Winter cultivation technology of eggplant

We all know that eggplant is generally cultivated in spring, so how should it be cultivated in winter?

Cultivation facilities and time

Most of the time of winter cultivation is in the cold winter season. Therefore, the cultivation facility must be a solar greenhouse with good thermal insulation performance.

The sowing and seedling raising period for winter cultivation of eggplant is from the end of August to the beginning of September. In the warm and sunny autumn, strong seedlings are grown and planted in the greenhouse from the end of October to the beginning of November. Harvesting begins around mid-December until the autumn of the following year.

Winter eggplant cultivation technology

Seedling cultivation

The nursery bed should be built in a wind-proof sunbed or a small arch shed. If conditions permit, it is best to build it directly in a solar greenhouse.

The seed treatment method before sowing is the same as that of early spring cultivation. The sowing method refers to early spring cultivation. Watering should be done in time after emergence. After all the seedlings emerge, thinning and weeding should be done in time. When there are 1 to 2 true leaves, the seedlings should be transplanted. The construction of the transplanting bed is the same as that of the nursery bed. The row spacing of the transplanting seedlings is 10 cm × 10 cm. Water in time after transplanting. At noon on the first 1 to 2 days after transplanting, from 10 am to 2 pm, a canopy can be built on the nursery bed to shade the seedlings to prevent the seedlings from wilting. After transplanting and easing the seedlings, water should be applied in time, once every 5 to 7 days, to keep the soil in the bed dry and wet. And loosen the soil in time 2 to 3 times. If the soil lacks fertilizer, apply compound fertilizer once every 10 to 15 days, with a dosage of 100 kg to 150 kg per hectare.

During the early stage of wintering eggplant seedlings, the outside temperature is high, and measures such as ventilation or shading should be adopted to reduce the temperature of the seedbed. In the later stage of seedling cultivation, the outside temperature gradually decreases, and the temperature should be maintained by covering with film to prevent the seedlings from freezing. Ventilation and cooling should be carried out 5 to 7 days before transplanting. The controlled temperature conditions are the same as those for early spring cultivation.

Water the cut pieces 5 to 7 days before transplanting so that they can be transplanted with soil.

Seedlings are raised in autumn and grow rapidly, and the seedling age is 50 to 60 days. The standard for strong seedlings is 8 to 9 leaves, 20 cm high, and a stem thickness of 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm.

Colonization

The cultivation land should be fertilized with a large amount of organic basal fertilizer. Combined with deep plowing, 75,000 to 100,000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer should be applied per hectare, and 750 kg of superphosphate or 750 kg of all-element compound fertilizer should be added. After plowing, harrow and level the land to make a small raised bed with a height of 13 cm, a width of 50 cm, and a width of 60 cm in the furrow.

When planting, plant 2 rows on the high ridge with a row spacing of 38 cm × 50 cm. Cover the ground with plastic film after planting and water the ridge.

Field management

Light regulation: In winter, the light duration is short and the light intensity is weak, so light management should be strengthened. When sunlight can reach the shed surface, remove the straw thatch as early as possible and cover it as late as possible. Clean the plastic film in time to maintain good light transmittance.

Temperature management: When the temperature drops below 13℃ at night, the plastic film should be tightly closed. The film should be lifted for ventilation after the temperature rises during the day. As the outside temperature drops, the vents should be smaller and smaller, and straw thatch should be added at night. Keep 25℃ to 30℃ during the day and above 15℃ at night. In late winter, in addition to the greenhouse film and straw thatch for insulation, small arches can be added to the ridges for insulation. In addition to general cold-proof and heat-insulating measures, 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or 0.5% sucrose solution, or antifreeze, can be sprayed once every 3 to 5 days to improve the cold resistance of the plants.

The weather turns warmer the following spring, and when the temperature in the shed exceeds 30℃ at noon, ventilation can be used to remove moisture and cool down. When the outside night temperature is above 15℃, the straw thatch can be removed and the plastic film can be opened day and night for ventilation. In summer, all vents should be opened to cool down, and the top film should be used for shade to reduce the indoor temperature.

Fertilizer and water management: Fertilizer and water management for eggplant overwintering cultivation can be divided into the following 6 stages:

Flowering and budding period: After planting in November, you should cultivate and loosen the soil frequently and water less often. As long as the soil is not dry, there is no need to water or apply fertilizer to prevent the plant from growing too tall due to excessive temperature in the greenhouse and excessive watering.

Late winter period: mid-December to early February of the following year. The temperature is the lowest during this period, and the plant grows slowly, so no topdressing or watering is required.

Early spring harvest period: From February to March, the outside temperature gradually rises. The plant growth speed increases, the harvest volume increases, and topdressing should be applied 2 to 3 times. Apply 750 kg to 1,500 kg of decomposed bean cake or 225 kg to 300 kg of compound fertilizer per hectare in the furrows each time. Combine topdressing with watering, keep the soil dry and wet, and water it every 7 to 10 days.

Peak harvest period: from the end of March to May, during which the external environment is suitable and eggplant enters the peak fruiting period. A large amount of topdressing should be applied at this time. Once every 10 days, 300 kg to 370 kg of compound fertilizer should be applied per hectare each time. If conditions permit, 0.2% to 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or urea solution, or 5% plant ash extract, or 0.3% titanium fertilizer can be applied to the roots in combination with spraying, generally once every 10 days. Combine topdressing with watering in time, generally once every 5 to 7 days.

Late harvest: From June to July, the weather is hot and the market price drops, so the harvest volume decreases. If you pull out the seedlings in July, you don’t need to apply topdressing. If you pull out the seedlings after frost in late October, you should still apply topdressing every 10 days, mainly nitrogen fertilizer, combined with watering.

Peak harvest period in autumn: from August to the first half of October. When the weather is suitable, the second peak of eggplant harvesting occurs. In early August, inter-row cultivation and weeding should be carried out, and digging trenches on both sides of the ridges should be used for topdressing cake fertilizer, 1,500 kg per hectare, and then urea should be applied twice, 300 kg each time. Combine fertilization with timely watering, keep the soil dry and wet, and generally water every 5 to 7 days.

Harvest

Root-falling eggplants and opposite eggplants should be harvested early to avoid wasting too much nutrients, which will affect the plant's nutritional growth and subsequent flowering and fruit setting.