Contents
It is already difficult to surprise someone with eggplant beds. And experienced gardeners try to plant new varieties on the site every season. Only on personal experience can you check the quality of the fruit and evaluate the novelty.
Hybrid description
Mid-season eggplant Behemoth F1 belongs to hybrid varieties. Differs in high productivity. The bushes are characterized by moderate pubescence (oval-shaped leaves) and grow up to 75-145 cm in film greenhouses, and up to 2,5 m in glazed structures. The period from germination to the first ripe vegetables is 100-112 days.
Fruits ripen weighing up to 250-340 g. Eggplant has a rich purple color and a skin with a smooth, shiny surface (as in the photo). Pear-shaped fruits grow 14-18 cm long, about 8 cm in diameter. The yellowish-white flesh has an average density, almost without bitterness.
Advantages of eggplant varieties Behemoth F 1:
- beautiful coloring of fruits;
- high yield – about 17-17,5 kg of fruit can be harvested per square meter;
- excellent taste qualities of eggplant (no bitterness);
- the plant has a weak thorniness.
The yield of one bush is approximately from 2,5 to 6 kg and is determined by the climatic features of the region.
Cultivation
Since the Behemoth variety is mid-season, it is recommended to start sowing seeds at the end of February.
Sowing stages
Before planting, the seed material is treated with growth stimulants (“Pasliny”, “Athlete”). Such a procedure increases the germination of seeds, reduces the likelihood of seedling diseases, and increases the duration of flowering. To do this, the fabric is moistened in a solution and grains are wrapped in it.
- As soon as the grains hatch, they are seated in separate cups. As a primer, you can use a special soil mixture offered by flower shops. Pits for grains are made small – up to 1 cm. Pre-moisten the soil in containers. Seeds are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, sprayed with water from a spray bottle (so that the earth does not compact).
- All containers are covered with foil or placed under glass so that the moisture does not evaporate quickly and the soil does not dry out. Containers with planting material are placed in a warm place.
- As soon as the first seedlings of the Behemoth variety eggplant appear, the covering material is removed and the seedlings are placed in a well-lit place, protected from drafts.
About three weeks before transplanting the sprouts into the greenhouse, eggplant seedlings begin to harden off. To do this, the containers are taken out into the open air, first for a short period, and then gradually the time spent outside is increased. This procedure helps seedlings to take root faster during transplantation.
Before planting the bushes in the greenhouse, eggplant is fed. As soon as the first true leaves appear on the stems, Kemira-Lux is added to the soil (10-25 g of the drug is diluted in 30 liters of water) or a mixture of fertilizers is used (10 g of foscamide and 30 g of superphosphate are dissolved in 15 liters of water). Re-feeding is carried out 8-10 days before transplanting seedlings into the greenhouse. You can again apply “Kemira-Lux” (20-30 g per 10 liters of water).
Seedling transplant
Eggplant seedlings of the Behemoth variety can be planted in film greenhouses at the age of 50-65 days. It is better to focus on the end of May (in central Our Country). The soil is prepared in advance.
The order of the holes: row spacing – 70-75 cm, distance between plants – 35-40 cm. It is desirable that no more than 5 eggplant bushes be placed per square meter of area.
In the greenhouse, it is not recommended to plant seedlings tightly, as this can lead to a decrease in yield. Before planting seedlings, the soil must be watered.
Watering and top dressing
To moisten the earth, it is desirable to take warm water. The first time after transplanting, the seedlings are watered after five days. Greenhouse watering of Behemoth eggplant varieties is best done in the morning, while water should not be allowed to enter the green mass. The best option is the arrangement of a drip irrigation system. In this case, the earth at the roots will be evenly moistened and a crust will not appear on the surface of the soil. During the heat, be sure to mulch the soil and ventilate the greenhouses, as high humidity can cause the appearance and spread of diseases.
A suitable humidity level in a greenhouse is 70%. To prevent plants from overheating in hot weather, it is recommended to open the greenhouse for ventilation. Otherwise, when the temperature rises to + 35˚ С, pollination and the formation of ovaries significantly slow down. Since Behemoth eggplant is a heat-loving crop, it is important to prevent drafts from occurring. Therefore, it is necessary to open the door / windows only on one side of the building.
During flowering and fruiting, eggplants of the Behemoth variety especially need nutritious soil. Therefore, the following top dressings are used:
- when flowering, ammophoska solution is introduced into the soil (20-30 g per 10 l of water). Or a mineral mixture: a liter of mullein and 10-25 g of superphosphate are dissolved in 30 liters of water;
- during fruiting, you can use a fertilizer solution (for 10 liters of water, take half a liter of chicken manure, 2 tablespoons of nitroammophoska).
Eggplant care in the greenhouse
Since eggplants grow quite tall, the stems must be tied up. The best option is to fix the bush in three places. If the dimensions of the structure are small, then the Behemoth eggplant bush is formed from one stem. At the same time, a powerful shoot is chosen for growth. When ovaries form on the bush, they are thinned out and only the largest ones are left. The tops of the shoots, where the fruits are tied, should be pinched.
About 20 strong ovaries are usually left on the bush. This is also determined by the parameters of the plant – whether it is strong or weak. Stepchildren must be removed.
According to some gardeners, eggplants do not need garters, because the stems grow very powerful. But when the fruit ripens, tall plants can simply break. Therefore, it is practiced to tie the stems to a trellis or high pegs.
Tight fixation can inhibit the development of the bush.
When growing eggplant in a greenhouse, it is important to remove yellowed and withered foliage in time. This should be done several times a week. During hot and humid weather, unnecessary stepchildren are cut off, especially at the bottom of the bush. If dry weather sets in, then stepchildren are left to reduce the evaporation of the soil.
At the end of the season (in late August), 5-6 ovaries are left on the Behemoth eggplant bushes. As a rule, the formed fruits have time to ripen before a strong autumn temperature drop.
Harvest
Behemoth eggplants are cut together with a green cup and a small section of the stalk. You can collect ripe fruits every 5-7 days. Eggplants do not have a long shelf life. It is recommended to stack ripe fruits in dark cool rooms (with air temperature + 7-10˚ C, humidity 85-90%). In basement conditions, eggplants can be stored in boxes (fruits are sprinkled with ash).
Eggplant varieties Behemoth are great for growing in different regions, because they grow well in greenhouse conditions. With proper care, the bushes delight summer residents with high yields.
