropriate measures should be taken immediately. So, in the fight against pests, experienced gardeners advise using folk remedies. Sprinkling the earth with wood ash is considered the most effective method, and it is recommended to spray the plants themselves with soapy water.If diseases occur, you can use decoctions or infusions of herbs, together with fungicidal or insecticidal agents.

If the above remedies do not cope with the problems that have arisen, it is recommended to use chemicals.

Harvest and storage of crops

The period of biological ripeness of eggplant depends on the variety. On average, the first fruits can be removed 25-40 days after flowering. Eggplant maturity can also be determined by the color of the skin. As a rule, it acquires a characteristic color for this variety. At the same time, the pulp of mature fruits becomes quite elastic, and the seeds turn white.

Harvesting is carried out quite carefully, with a knife or secateurs. The fruits are cut off along with the stalk; a "tail" 3-5 centimeters long is left.

To keep the harvest fresh for a long time, it is recommended to store it in a dark, cool place at a temperature of 0-+2 degrees.After 2-3 weeks, it is necessary to sort out spoiled and deformed fruits. Whole eggplant should be wiped with a dry cloth.

As you can see, the process of collecting seeds and their further cultivation is a rather laborious process. However, using the above tips and making every effort, even a novice gardener will be satisfied with the quality of the crop.

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