Eggplants are tasty and healthy vegetables. They are always on sale in the supermarket, but what distinguishes an avid gardener from an ordinary buyer is the desire to grow vegetables on their own plot. Greenhouse eggplant can please you with a luxurious harvest, but if you do not adhere to the rules, disappointment cannot be avoided.
We solve the problem of lack of ovary depending on the cause
Eggplant is a capricious crop that loves warmth and light. Therefore, in cool areas, for example, such as the North-West region or the Non-Black Earth zone of Russia, the fastidious vegetable is best grown in greenhouses. Growing eggplant requires patience and care from the gardener. And how frustrating it can be when you try to follow all the rules of agricultural technology, but there is no harvest.
A real gardener would prefer to grow his own eggplant crop.
Very often in greenhouse conditions this problem occurs - the crop blooms very profusely, but the fruits do not set. What interferes with the process of crop formation?
- Temperature in the greenhouse during planting of seedlings. It is necessary to plant eggplant seedlings in protected soil when the temperature in it is not lower than 16°C. In a heated greenhouse there are no problems. But in an unheated room, difficulties may arise due to fluctuations in day and night temperatures. Therefore, seedlings should be planted in such a greenhouse at the end of May, when the threat of return frosts has completely passed.
- Temperature during flowering and ovary formation. In order for the crop to set fruit safely, it needs a comfortable temperature - 25 – 28°C. If there is an increase in these indicators, pollen viability decreases. At 35°C it becomes completely sterile, and the plant can shed the formed ovaries. When the thermometer drops sharply to 8°C, you can also forget about a good harvest.
In order for the eggplant to bloom normally and form ovaries, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime
- Watering. Eggplant is a crop that loves abundant watering. But overwatering and overdrying of the soil lead to shedding of flowers.. When moisturizing, use only warm water - about 25°C. The plant experiences shock from cold moisture, which can cause the ovaries to fall off.
To heat water for watering eggplants, just place the bucket in a sunny place
- Humidity. High humidity environment(above 80%) has a detrimental effect on yield. Therefore, when watering, try to prevent moisture from getting on the leaves and flowers of the eggplant.
- Feeding. There is no way to do without fertilizer when growing eggplants. But excess nitrogen during seedling growth will lead to excessive growth green mass to the detriment of fruiting.
- Neighborhood. Many sources advise growing eggplants in a separate greenhouse. But not everyone can afford this. Therefore, try to maintain crop rotation. Do not plant them after nightshades, tobacco and physalis. Cucumbers, legumes and cabbage are good predecessors. A wonderful neighbor to eggplant is bell pepper.
Eggplant and pepper in one greenhouse - a great combination
- Pests. If the eggplants bloom well, the ovaries begin to appear, but then, suddenly you discover that the flowers and the ovary have fallen off, check the bushes for the presence of the Colorado potato beetle. This pest loves to nibble on the peduncle.
Nuances with which you can increase the formation of ovaries in a greenhouse
In addition to following the rules listed above, there are some more nuances, the observance of which will help you get a good harvest.
- variety selection - for greenhouse cultivation try to choose only hybrid varieties of early and medium ripening;
From the many varieties of eggplant, choose those that are suitable for greenhouses
- before planting, be sure to check the seeds for germination and treat them;
- prepare the soil - eggplant will not grow in acidic, heavy and infertile soils. Therefore, before planting you need to carry out preparatory work:
- reduce acidity;
- increase looseness by adding coarse sand or peat for digging;
- increase nutritional value by adding balanced fertilizers to the soil, including nitrogen, boron, potassium, phosphorus, iron and manganese;
- plant strong and hardened seedlings - weak plants usually drop flowers and ovaries. If this happens, you can increase the immunity of the eggplant by treating the bush with Epin Extra solution or Novosil;
- increase the level of flowering and fruit set by spraying with one of the fruit formation stimulants - Ovary or Bud;
To increase fruit formation, you can treat eggplant with a special preparation.
- To reduce the temperature in the greenhouse and normalize the humidity level, it is necessary to carry out ventilation. But make sure that the eggplant is not in a draft;
- despite the fact that eggplant is a self-pollinating plant, in a greenhouse one can observe poor fruit set due to the lack normal movement air masses To help the plant, carry out artificial pollination - to do this, lightly shake the flowering branches, then the pollen can move from one flower to another. You can also use a soft brush to transfer pollen;
The eggplant flower is bisexual, that is, self-pollinating
- Lighting is another factor influencing fruiting. In dense shade, the plant blooms late, and the fruit may not set at all. Eggplant is a plant of short daylight hours, for normal level It only takes 10-12 hours a day to form the ovary.
So that the capricious eggplant blooms and bears fruit for a long time, create for him comfortable conditions. IN closed ground it's easy to do. But if a problem arises, carefully analyze the situation and eliminate unfavorable factors.
Eggplant is a true southerner. This is the most heat-loving and capricious vegetable of the nightshades. It is afraid of temperature changes, suffers seriously even from slight frosts and is very demanding on soil moisture. Eggplants have particularly high demands on heat and moisture during fruiting. Fruits may not appear at all. If you don’t please the eggplants, the ovary will simply fall off.
To ensure a guaranteed harvest of eggplants, you need to plant varieties adapted to the weather in your area. Usually the Almaz variety is planted for these purposes. And the remaining varieties occupy no more than 2/3 of the area.
In order for the plants to have time to produce a harvest, seedlings are planted at the age of 6080 days. Since eggplant bushes are large, they are planted according to a 50x70 cm pattern.
Down with the extra inflorescences
If you want to get fruits of the highest quality, you will have to start rationing the inflorescences. To do this, after 10-15 inflorescences have formed on the bush, half of the top ones can be removed - the bush won’t be able to pull it all out anyway.
Eggplants in a greenhouse
In greenhouses, plants grow to large sizes. Therefore, the bushes need to be normalized, leaving 2-3 of the strongest shoots, and removing the rest. We tie the remaining shoots to the trellis. This is especially important for indeterminate varieties, that is, those with unlimited growth.
We don’t just form early ripening varieties– they produce only 5-8 fruits and stop growing themselves.
The fruits will set more actively if the trellis is periodically shaken. This simple technique will improve pollination of flowers.
Why do flowers fall off?
Eggplants have one problem - the flowers often fall off without setting fruit. The reason is temperature changes. Eggplant fruits set when the temperature at night does not drop below +15° C.
The second feature of eggplants is that they love water even more than peppers. The soil under eggplants should be moist all the time. If the soil dries out, the buds, flowers and even ovaries will fall off.
About fertilizing
He loves eggplant and fertilizing, so he needs to be fed every 10 days. First of all, they rely on nitrogen. Therefore, ammonium nitrate or urea must be on hand. Although they will do complex fertilizers, which contain at least 20% nitrogen.
You can replace mineral fertilizers with chicken manure. Eggplants respond well to feeding with microelements: copper, manganese and molybdenum.
About pests
Loves eggplants very much spider mite, so you need to grow it alone, away from tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. If the mite does appear, then until the fruits have set, you can use Actelik or Fufanon against it.
What is the most offensive thing for a vegetable grower? Well, of course, lack of harvest. The plants bloom, but the fruits do not set. Most of the questions in reader mail concern this problem with eggplants. Associate Professor of the Department of Vegetable Crops of the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences Anna Gordeeva will help us understand the reasons for this phenomenon.
And the first thing Anna Petrovna draws attention to is that eggplant is a very complex crop: it is not always possible to create comfortable conditions for it - neither in a film greenhouse, nor in open ground. Therefore, flowers will fall off almost always, more or less. But if you take into account all the needs of this southern plant, then the harvest can be harvested to the maximum.
First of all, you need to conduct a soil analysis: eggplant does not like compacted, swampy and cold soils. But on soils rich in organic matter, moisture- and breathable with a neutral reaction (PH 5.5 - 6), it grows magnificently.
The landing location is also important. Eggplants should not be planted after crops of the nightshade family - tomatoes, potatoes, physalis, tobacco and shag. And it can be returned to its original place only after 3 - 4 years. Therefore, in greenhouses and greenhouses, a kind of crop rotation should also be observed. Or change the soil.
Seeds infected with viruses can also cause failure. Therefore, it is best to plant only zoned varieties.
Poor fruit set may also be the result of poor insect pollination. This often happens in protected ground conditions. Then you will have to carry out artificial pollination. To do this, pollen is taken from the mature yellow anthers of a flower with a brush and applied to the stigma of another flower. The best pollen for pollination is considered to be the pollen of a flower that has just begun to open.
Scheduled meals
Eggplant is a big nitrogen lover. The first feeding is carried out 2 - 3 weeks after transplantation: 3 tbsp. l. azophoska per 10 liters of water and 0.5 liters for each plant. The second - during mass flowering. And after the fruits begin to set, you can add an infusion of manure (1:10), chicken manure (1:20) or weeds (1:5). Previously, you should not switch to natural organic matter: the plant will shed its ovaries. And be sure to add 100 - 150 g of superphosphate to a bucket of infused organic matter.
If not organic fertilizers, add in several doses (at the specified time) 400 g of urea or ammonium nitrate, 500 g of superphosphate and 50 g of potassium sulfate. Measurement is important when working with fertilizers: if there is a lack of nitrogen, the eggplant will sharply slow down its growth, and if there is an excess of it, it will slow down the formation of fruits.
You should not feed eggplants with fertilizers containing chlorine, ammonium chloride, or potassium chloride.
Despite the fact that eggplant is a nitrogen-loving plant, it also needs phosphorus and potassium.
Phosphorus fertilizers will enhance root growth and the formation of generative organs, and also accelerate the ripening of fruits. With phosphorus deficiency, the plant turns into a dwarf, the buds fall off, and the ovaries develop poorly.
Potassium fertilizers increase resistance to disease. Microelements (especially molybdenum, boron and copper) are also necessary for growth, development and fruiting.
As a rule, weak plants shed flowers and ovaries. To strengthen their immune system, treat eggplants with Epin-Extroy, Ecosil or Novosil.
Destroying Thirst
The reason for the dropping of buds, flowers and ovaries may also be drying out of the soil. The optimal relative humidity is about 60%.
Eggplant is a moisture-loving crop. But with excessive soil moisture, when air access to the roots decreases, the leaves turn pale and yellow, and the buds and flowers very often fall off.
Therefore, watering is one of the main conditions for obtaining good harvest eggplant. Plants need to be watered every 7 - 10 days, giving per 10 square meters. m 400 - 500 liters of water. The water must be warm - not lower than plus 20 degrees. After the “water procedures,” the greenhouses must be ventilated, and the next day the soil must be loosened. You can also mulch it.
Let there be light!
It is believed that the eggplant sets fruit only if straight lines fall on the flower. Sun rays. The slightest shading by buildings and plants adjacent to the greenhouse will inevitably lead to crop loss. Or even its complete absence. Additional “lightening” is recommended - cutting off the leaves that cover the flowers. But don’t get too carried away: still the main task foliage - delivery of nutrition to fruits.
Eggplant - plant short day, blooming only when its length is no more than 14 hours. That is, from the end of June, when the days begin to get shorter. Reducing its length to 10 - 12 hours (with high light intensity at the same time) allows you to speed up the onset of fruiting.
Daylight hours can also be reduced artificially. To do this, it is enough to install a frame over the plants and cover it with light-proof material. And you need to remove thick fabric, for example, from 7.00 - 9.00 to 18.00. But if you decide to darken your eggplants, then do it every day. Irregular darkening will only harm the plants.
Warm but not hot
Eggplant, like any southerner, loves to soak up the sun. In terms of heat requirements, it surpasses tomatoes and even peppers. It grows and develops normally only at a temperature of plus 22 - 28 degrees. If the thermometer during flowering rises above plus 30, then the plants almost stop growing, the buds and flowers that have bloomed by this time fall off, and the pollen itself becomes sterile.
Cool weather is also not good for the future harvest: at plus 14 degrees and below, the eggplant generally freezes. It is especially sensitive to lower temperatures during the formation of buds and flowers.
At night the temperature should not drop below plus 12 - 15 degrees. During frosts, plants in greenhouses are additionally covered with hay, lutrasil or spunbond. It has been noticed that at low night temperatures, early-ripening varieties lose fewer flowers and ovaries than mid- and late-ripening varieties.
And if on long time the temperature will drop to plus 6 - 8 degrees, irreversible physiological changes will occur in the plant and you can forget about the harvest altogether.
In cold, cloudy weather, the plant slows down its development and, as if preparing for difficult times, intensively sheds flowers and ovaries. Therefore, if it suddenly gets colder or prolonged rains begin, spray the plants on the leaves with a solution of calcium nitrate - 1 tbsp. spoon per 10 liters of water.
Help "SB"
Eggplant varieties zoned in Belarus and suitable for growing in protected soil are “adona”, “combo”, “patsekha”, “rada”, “Lara”, “orion”, “scorpio”, “kulon”, “bourgeois” , “bull heart”, “maria”, “prince”, “black moon”, “black dragon”, “scimitar”, “long purple”, “black handsome”, “atos”, “cherni prince”, “amethyst” , “taste of mushrooms.”
Eggplant is an overseas guest from India. It is recognized as one of the most difficult crops to grow. Since the vegetable is capricious, demanding on the level of humidity in neutral and organic-rich soil, it grows with humidified air, the presence of sufficient nitrogen, sunlight and warmth. Today you will learn why eggplants do not set in a greenhouse, the main reasons and ways to eliminate them.
Temperature violation
In order for cultures to grow normally and fully develop, they require the creation temperature regime at 25 - 27 degrees Celsius. If the temperature in the greenhouse is below + 15 - 18 degrees, the plant will not only stop developing, but will freeze.
During flowering, this is fraught with drying and falling off of the barren flower. Since in in this case the ovary will not be able to form. If, on the contrary, the thermometer rises to +32, then you should not expect either pollination or the formation of ovaries.
Video “Causes of absence of ovary”
From the video you will learn why eggplants may not set.
Unsuitable soil
In addition to a certain temperature, plants are able to fully develop only in soil that has an optimal composition. She must be fertile good drainage and neutral acidity level. If you have clay or podzolic soil, which is not only acidic and dense, but also cannot warm up properly, you run the risk of not seeing fruits forming on your crops. Therefore, checking whether the soil composition is suitable for growing eggplants is the main concern of every gardener. The land should be well fertilized. 
The disadvantage of this important element, like nitrogen, can lead to the absence of ovary. To plant eggplants, you can use a mixture consisting of turf soil with humus in a ratio of 1:2. A mixture of humus and peat in the same proportion is also suitable. Experienced gardeners For normal heating of the earth, compost or rotted humus is placed in the trenches in the fall. They are excellent biofuels.
Cucumbers, cabbage, and onions are considered good predecessors of nightshades. It is better not to plant them after other nightshades or peppers. It is recommended to replant eggplants in the old place after 3 years. The soil should be moist and well loosened by the time of planting.
Insufficient or improper watering
The reason that the ovaries will not be able to set can also be improper watering. The greenhouse should maintain moderate humidity. Depends on sufficient watering good flowering, the formation of ovaries and, accordingly, the opportunity to harvest a rich harvest of your favorite vegetables in the future. 
If the plant begins to set, but receives little water, it will respond with a delay in the formation of buds and fruits. Because their natural nutrition will be disrupted. The same thing happens with excessive fluid stagnation. Since sufficient oxygen cannot reach the roots. Normally, eggplants need rare but abundant watering. The soil should be moistened no more than 40 - 50 cm deep.
Fertilizers
Why does it happen that eggplants don’t set? A number of reasons can be cited for introducing a large amount of fertilizing. This is the result of the desire to get an early and rich harvest of vegetables.
Don't overdo it with organic and mineral fertilizers. This is fraught with the growth of green mass in crops. In this case, there will be too few flower stalks, they will dry out and fall off.
Excess nitrogen
Nitrogen is what experts call the element included in fertilizers that needs to be added to the soil at certain time of the year. It is recommended to do this in early spring. Because if you fertilize with a nitrogen-containing product during the growing season, the crop will inevitably receive great stress. 
In response, she will instantly react with the absence of ovaries and flowering. And then you shouldn’t hope to get a harvest of healthy and tasty vegetables. Determining excess nitrogen in the soil is not so difficult even for a novice gardener. The signal will be the falling and drying of eggplant flowers, which have just begun to appear on the plants. Adding small amounts of elements such as potassium and phosphorus to the soil will help correct the situation. Fertilizing beds with ash will also be effective. It is known for its ability to combat high nitrogen concentrations in the soil.
Excess pollen
This beautiful representative of the nightshade family is a self-fertile crop. The pollen is quite heavy. Therefore, it cannot be carried over a distance exceeding 1 meter. In order for the ovaries to form in normal quantities, you need to shake them a little in the morning. You need to act carefully so as not to harm the plants. Even when pollination is carried out manually, the possibility of eggplants losing a certain number of ovaries cannot be ruled out. This can happen due to the presence of low or too high temperature environment. 
Since the optimal temperature regime for the crop is within 25 - 35 degrees Celsius. It is recommended to cultivate eggplants in greenhouse conditions. Since in the open ground weather with prolonged rains is dangerous for them. If avoided negative consequences the temperature regime was not violated, use the drugs “Immunodeficiency” and “Novosil”.
When the ovaries fall off and there are no fruits, products such as “Bud”, “Ovary”, “Gibbersib”, which are used to spray the plantings, have proven themselves well in practice. All drugs contain a special substance called gibberellin.
It is necessary for the culture during its flowering period. Eggplant is able to independently produce this component. But in case of absence necessary conditions gibberellin is not released in sufficient quantities. Therefore, the ovaries eventually fall off. After spraying, ovary growth is often stimulated. To do this, the plant needs to be dipped. Cauterizing the pestle with a strong solution of potassium permanganate is also popular.
Video “Growing eggplants”
From the video you will learn how to properly grow eggplants.
Eggplants - capricious vegetable crop, during the cultivation of which gardeners are often faced with the absence of ovaries on the plant. This can happen for a number of reasons, including improper watering, temperature fluctuations or poor soil. In addition, eggplants may not set in a greenhouse due to poor quality of seedlings or incorrect proximity.
Possible reasons
It is quite difficult to achieve fruiting of a plant grown from seeds, even in greenhouses. Often eggplants bloom, but do not set fruit. The reasons may lie in the low quality of seeds or non-compliance with agricultural practices:
- incorrect watering mode;
- soil devoid nutrients;
- improper lighting;
- temperature fluctuations.
The reason may be poor-quality seedlings or improper cultivation. Young shoots have an underdeveloped root system, during transplantation it is easily damaged. Therefore, in order not to harm the plant, it is better to grow vegetables for seedlings in large containers.
Seed quality
Often, gardeners prefer not to buy ready-made seeds, but grow vegetables themselves to obtain them. Collecting seed eggplants that have not reached technical maturity will not allow obtaining high-quality material. In addition, to obtain high-quality seeds, it is necessary to provide the plant with spatial isolation to avoid cross-pollination.
To test for germination, seeds must be placed in a weak saline solution for 30 minutes. Those that float to the surface will be empty and will not germinate.
When purchasing ready-made material, it is necessary to use zoned varieties and hybrids adapted for growing in greenhouses, taking into account climatic features. Otherwise, the eggplants will not form an ovary after flowering.
Neighborhood
An important point when growing eggplants in a greenhouse is the correct proximity. The culture grows well next to bell pepper, since both vegetables require the same conditions: root watering, loosening the soil and fertilizing, which must be carried out at least four times during the entire growing season. Eggplants also tolerate radishes well, Chinese cabbage, onions, spinach and lettuce in one greenhouse. Legumes are considered one of the best companions, the cultivation of which can increase soil fertility.
Growing eggplants and cucumbers or tomatoes together in the same greenhouse is not recommended, since the long vines of the former will create unwanted shadow, and tomatoes need cooler air. With the proximity of these cultures it is impossible to create optimal conditions for the successful growth of both.
Eggplants can lag behind in growth, drop buds and fail to set if vegetables belonging to the Solanaceae family - tomatoes, peppers, potatoes - were previously grown in their place in the greenhouse.
Unsuitable soil
Eggplants are demanding on soil. For healthy plant growth in a greenhouse, light, nutritious soil rich in nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, boron, manganese and iron is required. The soil is loosened to saturate it with oxygen, but this must be done carefully so as not to damage the roots. With a lack of nutrients, eggplants bloom, but do not form an ovary or are stunted in growth. To prevent this from happening, the soil in the greenhouse is prepared in the fall and fertilized with rotted manure or compost.
Another important nuance is the soil temperature. By the time the seedlings are planted in the greenhouse, it must be warmed up.
Violation of the watering regime
Eggplants are moisture-loving, but at the same time they do not tolerate waterlogged soil. Therefore, in order for the plant to bear fruit in greenhouse conditions, you need to follow the recommendations for watering it. Eggplants require root irrigation. Sprinkling will negatively affect his health.
In addition, the plant does not tolerate humid air, especially during the flowering period. This creates difficulties with pollination and promotes the formation of empty flower buds, so ventilation is necessary after watering. Watering vegetables in a greenhouse is carried out in the morning and only warm water, cold irrigation will delay flowering.
Lack of nutrition
Another reason for the lack of ovary in eggplants in a greenhouse is the lack of fertilizing. Throughout the entire growing season, at least four are carried out:
- The first is two weeks after planting the seedlings in the greenhouse. It is better to use complex fertilizers containing all the necessary microelements, including nitrogen.
- During flowering, it is recommended to apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. However, it must be taken into account that their effectiveness decreases without nitrogen.
- The third feeding is carried out during the period of fruit formation. It is better to use nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer for it.
- The latter is carried out a month before harvest.
Phosphorus promotes flowering, ovary and development of the root system. Potassium increases resistance to diseases, improves the quality and quantity of fruits. Nitrogen in the soil is necessary for the growth of green mass. A lack of iron and manganese provokes the development of chlorosis.
When applying fertilizers, it is important not to overdo it and not to overfeed the plants. Otherwise, eggplants will increase their green mass due to ovary and fruit formation.
Solutions to the problem
Every gardener who grows eggplants in greenhouses should know what to do when the plant does not set fruit. To eliminate this problem, you need to comply with the basic requirements of agricultural technology:
- Before planting seedlings in the greenhouse, warm the soil and apply fertilizer.
- Consider the recommended proximity or cultivate eggplants separately from other vegetables.
- Provide a temperature of +25°C in the greenhouse and do not allow the thermometer to deviate by more than 5°C in any direction.
- Produce root feeding in a timely manner.
- Observe correct mode watering and avoiding humid air in the greenhouse.
- Loosen the soil.
In addition, for healthy plant growth, it is recommended to pluck off diseased leaves, as well as lower and non-fruiting branches. Eggplant is a self-pollinating plant. For better pollination, shake it periodically. This technique promotes the formation of the ovary.
Plants with a low level of immunity drop flowers and do not set. To support it, it is necessary to provide proper care. Only by complying with all the requirements of agricultural technology can a rich harvest of eggplants be achieved in greenhouse conditions.
