How long does eggplant seed take to germinate?
The time it takes eggplant seed to germinate is approximately 8–14 days. It all depends on the amount of moisture and heat supported and the variety of the eggplant seed.
Once the seedling sprouts and has healthy leaves, the young eggplant can be transplanted 4 inches deep in a pot or in the garden 2 and a half weeks after germination.
Note that from the time you plant the seed, it takes the eggplant nearly 4 months to produce mature fruit.
Eggplants need lots of warmth, and they don’t do very well when it’s cool out.
In countries with cold temperatures or shorter growing seasons, they will have to extend their growing time by starting the eggplant seeds in a nursery.
How much space do eggplants need?
The ideal space between each eggplant is approximately 24 inches apart. The reason for this much space is because, over time, they will become huge.
Nevertheless, you not only consider the space between each eggplant but also their soil type.
Eggplants in pots as well as in your garden raised bed need well-drained soil rich in nitrogen and phosphorous for optimal growth.
So, if your garden soil lacks any of these conditions, your eggplant will grow foliage but not bear as much fruit as it should.
One way to fix this issue is to spread compost or manure in your garden to add nutrients to the soil.
The Best Way To Grow Eggplants
The best way to grow eggplant is to know their peak growing seasons to get the fruiting out of them.
Eggplants are mainly warm-weather plants, and they don’t do well in cold temperatures. The ideal time to grow eggplants is late spring or early summer.
As mentioned before, eggplants grow tall and wide, so they need plenty of space, and the pH of the soil should be around 6.3.
Wherever you are growing eggplants, the soil also needs to be well-drained, as mentioned.
If your garden is set on the slope of a hill, whichever way, and water can drain down the hill during rain saturates, not allowing lots of water to pool up is ideal for eggplant.
It is also recommended to use some liquid plant food on your eggplant every 3 weeks.
When is the best time to pick eggplants in the garden?
Eggplants are usually harvestable at about 16 to 24 weeks after planting, depending on whether you start with a seed or an immature plant.
Also, stake your garden eggplants once they start getting tall. Why? Well, because they will fall over, break their stem, and kill the plant.
While most eggplants have different varieties that are white or pink, the most popular type we know and love is dark purple when ripe.
There are Asian hybrid eggplants that are like cucumber, but the more typical types are vaguely egg-shaped and white.
Nevertheless, you do not want them to grow more than four inches tall in diameter at their thickest part.
Also, you don’t want to get the eggplant so ripe as to be mushy or turn brownish. Pick them before they get soft and wide or too brownish.
However, it doesn’t hurt to pick eggplants early. What really matters is the quality of the fruit, and in most cases, they’re better when they’re young.
It is also ideal to pick eggplants by the time they have reached the size and color that are characteristic of the cultivar.
However, don’t let them stay on the plant too long, because they will become seedy and the luster on the skin will dull.
I always advise people and my neighbors to experiment over growing seasons and keep a journal on their growing, gardening, and harvesting knowledge about each plant as records.
If you are a newbie in gardening, by keeping tabs on your experimental records, in a few years you will have a great deal of information and expertise that is tailored to your climate, soil, and preferences about growing crops.
Why is eggplant called eggplant?
The history of eggplant dates back to the British occupation of India; however, as the plant moved over to European countries, it became better known as aubergine, otherwise known as eggplant.
Eggplants are indigenous to a large part of northeast India, through Burma, northern Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and even in the southwest parts of China.
Why do only a few seeds germinate for eggplants?
Eggplant germination rates vary depending on many factors, and three of the main reasons could be caused by the variety, soil, and moisture.
All the eggplant seeds will not germinate for a lot of different reasons. The seeds might have been attacked by a fungus, or they might just be slow to germinate.
There are a lot of reasons why this could happen. It’s always a good idea to plant more seeds than you need for reasons like this and if some of the transplanted crops die.
Eggplant pre-seed treatment is essential for the seeds to germinate at a high success rate.
Whether one uses soil-based farming compost or Hydroponics pre-seed treatment is a must.
In domestic pre-seed treatment, seeds are exposed to sunlight for about 24 hours and then soaked in water for another 24 hours.
This means that the water bulges at speed via the process of osmosis, and the seed enzyme activity kickstarts the termination process.
After your plant seed gets bulged, it can be optionally wrapped in a damp paper towel to increase the activity of the germination process.
Once the seeds are germinated, the portion of that paper towel can be cut and sown directly into the soil so that the plant seed will grow into a healthy plant.
Nevertheless, as a disclaimer, even if you follow all the above steps mentioned about eggplant germination,.
There is no way one can guarantee that there will be 100% germination with all seeds because there could be some poor-quality seeds among the good ones as well.
So, I hope this short post about how long eggplant seeds take to germinate has helped you find what you are looking for. Keep Planting!
