Eggplants are heavy feeders with a long growth cycle. To achieve high yields, proper fertilization is essential. Many growers are unsure about how to fertilize eggplants. Let's explore the six key points for fertilizing eggplants together.
Six Key Points for Fertilizing Eggplants:
-
Apply Base Fertilizer Heavily: Before planting eggplants, apply sufficient base fertilizer. The amount of base fertilizer should account for 1/3 to 1/2 of the total fertilizer application. Generally, apply 5000-7000 kilograms of high-quality compost (such as chicken manure, horse manure, cow manure, pig manure, etc.) per acre. Additionally, you can use 25-50 kilograms of compound fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, applied concentratedly into the planting trench or planting hole.
-
Apply Seedling Fertilizer Lightly: During the seedling stage, the main task is root establishment. When the root system is well developed, some nitrogen fertilizer should be added. For example, add a little urea on the basis of compost, or mix urea with potassium dihydrogen phosphate to promote seedling growth.
-
Steadily Apply Flowering Fertilizer: From the first flower opening to the rapid enlargement of the first batch of fruits, it is the flowering period of eggplants. Under normal conditions without severe deficiency, additional fertilizer is generally not needed.
-
Apply Fruit Fertilizer Heavily: When eggplants reach maturity and each plant has generally borne 2-3 layers of fruit, a large amount of nutrients is needed for fruit expansion, so heavy fertilization is required. At this time, thin out some leaves, trim old and diseased leaves at the bottom, and timely supplement with compound fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, or urea.
-
Apply Foliar Fertilizer: Eggplant leaves turning yellow due to nitrogen deficiency, or near the main veins turning yellow due to magnesium deficiency, often result in leaf shedding and affect yield. To compensate for insufficient root fertilization, foliar fertilization can be applied from the fruiting stage using 0.2%-0.3% urea solution, 0.2%-0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, 0.1%-0.2% magnesium sulfate solution, according to the growth status of the eggplants.
-
Apply Phosphorus Fertilizer Carefully: After eggplants enter the peak growth period, the demand for phosphorus decreases, so phosphorus fertilizer should be applied sparingly or not at all. Instead, spraying plant growth regulators like gibberellins can activate plant growth energy, enhance fruit yield and quality, reduce fruit drop, and decrease the occurrence of fruit cracking, blossom-end rot, and deformed fruits.
Above are the six key points for fertilizing eggplants. Eggplants require a considerable amount of fertilizer, so it is essential to fertilize them properly. Do you have any additional tips for fertilizing eggplants?
