Brinjal is a hot climate vegetable grown in garden areas and a container. It tastes well when harvested young. If you want to grow Brinjal plant in your garden spaces, follow this stepwise guide and grow them happily.

Brinjal is a perennial plant in south Asia, but in some warm and humid areas of North America, the plant can be grown as annual species. Since this is a tropical plant, it requires a high temperature to grow.

It grows faster during the summer season and can tolerate temperatures between 70° and 85°F (21° and 30°C). However, Brinjal’s growth is slowed during the winter season. 

Brinjal will grow downward like pepper and tomato and hang from the branches. It requires raised beds that are enriched with manure and fertilizers. The plant can be grown in a container.

The Brinjal has a vibrant dark purple color, and their shape may vary from oval to gourd shape and large cylindrical shape. 

Also read: 21 Eggplant Companion Plants (5 Plants to Avoid)

Planting Tips to Grow Brinjal

The Brinjal plant requires full sunlight for at least 6-8 hours daily. It also requires well-drained sandy soil rich in organic matter.

Gardeners can mix one inch of compost, well-rotted manure, and fertilizers in the ratio of 5-10-5 on the plant bed. The pH of the soil must be adjusted to 5.8-6.5 for excellent growth. 

If you are growing your plant in a container, use a dark-colored container that can absorb sunlight.

Plant one Brinjal plant in a 5-gallon pot and keep it outdoors for pollination. Use the premium quality potting mix to grow this plant and control the disease. 

Related: How to Prepare Soil for Planting in Pots

When to Plant Brinjal

The right time to grow Brinjal is six weeks before spring frosting time. There are a few things to take care of before planting Brinjal. Here are those: 

• Start seeding indoors into the pot filled with organic compost-rich soil. Be sure to start seeding at least 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost condition.

• The seeds of the Brinjal plant germinate quickly at high temperatures such as 70° to 90°F (21° to 32°C).

• Alternatively, you can purchase a 6-8 week old transplant to avoid seeding problems.

• Avoid planting Brinjal in your garden spaces until the frost season.

• Purchased high-quality transplants from the nursery and avoided purchasing spindly or tall plants already at the blossom stage. 

Thinking to grow garlic in your home? Don’t worry we have covered it for you. Check out the guide on how to grow and care for garlic.

How to Plant Brinjal Seeds

Till now, you have learned how to plant and when to plant brinjal plant. We hope that were easy points for you to follow.

Now, we will mention all the steps that will help you to grow brinjal plant with ease. Following these tips will ensure that you will have brinjals in no time. 

• Start with seed sowing in indoor places. Then, sow the seed into the peat pots at least ¼ deep.

• When the spring frost passes away and the daytime temperatures rise above 70° to 75°F (60° to 65°F at night), sow the seedlings in soil 24-30 inches apart in the rows.

• After sowing seeds, use a black plastic cover or mulch to keep the soil warm before sowing transplants. The mulch help to set the ideal temperature if the temperature outside is not favorable for the growth of Brinjal.

• Set at least 24 inches long stakes after planting Brinjal. Use a cage to provide support to the growing plant. Do not disturb the soil. The Brinjal plant will automatically fall when it gets loaded with fruits. 

• Do not forget to add water regularly to keep the soil moist. Add mulch into the soil so that it can retain moisture. 

• If you are growing this plant in a cold climate, then use row covers to keep your plant warm and sheltered. 

• Keep the row cover open when the brinjal plant is young. It helps to receive sunlight and lets the flowers pollinate with bees.

This is how you can plant brinjal seeds in your home garden. The following section will talk about growing tips for the brinjal plant. Have a look! 

Spinach is one vegetable that you can grow without seeds easily.

How to Grow Brinjal

You have planted the seeds in the soil but what after that once the brinjal plant started growing or are very young.

Here are some of the tips that will help you to grow brinjal plant most adequately. 

• Pour water into the soil regularly at a depth of 6 inches to keep the soil moist. Do not overwater the plant, as it may damage the roots. Always water with a hose that has a dripping system.

• The most critical time for the moisture is when the fruits are about to develop. Odd shape brinjal will not develop due to inadequate water, so be sure to add water in the proper quantity. 

• Add mulch as it helps to maintain ideal moisture and reduce the growth of the weed. Moreover, it is helpful to conserve water.

• It requires nutrition-rich soil so ensure to add fertilizer once after two weeks. Avoid adding excessive nitrogen, as it can affect the plant’s growth. Apply the fertilizers with the help of a drip irrigation system.

• You can restrict only 5-6 fruits per plant to bigger plants or only fruits. Pinch out extra flowers that may develop on the plant. 

• The plant is delicate and may fall if the fruit’s load is high. So, ensure a stake café that can support the growing plant. If you have planted this plant into the container, stake all the stems before it starts producing fruits. 

• Pinch out all the terminal growing flowers of the bushier plant and the central points from where the new shoots are arising. Also, pinch out the new buds and leaves forming on the plant. 

• The plant is highly susceptible to the fluctuating temperature, such as hot days above 95°F/35°C and cool night temperatures below 55°F/13°C. It can result in poor fruits.

• Therefore, cover your plant during cold nights and provide adequate shelter during hot sunny days to protect your plant. 

These are some of the best tips to grow brinjal plant right in your home garden. Ensuring these will make sure you have brinjals in your plant that you can harvest in the season. 

Grow many other vegetables by reading our post on what things you need to grow vegetables at home.

How to Harvest Brinjal

Harvesting brinjals is not easy from the matured plant. It required patience and a whole lot of technique while harvesting the brinjals from the plants.

• Depending on the type, you can harvest brinjal 65 to 80 days after transplantation. Expect a 100–120 day growth cycle when beginning from seed.

• Depending on the location and the kind you have planted, you can harvest Brinjal throughout July, August, September, and possibly October.

• Don’t put off harvesting too long! When gathered early, Brinjal has the finest flavor. The plant will then use its energy to produce fresh fruit.

• The plant will produce a lot if you harvest it frequently and early. Once they are prepared, check on them every two to three days.

• The best indicator of when to pick fruit is when it’s skin doesn’t bounce back when you lightly push it with your finger.

• Fruits can taste unpleasant if harvested when under-ripe or overripe; thus, harvesting requires a little skill. Fruit skin should be uniformly colored, shiny, and free of wrinkles. 
  
• The Brinjal seeds should be mushy but well-formed when you cut them open. The fruit will affect the taste of the skin and seems withered, and the inside seedlings are black and firm.

• Avoid pulling the fruit when collecting it since it didn’t come out. Instead, cut the fruit close to the stalk just above the green calyx in front. Let the niche of the stem be attached to the plant.

• However, if the growing season is prolonged enough for repeat harvesting, you can clip the plants down like pepper since the calyx could be thorny.

• When the Japanese Brinjal become long like fingers, they are ready to harvest. 

But, you need not worry, we have given you the harvesting tips that will help you to harvest brinjals. 

These are some of the harvesting tips that you should take care of when your brinjal plant is mature enough and start producing fruits.

How to Grow Brinjal Plant

This is all we have for you in our guide explaining how to grow brinjal plants. We have mentioned everything from growing to caring tips that will help you to grow brinjal plant healthy. 

Brinjal is an easy-growing and caring plant. Gardeners can grow them in the areas by following the above simple tips.

However, they are prone to pests and diseases. Usually, they get attacked by insects, so be sure to apply insecticides to avoid damage to the plant.

Alternatively, you can handpick the insects and destroy them. Also, maintain ideal temperature conditions to grow this plant adequately in your area. 

What do you think? Do you fancy enough to grow brinjal plants after reading our guide? We would love to know your answer. DO mention us in the comments section below.

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