Eggplant Seed Propagation: Seeds from Seed Savers Exchange

March 16, 2012 - my eggplant sprouted, about 90% germination rate. I have to remove the cover because the seedlings are getting taller now.

अपडेट: मार्च १६,२०१२ - थे सीड्स गेर्मिनातेद एंड आईटी लूक्स लिखे इ गोत ८०% गेर्मिनातिओं। एक्ससितेद फॉर थिस सासों। :)





STEP 1. Get your seed packets ready.
Packet of seeds from Seed Savers Exchange





STEP 2. get your planting medium ready.
Your coir pellets and seed greenhouse. My greenhouse was used from last year, but it is okay. I just bought refill ones at the store.
2. I use Jeffy coir pellets, made of dry spaghnum peat moss. Coirs are great, but they are also sensitive to drying quickly. So watch out and water before it become rock solid!
Another advantage is that it is compact, and easy to handle, NOT messy compared to soil mix. And it's Canadian made.

STEP 3. Prepare your planting medium. (Coir Pellets for me)
3. Expanding the coir pellets using boiled water. I poured it hot, and ask my daughter Karlina to pour additional cold water on the pellets. The reason I poured hot water is to sterilized it, and the cool water to expand the pellets evenly. I did not have a problem with it, it expands will and those uneven, I just poured additional water and sort of press it on the side to loosen it.

STEP 4. Plant your seeds. I pour the seeds in a paper towel, then mist it with water. Let it stand for 2 minutes. Then the seed will be easier to handle. Seeds are small, so I used tweezer to pick up the small seeds, and put two each coir. I was told once it germinated, I have to remove the second one, just keep the stronger seed, so you got one healthy plant. NO sense keeping 2 of them and result of a weakling, compost friendly plant.
I counted 32 coir pellets in this batch of seeds.

STEP 5. Cover your seeds with humidity dome. If you are using a basic roasting pan, any clear plastic will do, it does the job of keeping humidity. I used clear plastic garbage bag last year on my other seeds, since I only have few decent propagation dome.



STEP 6. Put it in the window sill, and wait for germination.
NOW LAUGH at me! I literally run our of space that I have to put my greenhouse in my computer table, which is located in my bedroom. As you can see, it is near the window for light, and I have a heat mat plugged in to my computer power bar. When I turn on my computer, the heat generated by my CPU will also heat up my seeds.
I was told eggplant is a pain to germinate...so having light, heat, and more heat is something I am trying to experiment.

In case I end up frying these seeds, oh well........I tried!


Seed Propagation: Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
Variety: Diamond
Date: 17 February 2012
Seed Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah, IA, USA

ORGANIC HEIRLOOM SEEDS

From the seed packet: Collected from the Ukaraine by SSE in 1993. Fruits are set in clusters of -6 in 2" tall plants. Dark purple fruits with green tinted flesh are 9" long by 3" diameter. Excellent texture and flavor, rarely bitter. Disease resistant. 70 days from Transplant.

START INDOORS: 8 weeks before last frost
Germination: 14 days
Plant Outdoors: 18-24 apart
Light: Full Sun

Eggplant is a staple in Badian, Cebu, Philippines where I grew up. I love it personally, just crush garlic, onion, add sliced eggplant, stir fry....ah you got dinner!

I am always fascinated in seed propagation here is Canada, because our growing season is pretty short. With luck, snow clears in April and by May we all start digging dirt.

Dad Boucher offered me his backyard garden this year, so I am very happy to have a playground.

Above is the instructions of my eggplant germination. It might be different from yours, but this is how I do it my way. Any success/failure will be duly reported, just like my previous attempts which result in a fried seeds, and soaked and bloated seeds that end up in compost.

WILL UPDATE SOON! I PROMISE!

A little good luck from you does help too.