Eggplants are warm and sunny climate vegetables that require specific temperature conditions. If you don’t have a greenhouse or a hotbed, you can still practice sowing them at home.
Summary:
- When to Sow Eggplants?
- With a too late sowing, eggplants won’t have enough time to mature. They should be sown early in the season to harvest during the summer. However, early sowing requires keeping the plants warm until planting in the soil, which can be in early May or later depending on the region.
- How Long Can Eggplant Seeds Be Stored?
- The viability of eggplant seeds is between 5 and 7 years. With 200 to 250 seeds in a 1-gram packet, you can use the same packet for several years.
- How to Sow Eggplant Seeds in a Tray?
- Some gardeners suggest sowing directly in pots instead of trays because they consider it a waste of time, which is true, but it also implies a loss of space. Indoors, space on window sills is limited to sow directly in pots.
Sowing in Mini Pots:
- Sowing in mini pots is a good compromise to handle the lack of space. The principle is to place a single seed in each 17mm cube to save space and time. Then, the seedlings are transplanted into 7cm diameter pots or placed in 50mm pots while waiting for sunny days.
How to Sow Eggplant Seeds Step by Step:
- Sow one seed in each cell.
- Lightly cover the seeds with soil.
- Place the tray at a minimum temperature between 20°C and 24°C.
- A heating mat with electric resistance is placed under the tray to compensate for the lack of warmth.
Installing Additional Lighting for Indoor Germination:
- Eggplants require plenty of light; otherwise, they weaken and wilt. Indoors, natural light may be insufficient, so artificial light from a growth lamp is necessary to obtain strong and well-developed plants until planting in the soil.
