With the arrival of good weather, activity in the vegetable garden is in full swing. If you are a seasoned gardener and a fan of eggplants, May is the time to transplant your seedlings or plants bought in a specialized store.†
Eggplants are a popular vegetable, especially in summer. Grilled, au gratin or baked like donuts, they can be cooked in many ways. But to grow them yourself, it is better to have a green thumb. Eggplants need attention and maintenance. If you want to start growing this year, the month of May, after the last frost, is just the ideal time to transplant your seedlings or plant the pre-purchased aubergine seedlings in the ground. [1]
Choose location
Like many vegetables, eggplants need light to grow well. Therefore, after soaking the root ball in water, plant them in a place that is well exposed to the sun’s rays and plenty of water. Cover for a day or two to encourage the recovery of your plants. [2]
If you practice the square vegetable garden method, place 1 aubergine plant in the middle squarewhich you can then accompany with 4 lettuce plants† If you opt for a climbing variant, you can place it against a fence on one of the squares on the north side.
Water regularly
Eggplants need regular watering around the roots, especially during the hottest times of the year and during times of drought. At the end of June, you can also mulch your plants to reduce the frequency of watering. [3]
Support the plants
If you find that your eggplant plants need support from the weight of the fruit, you can help them by setting up stakes. Be careful when handling the stems: over-tightening them can damage them and reduce your yield.
Squeeze the stems
When your plant is 40 centimeters high, pinch the ends of the stems shut. Limit the number of fruits per plant to only 4. For this it is sufficient to pinch the new flowers.
Gently harvest
You can harvest the fruits when they are smooth and black, usually from August. To do this, proceed delicately by cutting the fruit from the plant, rather than pulling it forcibly. This is the best way to damage them before they are tasted.
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