Want to grow Brinjal at home but don’t know how. Well don’t worry in this article we are going to explain step by step process.
Origin of brinjal in India:
We get brinjal quickly nowadays, but it took hundreds of years to reach us.
People who travelled around the world carried the fruit to Europe, America and France; eventually, it spread worldwide.
In the olden days, people used brinjal for ornamental purposes rather than as food. People initially considered brinjal a poisonous fruit but later proved it false and started consuming it.
| 1 | Germination | 20-30c |
| 2 | Soil PH | 6-7 |
| 3 | Sunlight | 8 hours/day |
| 4 | Ideal temperature | 20-30c |
| 5 | pollination | Self-pollination |
Important varieties of brinjal:
Pusa purple long, pusa purple cluster,pusa purple round,azad Kranti, arka shirish,arka kusumakar, arka Nidhi, pusa barsati, pusa uttam, manjri gota, arka keshav, arka Navneet, punjab bahar Vaishali.
TNAU varieties: MDU 1 (1979), CO1 (1978), CO2( 1988), PKM1(1984).
How to grow brinjal from seeds at home?
Do you want to grow Brinjal from seeds then you can follow the given below process.
Variety selection:
The popular variety in brinjal is a black beauty mainly cultivated (tasty).
Growing brinjal is difficult because it is affected by many diseases in mid-growth. We can easily protect plants by using organic pesticides.
Seed tray:
Sow the seeds in the tray as the seedling needs time to grow. Fill the seed tray with potting soil. How to Make Potting Soil
Place a few seeds in the tray with a proper gap, cover the seeds with soil, and gently tap over the soil. Spray water over the soil gently; the roots should not be disturbed.
Place the tray in a warm place for sunlight. Observe seedlings emerging in the tray within one week. However, avoid exposing the seedlings directly to direct sunlight or warm weather.
Frequent spraying of water is necessary. In about one month, you can find two to three leaves emerging, and now the seedling is ready for transplantation.
Transplantation of seedlings:
Before transplanting, the pot should be kept ready. Mulching should be done with stones like pebbles to avoid evaporation, as the plant loves sunlight, which might lead to heavy dryness.
Fill the big pot or container with potty soil and +organic manure. Organic Manure: How to Make and Apply Different Types of Manure and seedlings should be carefully transferred to the big pot.
To transplant, the sapling should be taken carefully from the tray and transferred to a big pot.
Allow time for the seedling to adapt to the new soil. Then, remove the weaker saplings.
Limiting only healthy saplings is the best decision to get a good yield. The pot can contain 2-3 saplings if it is big and spacious. If not so, more than one sapling per plant is required.
The watering should be done around the plant, not near the roots.
After completing all the previous steps, place the pot under sunlight and keep the surrounding area free from pests and disease.
Growing brinjal in a big pot:
Remove the weeds growing around the main plant frequently, as it affects the growth of brinjal. Pruning the leaves is also important.
Organic liquid fertilisers can be used for 15 days once. The plant needs nutrients all day. When we grow brinjal in our own space with a restricted environment, the owner should take complete care.
Compost, along with mulching, gives a good yield.
The major drawback in growing brinjal is the pest attack will be in the back of the leaf. Pests like aphids and mealybugs will be at the back of the leaf.
We should monitor the back side of the leaf often.
Spray panchagavya, turmeric water or dasagavya whichever is applicable.
After the brinjal growth borer attack, it also can be protected by spraying the above sprays.
Harvesting and post-care:
Brinjal needs staking (support with bamboo or another stick) as the plant tends to bend due to weight when it starts fruiting. Start staking after flowering initiation.
You can determine the maturity of the eggplant, which starts fruiting in 20-30 days, by observing the colour and shape of the fruit. Harvest the brinjal at the proper size.
If the fruit is a bit harder, it is ready to harvest. Use scissors to cut the brinjal during harvesting.
You can go for second and third harvests for the next six months. To get quality fruits, prune extra leaves.
If we follow the above steps, we will get healthy, tasty, nutritious brinjal.
Brinjal plant care:
The care starts from day 1 when we sow seeds in a tray; it begins there; as we grow the plant in a restricted, protected environment, we should only give complete care.
Provide the plant with proper sunlight for a minimum of 6-8 hours per day, as brinjal is a heat-loving plant. Supply the plant with appropriate nutrients at the right time and dosage. Protect the plant from pests and disease by spraying appropriate organic pesticides at regular intervals.
Perform mulching, weeding, and pruning as necessary.
Plants should be watered at regular intervals whenever the soil gets dried.
Harvesting should be done with care.
Give post-harvest care to the plants to get second and third yields.
How to grow brinjal at home without seeds?
Growing brinjal without seeds is possible by using cuttings from a mature plant. This cutting method can quickly grow eggplant within a shorter period. Eggplant prefers warmer months to grow, so we prefer growing the plant in summer for outstanding results.
Choosing a healthy plant:
Choose a healthy and mature brinjal plant, cut the stem portion for 10-15 cm, and take that cutting to grow as an individual plant. Eggplant grows well in sandy loam soil with good organic matter.
To improve soil fertility, use homemade fertilisers such as kitchen waste, eggshells, and vermicompost. Cut the stem portion of the plant 6-8 inches long, making sure it has 2-3 leaves.
Use rooting hormone:
Use natural rooting hormones to speed up the root growth of the plant, such as Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA).
Pot preparation:
Fill the container with stem cutting in a pot filled with moist potting soil and organic matter. For organic matter, you can use aged manure, compost and perlite. The proportion of the compost and soil varies according to your needs.
Sun exposure:
The pot should be kept in a warm location, but not in direct sunlight, as brinjal is a warm, loving plant sun exposure places robust growth.
Watering:
Do not keep the soil dry, so water frequently. Wait for roots to form, which takes 2 to 3 weeks, then follow a regular watering schedule for the plant’s survival.
Transplanting:
After the plant attains particular growth, transplanting the baby plants to a larger pot or container is an important step.
Eggplants should attain proper root and stem growth to transfer to a garden or big container.
Following the above steps, you can quickly grow eggplant without seeds in your garden.
Health benefits of consuming brinjal:
Eggplant is rich in micronutrients which is very much suitable for health.
Takes care of your heart.
It helps to fight cancer.
Helps in digestion.
Good for bones.
Useful during pregnancy.
It helps to treat anaemia.
Helps in weight loss.
Improves cognitive function.
Frequently asked question:
Which is the best eggplant to grow?
The best month to grow eggplant varies depending on the location and climate. Generally, eggplant is a warm-season crop typically planted after spring or early summer after the threat of frost has passed.
In regions with a longer growing season, planting in early spring or even late winter may be possible. It’s essential to consider the temperature requirements for eggplant, which is best grown in temperatures between 60-85°F (15-29°C).
What is the lifespan of the brinjal plant?
The eggplant will complete its life cycle within one growing season and then die. In most cases, eggplants will grow and produce fruit for 3-5 months before dying in the fall or early winter.
The specific lifespan of an eggplant plant will depend on several factors, including the variety, growing conditions, and the presence of pests or diseases. To maximise the productivity of your eggplant plants, it’s essential to provide them with proper care and maintenance throughout the growing season.