Urban Gardening - How To Grow Eggplants

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I heard from the news that the Department of Agriculture will give vegetable seeds to the residents of the metro to promote home-based gardening or urban gardening.  Some of the seeds are eggplant, tomatoes, and onions. Planting materials will be also given.

This project will help sustain food production during the enhanced community quarantine.

I just want to share how I grow eggplants in pots in our urban garden. Planting eggplant is not just put the seeds in the soil, water them,  let them grow, and bear fruits. There is a right way to do it and get the results you want to achieve.

Eggplant is one of the easy-to-grow plants for urban gardening. Here are some guides to have a healthy eggplant at home.

Since the seeds are tiny, it needs to grow in a seedbox first before transplanting to its permanent pot or place. This is method is called indirect seeding.

Soil in a seed box to be used in growing eggplant

In a seedbox with a potting or garden soil, sprinkle the seeds then cover with soil to about 1/4 inch thin. Water with a slow stream to avoid disturbance of the soil covering.

Day 6

After 5-7 days, the seeds will start to germinate and you can see sprouts coming out of the soil. 

Two to three weeks after germination, the seedling will have about 4 to 6 leaves. As a rule of thumb, having these number of leaves, the seedlings are strong enough to be transplanted to a pot. 

Eggplant Seedlings

Eggplant Seedlings

In a large pail filled with a fertile and fast-draining soil, the seedlings are transplanted. I used regular soil mixed with rice hulls or sawdust.

Eggplant seedlings transplanted in a large pail.

Place the plant in an area where they can get at least six hours of sun daily.

Water the plants regularly when they are young. This will help them develop deep roots. Adults plants need soil that is kept moist but not soaking them.

Mulching: The top layer is covered with saw dust to retain soil moisture

To keep the soil moist, mulching is advisable. Using sawdust or rice hulls or paper are good materials in mulching.

The plant will enter the maturity or adult stage where they will exhibit the main stem with several branches where a leathery or spiny or hairy, oval-shaped leaves grow. Applying organic fertilizer, like animal manure, once a week is recommended.

Adult eggplants normally grow to about 18-36 inches tall. Since this is an urban gardening, pruning is recommended to limit the height of the eggplant.

Eggplant's Flower

A purple and star-shaped flowers will start to appear in the stem once the plant reached maturity (about 6-7 weeks). These flowers will then turn into fruits and will be ready to be harvested. The ripe fruit is described as a firm with a glossy texture.

The Fruit

The Fruit

Eggplants are prone to insects like flea beetles. These insects usually create pinholes on the leaves and can cause damage to plants. Using homemade insecticides can help shoo away flea beetles.

Another common disease of eggplant is the fungal disease called verticillium wilt. This can be acquired from the traditional garden soil.

Frequent watering of the soil, again not soaking, can avoid this disease. Heating the soil before planting the seedlings can also prevent the eggplants to have verticillium wilt.

Applying low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer can also help the plant survive this disease.

Having vegetable grown in your home will give lots of benefits and help you survive in crisis like what we have now.

Any tips on how to grow eggplants?