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Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family, along with potatoes, green peppers and tomatoes.
Eggplants, also known as aubergines, are warm-weather vegetables harvested in mid to late summer.
Eggplants taste best when harvested young. How much water do eggplants need to grow well?
Although often considered a vegetable, these deep purple veggies are technically a fruit, as they grow from a flowering plant and contain seeds.
Though eggplants are usually a beautiful dark purple colour, they can also be white, pink, green, black, or have purple and white stripes. Their sizes and shapes differ as well, ranging from the large, gourd-shaped eggplants that are very common to the less common slender types.
How Much Water Do Eggplants Need Per Day?
It is not necessary to water eggplants daily. Eggplants will develop weak, shallow roots if watered every day. The best thing to do is soak the soil to a depth of 6 inches once a week.
Then the soil should be allowed to dry before watering again. How much water do eggplants need?
Two and a half centimetres of water per day is ideal for eggplants.
If rain falls sufficiently, you can skip watering for the week. Mulching can help the soil retain moisture so use it.
Using mulch decreases the need to water often. Mulch can be organic or inorganic.
Spread it evenly on the surface of the soil, about 3 or 4 inches deep to form an insulating barrier.
How much water eggplants need depends on the type of soil and what the weather is like. Sandy soil requires more water than clay, so adjust your watering cycle accordingly.
If the weather is very hot, eggplants will need to be watered more frequently, but eggplants thrive in the hot sun and suffer when the soil is moist. So it is better to give a little less water than too much.
If you live in a warm, dry area, your plants will need more water than if grown in a cool, temperate climate. If your soil and climate are difficult for growing eggplants, try planting in containers that you can irrigate and protect from dry weather.
How Do You Water Eggplants?
Eggplants need regular watering of a minimum of an inch each week, especially seedlings. Rather than giving your eggplants numerous brief waterings during the week, it’s better to give one thorough soaking that reaches 6 inches into the soil.
This encourages the eggplant roots to develop deep into the soil.
Try not to over-water your eggplants due to the fact they can bring fungus and disease. Regular watering makes your eggplants develop roots that dry out quickly, and yellow leaves.
To water eggplants, you need a soaker hose. If that is not available, watering can be used instead.
Using the soaker hose set to “low” for about 40 minutes every week. The soil must be soaked up to 15cm deep.
Consider getting a moisture meter to help you determine if the soil is wet enough or not. A rain gauge can check if up an inch of rain falls weekly.
With the watering can, target the base of the plant and release a steady stream of water till the soil is thoroughly soaked. This is to be done once a week also.
It’s best not to water the leaves and fruit of the eggplant to prevent a fungal infection from occurring.
Read also:
Do Eggplants Like Wet or Dry Soil?
Eggplants grow well in slightly dampened soil but it must not be soggy. Most breeds prefer their soil to be warm rather than cold.
That’s why eggplants must be planted out in the sun for consistent and even soil temperature. Planting eggplants in sandy soil will help ensure proper drainage and avoid flooding in the soil.
When planting eggplants in containers, you also need to make sure they have good drainage holes to let the water run out.
Eggplants thrive best in warm, sandy soils. If you decide to raise the seedlings yourself instead of buying the plants, plant them about eight weeks before the expected frost.
Eggplant requires 100 to 120 days to mature from seeds. Removing weeds around eggplants is very important because they compete with them for water and other resources.
As you weed, remember to do it in a way that is not aggressive to protect the root systems of your eggplant.
How Do You Know If Eggplants Need Water?
For aubergines, it is best to water early in the morning and in the evening. Watering during these times will reduce evaporation and allow the eggplant leaves to dry quickly before the sun comes up.
Avoid watering in the middle of the day when the sun evaporates the water. Also, avoid watering on windy days as you may lose a lot of the water that should go to your eggplants.
To check if eggplants need water, feel the soil around them. If it is dry to the touch, it is time to water them.
At this point, having a moisture meter would be appreciated.
Do Eggplants Require Lots of Water?
Eggplants do not require water in large quantities that other vegetables do. If the top 6 inches of soil are kept moistened once a week, your eggplant will be okay.
Eggplants are made up of water, so keeping them hydrated is essential for a successful harvest.
It is very easy to overwater eggplants. Often, the main warning sign of overwatering is when the soil becomes concentrated with water or has puddles of standing water.
Other signs of overwatered eggplants are if it begins wilting, dropping leaves or fungal infection.
Underwatered eggplants, on the other hand, produce bitter fruits and have stunted fruit production. Yellow and wilted leaves are another strong indication of not being watered enough.
Eggplants do not tolerate excessively moist soil. If there are puddles above your soil, then you have almost certainly overwatered.
Finally,
The key to mild flavoured and pleasant-tasting eggplants is providing adequate water. Investing in moisture meters and rain gauges to check the soil around your eggplant will help you grow healthy eggplants.
To answer the question of “how much water do eggplants need”, eggplants are best watered about an inch per week during the growing season. This amount can increase during periods of hot, dry weather.
In a nutshell, monitoring the soil with a moisture meter will help ensure the soil does not dry out between waterings. If the eggplant starts to wilt or if the leaves start to curl, this is a sign that the plant needs more water.
Allow your eggplants to receive adequate sunlight to balance out the water they receive.
