Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Frost tolerant. You have many more options open to you when you start from seed: tender Asian varieties, pretty little egg-shaped eggplants, and a range of colors, from white to green to purple, including some very pretty striped varieties. Plant eggplant seeds at a depth of 1/4 inch (6 mm) and water gently. Sign up for our newsletter. Use a dome or cloche to retain heat as well as humidity to encourage germination when eggplant seed planting indoors. All of these plants are members of the solanaceae family, but one of their prominent siblings is much less widely grown at home. Eggplant seeds germinate in 5 to 6 days. Globe eggplants are traditional large purple or… For more details, see our, How To Grow Eggplant From Seed and in Containers, Common Mistakes Made While Growing Seeds Indoors, Vegetable Seeds or Seedlings? Sow seeds them about 10 mm deep in a seed raising medium. This blog aims at providing a step to step guide on how to grow eggplant from seed.Along with this, it will also touch upon details pertaining to other eggplant variants. Use a dome or cloche to retain heat as well as humidity to encourage germination when eggplant seed planting indoors. Generally, eggplant seeds germinate in 7 to 14 days. Eggplants are commonly started indoors in a greenhouse or warm, well-lit sunroom or kitchen. Although it is quite challenging to grow eggplants from seeds, this is the common option for many home gardeners. Colleen Vanderlinden is a freelance writer and the author of Edible Gardening for the Midwest. Continue to keep your eggplant seedlings moist as they grow for the next eight to ten weeks. Growing eggplants prefer soil with a pH between 5.5 to 6.5. Start fertilizing with a very dilute (1/4 the recommended amount on the label) solution of fish emulsion or kelp. Starting seeds indoors is most common, although if you live in an extremely warm, humid region, planting eggplant seeds directly in the garden may work. Eggplant Sowing and Planting Tips. Eggplant seedlings will be ready to transplant in six to eight weeks. You will need some basic equipment to successfully start seeds indoors, but it's well worth it... Caring for Seedlings. You should see condensation on the inside of your plastic bag or dome. From midsummer onward, drench with a liquid feed every two weeks. If you don't, then it's time to water with a gentle mist to avoid dislodging the seeds. If you decide to grow from seedlings, begin your plants indoors about four to six weeks before the last anticipated date of frost.Don’t plant your seedlings until the danger of frost has passed. Step 2. If you're concerned about damping off, try watering your eggplant seedlings regularly (about once per week) with a chamomile tea solution. Eggplant seeds germinate painfully slowly or not at all if the soil is too cool. Storing: Eggplant fruits can be stored for about a week in the refrigerator. Simply place them into pots that are an inch or two larger than the ones they're growing in. Give eggplants a head start on the growing season by starting them indoors, six to nine weeks before the average last frost. Follow along with this handy How to Grow Eggplants Guide and grow food. Start seeds indoors in flats or peat pots 8–9 weeks prior to the last spring frost date. Start your seeds indoors to get a jump on the growing season. Although eggplant seeds are tightly embedded in the flesh of the fruits, extracting eggplant seeds is fairly simple with the help of a food processor or a blender. Seedlings can be transplanted to the garden in about two months, or they can be grown to maturity in a large container. Although eggplants are heavy feeders, avoid those that are high in nitrogen, which will encourage foliage growth and not fruit. Read on to learn more. Alternatively, buy 6- to 8-week-old nursery transplants just before planting. Also, read the instructions from the manufacturer to learn how to properly take care of the plant. Thereafter, the plants will require moderate irrigation and a bi-weekly feeding. Seeds germinate quickly at temperatures between 70 to 90°F. Full sun. So how to grow eggplant from seeds? Without them, so many cuisines would lose a major element. For the best results, germinate eggplant seeds in … Once soil temperatures reach 60 degrees F, it's time to start hardening your eggplant seedlings off and get them planted in the garden. By starting your eggplants indoors, you can begin as early as April. There’s no particular eggplant seed preparation necessary prior to sowing. Once your eggplant seedlings are ready to move outdoors, choose a full sun area with a soil pH of 5.5 to 7.0 (acidic to neutral). Strain the seeds, pat them dry and spread them out on a tray to dry not more than two seeds thick. Companions. Transplant the seedlings to the garden when soil temperatures reach 60 degrees. apart in rows 30-36 inches (76-91 cm.) When they have their first set of true leaves, it's time to start fertilizing. These plants are also easy to plant and care for. Sow seed in individual pots, containers or flats. 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You can use potting soil or the same mix you used when you started the seeds. Soak seeds overnight to encourage germination; sow them ¼ … Sow seeds to grow eggplants in all shapes, colours and sizes Eggplant seeds require consistent warmth to germinate, so a propagation heat padis recommended. Eggplant and all other nightshade vegetables need generous watering to grow. It is imp… Although eggplant seeds are tiny, sow the seeds about ¼-inch (6 mm.) Wait until the weather has settled, with no chance of frost and the soil is warm before transplanting. Eggplant must be started from seed indoors in most areas, 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost date . Leave up … You can use bottom heat to maintain a soil temperature around 24 deg C for about 10 days. Eggplants are a good companion for amaranth, beans, marigolds, peas, peppers, spinach, and thyme. Eggplants have a lovely texture and a unique taste. How to Grow Eggplant. Next, strain the seeds, pat them dry and spread them out on a tray to dry no more than two seeds thick. Eggplants are a heat-loving vegetable in the Solanaceae family that require two or more months of night temperatures around 70 degrees F. (21 C.) for optimal fruit production. deep with good quality potting soil in flats or cell containers. When your … When growing with eggplant seeds instead of nursery starts, the seeds will remain viable for about four years. Plant the seeds 1/4inch deep, water after planting and cover loosely with plastic to retain moisture. Although eggplant seeds are tiny, sow the seeds about ¼-inch (6 mm.) Transplanting Seedlings Solanaceae (Potato and tomato family) Soil. Sow eggplant seeds in cell packs or small pots, 1/4 inch deep. Find Out Which Is Best for Your Garden, 10 Easy Annual Flowers to Start From Seeds, Cucamelon (Mexican Sour Gherkin) Plant Profile. 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