How to shape eggplants correctly?

The formation of eggplants is a procedure that summer residents carry out on a regular basis. If done correctly, the fruits will grow large and taste good.

In nature, eggplants grow on their own. However, they bear fruit well. But people who grow fruits at home should learn how to form eggplant bushes. This procedure solves a number of problems.

• Makes bushes more compact... It is possible to grow bushes without pinching and pinching only in large areas. If the eggplants are planted in small beds or greenhouses, shaping the plants will make them more compact.
• Accelerates the fruiting process of plants. If you remove all the extra shoots in time, the flowers on the bush will appear faster. After all, all the forces of the plant at this time will be directed specifically at fruiting, and not at gaining green mass.
• Protects plants from common diseases. The wide foliage of the eggplant greatly thickens the garden bed. Because of this, suitable conditions are formed on the site for the development of fungal diseases. If you remove excess foliage in time, the risk of spreading rot, late blight or black leg on the site will not be so high. In addition, fewer pests will appear on the site.
• Simplifies the process of plant care... Having formed neat bushes, the gardener will be able to save time on weeding the beds. Since the plants will be less likely to get sick, people will not have to deal with plant healing as well. Harvesting from compact bushes will also be much easier.

You need to start forming bushes about 12-20 days after planting the seedlings in a permanent place.... The more specific time for this procedure depends on the characteristics of the variety. After all, some plants develop faster, others a little slower. This procedure should not be carried out too early. The fact is that eggplants are difficult to transfer from place to place. Therefore, they should definitely be given time to adapt. If you wait a little, the plant will grow faster.

In the future, all excess tops and shoots should be removed every 10-14 days. Particular attention should be paid to the formation of the bush during the flowering period of the culture. At this time, the gardener is determined by how many fruits will be on one plant.

There are several ways to pinch eggplants. Each scheme has its own characteristics.

• One stem. This method allows you to quickly accelerate the growth and maturation of "blue". It is most convenient to grow such plants in small greenhouses. Forming a bush, the gardener leaves only one stem. He must be the strongest and healthiest. The lower part of the stem is cleaned of excess green foliage. Cut it off completely. But at the same time, you must try not to injure the surface of the stem. After that, it is tied to a vertical support.This is best done with twine or wide pieces of fabric. You should not use wire for this purpose. It can damage fragile eggplant stems. In the future, you need to remove all lateral shoots that have no color and ovary. They only take nutrients from the young bush.
• Two stems. This is one of the most versatile ways to pinch "blue". After such treatment, about 10-12 fruits remain on each plant. This method is suitable for tall, thin-stemmed eggplants. In this way, you can cut bushes growing both in greenhouses or greenhouses, and in the open field. To get an excellent harvest, you need to choose two strong stems. The rest of the greens must be removed. In order for all the nutrients to reach the large ovaries, the gardener needs to remove not only the lateral shoots, but also the new buds that appear on the bushes.
• Three stems or more... This pinching method is best for strong greenhouse plants. The bushes are formed according to the same principle as in previous cases. First you need to find one strong stem. The other two shoots are selected from well-developed young specimens. Such large bushes need to be watered and fed regularly. Only in this case will the plants receive enough nutrients for normal development.

Eggplant bushes are usually pinched after each one has grown to 30 centimeters. Pinching the stem slows down the growth of the plant. This procedure helps the plants stay more compact and tidy.

In the process, the gardener carefully removes the top of the shoot. Thanks to this procedure, the growth of young buds is accelerated. Do not cut off too much of the stem. This can harm the young plant. If the bush grows in open beds, pinching can be dispensed with. Especially if the weather is not too rainy.

When starting the formation of "blue", it is important to take into account the peculiarities of the cultivation of the culture.

In closed greenhouses, eggplants grow quickly. They gain a large amount of green mass. At the same time, the plants have a rather poor yield. The fix for this problem is quite simple. First you need to wait until the seedlings grow up. Next, the upper part of the main stem must be carefully removed. After 12-16 days, young growth is formed on the bush. At this time, it is required to highlight several strong stepsons. The rest of the greens must be removed.

In the future, you just need to monitor the development of the bushes. New branches will appear in the leaf sinuses. They should be examined regularly and only the strongest of the sprouts should be kept. The rest of the greens must be removed. When the plants begin to bloom, it is important to ensure that there is no more than one ovary on each shoot. If there are too many fruits, the bush simply will not support their weight. Because of this, it will break very quickly. There is no rush when working with bushes growing in a greenhouse. Eggplant stems in such conditions remain more fragile and juicy. Therefore, it is much easier to break them.

Outdoor eggplant care looks a little different. If you constantly cut off the lower leaves, the soil next to the stem will dry out quickly. To prevent this from happening, you should only remove the excess growth. The process of forming bushes growing in beds consists of the following steps.

• Two weeks after planting green seedlings in open ground, the tops of the plants must be removed.
• When a lateral overgrowth appears, several strong stems must be selected and all unnecessary stepchildren must be removed.
• After such treatment, the bushes should be sprinkled with clean wood ash. It shouldn't contain any impurities. If this is not done, the plants will take too long to recover.
• You can determine the need for cleaning the lower foliage, focusing on the weather conditions. If the summer is hot and dry, most of the greenery should be left. She will be able to protect the soil from drying out. In a rainy summer, greens, on the contrary, are removed. If foliage and fruits touch the soil, "blue" ones can get sick.

In order not to harm their plants, gardeners should remember the most popular mistakes made in the process of forming bushes.

• Formation of all bushes according to the same principle... This is one of the main mistakes. Different types of eggplant differ in their size and bush shape. Therefore, you need to pinch and pinch them in different ways. In the process, it is worth focusing on the appearance of the plant and its condition.
• Untimely pinching... If this procedure is carried out too late, the crop yield will not increase, but decrease. Removing shoots that are too mature can seriously harm the eggplant.
• Pinching of weakened plants. You should not cut off aching eggplants, as well as bushes that develop too slowly and poorly. Plants must first be cured, and only then cut off.

The following tips will help the gardener to increase the productivity of the bushes and make them healthier.

• It is best to practice the formation of bushes in the early morning or late evening. If you prune greens in the heat, plants will take longer to recover from such a procedure.
• Do not pinch the early ripening varieties of "blue".
• Leaves and ovaries can be removed manually... The shoot is gently squeezed with your fingers, and then bent and unbent several times. They do this until it breaks itself. A sharp pruning shear is used to trim thick shoots. It is important to disinfect it before using it. In this case, the plant will not be infected with a fungal disease.
• When cutting off a bush, first of all, all dried and deformed foliage is removed from it. Leftover greens should be young and strong.
• Having finished with the formation of the bush, it must be properly tied up. You can attach the plant to both metal and wooden supports. Mounts should be soft. Rigid wire or nylon threads can damage the fragile eggplant stems. If the bushes were planted next to a high fence or some kind of support, you do not need to do this. The stems themselves will neatly trudge upward.
• The greenhouse in which the eggplant grows must be regularly ventilated. In this case, the risk of spreading various diseases is also reduced, and the fruits grow large.