Learn About Eggplant Growing Problems

Egg plants though commonly known as perennials are usually planted or grown as annuals. They are a tropical herbaceous plant which is mostly grown for its edible fruit though they can also be cooked as vegetables.

It is quite simple and easy to grow though they are warm weather plants and have a long growing period. They can be planted and grown in our garden and their different variety of colors can serve as ornaments.

Although most plants all have their own peculiarity each is not without its own shortcomings, however having adequate knowledge of the likely problem you may encounter will help you in your preparation when you are planning to plant your egg plants.

There are some problems that you may likely encounter in the process of growing the egg plants and adequate solution to overcome them will be shared in this article. Let us consider the following problems that you are likely to encounter in the process of planting and germination.

Read also: Learn about soaking Eggplant seeds before planting

1) Inadequate temperature can cause Physiological leaf roll: This can be seen when the leaves begin to sprout, you may notice that the leaves begins to roll on its own, though this is not caused by any known disease, hence it may be attributed to the weather or reaction to the temperature, however try to keep plants well watered to curb the rolling of leaves.

2) Another likely problem you may encounter is for the plants to have a fresh look with green leaves yet, produce little or no fruit at all: these may be due to lack of some essential element like phosphorous which is absent in the soil composition. These can be corrected by adding compost to the soil when preparing the soil beds for planting. Plant pollination can also be encouraged to help fruit production.

3) Poor sunlight can also cause plant growth to be stunted. Egg plants need full sun and in the case where your garden location can’t make that possible, you can plant the egg plants in containers and place them in the sunny area of your garden.

4) Pests: Garden and pests are quite inseparable and these pests’ loves to eat the plant leaves, hence adequate preparation must be put in place. Let’s look at some popular egg plants pests that are most likely to disturb your egg plants.

1. One of such is grubs. Although the first caution to be taken is to ensure that your garden space is free of debris, dirt and properly cared for. You can then handpick the grubs that may hide under the plant leaves.
2. Aphids are small insects such as praying mantis, lady bugs etc. that love to stay underneath the leaves of plant. These can be eradicated by spraying them with water and insecticidal soap. They can cause much damage to the egg plant if not properly dealt with and some of the harm they cause includes deformed leaves, discoloration, stunted growth of plants etc.
3. Another example of pests to watch out for are the leafhoppers or yellow bugs; these particular insects suck the juice off the leaves and the stems of the egg plants thereby making the appearance of the leaves look scorched and wilted and also cause weakness to the leaves. You can get rid of them by spraying with insecticides also.

5) Diseases: Of course plants and diseases cannot be overlooked because if they are overlooked or not treated or handled on time they can cause extreme damage to the plants. Let’s also consider some few diseases that are most likely to assault your egg plant:

1. Egg plants yellow or Fusarium wilt is a fungus disease that attacks the plants roots and attack the plants. They cause yellow patch to appear on the leaves and also cause them to wilt. The solution is to quickly remove the infected plants and ensure that your egg plants are planted in well drained soil.
2. Another kind of disease is the mosaic virus. They leave the plant leaves mottled and streaked with yellow. Unfortunately, the only cure for this is to remove and destroy the infected plant crop.

Read Also: Can You Plant Eggplant Seeds Directly In The Ground? If Yes, How

TIPS TO OVERCOMING EGGPLANT GROWING PROBLEMS

1. Plant them in an area where there is full sun and they can be protected from the wind.
2. Plant them in well draining soil rich in organic matter.
3. Plant the egg plants when the danger of frost is passed.
4. They benefit and do well with the addition of mulch to the soil to help retain soil moisture.
5. Try to keep the soil moist and avoid soil drying out and supply them regularly with water.
6. If they are planted in containers ensure the containers are roomy and give them plenty of water.
7. Egg plants benefits from extra nutrients like fertilizer.
8. Frequent weeding can also help to control pests and diseases.
9. Flowers may fall if there is a drop in temperature and that’s why it is advisable that the plants be sown into the soil during the warm weather.
10. Practicing crop rotation, reducing weed growth and proper spacing.

Read also: Learn About The Eggplant Growing Stages

Conclusion

I hope you find this article helpful. I would like to hear from you. So, let me know if you have any questions about Eggplant growing problems.