This is a big thing for me. The only vegetable plants that I have successfully grown before are tomatoes, already started.
The last time I did starts, it was with carrots, and a few other things, and did NO research beforehand. It... did not work.
This time, though, I did my research. Found out how best to start eggplants, how to care for the seeds, the spouts, and the plant. I am starting six starts tonight, on April 2! Maybe a bit late, but hopefully not too much. By the middle of June I should have yummy mirza ghasemi. Mmmmm....
So what I did is this:
Step one, mostly fill starting cube things with potting soil (is potting soil the best option? My intention is to have at least 1 or 2 of these plants be container plants.) Compact the soil lightly.
Step two, wet the soil with a mister. Make sure it is saturated to the bottom.
Step three, add about three seeds into the center of each square.
Step four, cover with about 1/4 inch of soil. Pat down and wet with mister.
Step five, put the tray into a clean plastic bag. This is to keep the moisture in the soil. Especially important considering these starts want to be kept by heat.
Now, eggplant starts like heat. It is suggested that starts be put on a warming tray, which causes them to germinate faster. I am le poor, so I'm gonna try something else. I put the starts, with bag, on the ledge of my bathtub, about 6 inches from the floor heater. My bathroom is quite small, and easy to heat with very little heat. So the next thing to do is...
Step six, turn on heat source.
I am keeping this on the lowest possible setting, and that should provide ample heat for the little heat-loving starts. Keep the door closed, and with the bag around it, and I have the tiniest fake greenhouse! Yay!
Seeds should germinate in 7 to 14 days. Thank you soil, water, heat, and love for helping to create new life!
Only two and a half months until mirza ghasemi. *drool*
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