Why do eggplant flowers fall in a greenhouse and what to do

Eggplant flowers fall in a greenhouse for various reasons. They are mainly associated with improper care, for example, irregular watering, poor lighting. Often the leaves fall off due to diseases and pests. If the plants are provided with normal conditions, this phenomenon is practically not observed.

Why eggplant ovaries fall in a greenhouse

If eggplant flowers fall off in a greenhouse, this is a clear developmental disorder. If the conditions are quite suitable, this phenomenon occurs very rarely. In most cases, it is associated with violations of the rules of care. The main causes and their solutions are described below.

Boarding time missed

Flowers may fall off due to violation of planting dates. Eggplants are very demanding, heat-loving plants. They normally develop in the temperature range of 22-27 degrees Celsius. Even in the greenhouse they are planted last – not earlier than May 15th. In Siberia, in the northern regions, the deadlines may shift until the end of the month and even until the first decade of June.

If planted earlier, you may face the threat of returning frosts. When nighttime temperatures drop below 15 degrees, growth may stop. If this is repeated for several days in a row, the eggplants subsequently fall off the flowers. Therefore, you should not rush with a transplant. You need to keep a close eye on the weather forecast. If necessary, use an additional film cover or heat the greenhouse at night.

Temperature changes

Temperature fluctuations affect even worse than short-term frosts. If at night it becomes sharply cold, and during the day, on the contrary, it will be hot, the ovary crumbles on the eggplants. This inevitably leads to a decrease in yield. Therefore, in most regions, it is recommended to grow the crop in a greenhouse and not rush to transplant.

Lack of light

If eggplants bloom and fall off, this may be due to a lack of lighting. Plants are very demanding on light, they need it even at the stage of growing seedlings. For this, it is recommended to use phytolamps or LED light sources. If the bushes are often left in the shade, flowers may appear, but after that they will fall off. At the same time, the set fruits will be smaller in size – the yield will definitely decrease.

Flowers may drop due to insufficient lighting.

It is better not to grow seedlings on the southern windows, and after transplanting at first, it is advisable to shade the seedlings. Otherwise, flowers may fall off. You can notice the problem by the leaves, which begin to dry.

High humidity

In the greenhouse, eggplant flowers begin to fall due to too high humidity. This is a very common cause, since the air in a closed small room is always more humid than outside. As a result, pollen begins to stick together, it cannot leave the flower, it becomes heavy and may fall off.

Therefore, after watering, it is recommended to regularly ventilate the greenhouse. If at night the temperature does not drop below 15-17 degrees, it is left open around the clock.

Too little or too much fertilizer

If eggplant flowers have begun to fall off, the reason may be due to insufficient fertilization. Plants require regular feeding. After transplanting into the greenhouse, eggplants are given nitrogen compounds, and during the formation of buds and flowering, the emphasis is on potassium and superphosphate.

It is also very important to carry out foliar top dressing with boron. If this element is missing, the flowers will fall off, and the ovaries will form poorly. Therefore, at least one spraying should be done per season.

All fertilizers are applied strictly according to the instructions. If you give them in excessive quantities, this will lead to salinization of the soil, which again will affect flowering. In addition, many fertilizers affect pH. If you regularly violate the dosage, the acidity of the soil will change, and the absorption of nutrients will deteriorate.

Especially carefully you need to monitor nitrogen fertilizers. Flowers can fall off when they are in excess in the ground. Nitrogen compounds, used in small quantities, stimulate the set of green mass.

Lack of pollination

Eggplant flowers will also fall due to the lack of pollination. This is due to high humidity. On the other hand, sometimes flowers produce too much pollen, which prevents it from reaching the pistils. Therefore, plants should be inspected periodically. If the ovaries fall off, pollination is carried out manually with a brush.

If pollen accumulates on the stamens, artificial pollination is necessary.

Extra inflorescences

If growing conditions are good, eggplants will produce many flowers. At first, all of them are left, but after the formation of the first ovaries, the extra inflorescences are removed. In a warm climate, they, too, could produce a crop. But since summer is short in many regions, it is necessary to pinch off extra buds.

Also, the bushes need to be shaped. 1-2 weeks after transplantation, 3-4 of the strongest shoots are selected. The rest pinch with their fingers. Then the flowers will not fall off, and the plants themselves will give a good harvest.

Incorrect watering

Eggplants need regular and even watering. You can not, for example, give them a lot of water at once and “forget” for a week. Normally, water is given every 2-3 days. In this case, you need to monitor the condition of the soil – it should be moderately moist. The surface layer may sometimes dry out. Plants are watered more frequently during hot weather. Moreover, water should only be used settled, and not cold, so that the flowers do not begin to fall off.

Poor quality seeds

The reason why the flowers will fall off is also associated with low-quality seeds. When buying, you should choose only trusted suppliers with good reviews. It is desirable that the seeds are fresh, no more than two years after harvest. Moreover, they should be checked beforehand – immersed in a salt solution (5 g per 1 liter), wait a few minutes and discard those that emerge.

vermin

If all conditions are normal, the flowers may begin to fall due to pests. The main danger for eggplants are such insects:

1. Aphids reproduce well in greenhouse conditions, where it is constantly humid and warm. It feeds on eggplant plant juices and depletes it, which can cause the flowers to fall off.
2. The whitefly accumulates mainly on the underside of the leaf. It also feeds on plant sap.
3. Spider mite is another dangerous pest that is not visible to the eye due to its microscopic size. However, it is realistic to determine its presence by the cobweb, which is clearly visible. It entangles the shoots and leaves of eggplant, prevents them from growing normally, which is why the flowers will fall off.

Cobweb on a plant – a sign of infection with a spider mite

Diseases

Certain diseases can also lead to the fall of the ovaries.

The main reasons are:

1. Black leg is a fungal infection that leads to darkening and thinning of the basal neck. You can also determine it by the gray bloom of the affected shoots. The disease is especially dangerous for seedlings. If the seedling is infected, it should be removed from the rest as soon as possible. The main preventive measures are regular ventilation and compliance with watering standards.
2. Flowers may also fall due to tobacco mosaic. It manifests itself as an uneven color of the leaves. Dark green spots appear on them, resembling a mosaic. The foliage is deformed and dies.
3. White rot is a fungal infection that first affects the root system, and then the entire aerial part. It manifests itself as a white coating, on which solid inclusions are noticeable. The flowers may fall, but the fruits are still formed. They become watery and tasteless.

What to do if flowers and eggplant ovaries fall

In order for the flowers to stop falling off, it is necessary to provide proper care:

1. Regular watering with settled water. In a greenhouse, it is enough to do this twice a week. Young seedlings after transplantation are watered a little more often, in the “every other day” mode.
2. To prevent the flowers from falling off, it is necessary to fertilize eggplants regularly – at least three times per season. Before picking, give an infusion of mullein or chicken manure. Instead, you can apply complex fertilizer. After picking, a similar composition is used. During flowering, superphosphate (40 g per 10 l) and potassium sulfate (30 g per 10 l) are given, foliar treatment with boric acid (1 g per 10 l) is carried out.
3. The soil is regularly loosened and weeds are removed.
4. Plants are periodically inspected and treated for diseases. Fungal infections are fought with fungicides, for example, “Maxim”, “Bordeaux liquid”, “HOM”. Insects are treated with folk remedies and insecticides, for example, Decis, Aktara, Fufanon.

Preventive measures

In order for the flowers to fall off, experienced gardeners recommend taking certain preventive measures:

1. Periodically change the top soil in the greenhouse. When laying new soil, a mixture of soddy soil, peat, sand and humus is used in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1.
2. If the soil is acidic, be sure to add lime in the amount of 200 g per 1 m².
3. Constantly monitor the level of temperature and humidity in the greenhouse (optimally up to 75%).
4. To prevent the flowers from falling off, it is recommended to plant eggplants at a distance of at least 60 cm from each other.
5. During the flowering period, plants should be irrigated in the late evening or early morning.
6. Stepping so that all seedlings receive enough sunlight.

Regular fertilizing and watering will ensure a full harvest

Conclusion

Eggplant flowers fall in a greenhouse, often due to high humidity, dense plantings. There is not enough space in the greenhouse, so summer residents often plant seedlings close to each other. But you should not do this: the air will be too humid, and the plants will not receive enough sunlight.