How to Grow Brinjal Plant in Pots Easily | Growing Eggplants

Brinjal Plant is one of the most popular vegetables in India! Let’s have a look at how to grow eggplants easily in pots all year round!

The Brinjal Plant is native to the southern part of India. People use it in a variety of dishes like brinjal fry and growing it at home is the best way to have it fresh and free! Let’s have a look at How to Grow Eggplants.

Common Names: Baingan, Badnekai, vange, Vankaya, Begun, Vangi, Kattiri, Vaingan, Waangum, Vazhuthananga

Find out the details on the national vegetable of India here

Growing Brinjal Plant

You can grow Brinjal Plant in two ways. The first way is to use the seeds to grow the plant from scratch. The other way is to buy seedlings from a nursery.

Buying seedlings is best for beginners as it makes it an easy and hassle-free process. You can easily find the seeds or seedlings of any brinjal variety that you wish to grow in the nearby nurseries.

Check out our Directory to find out the best Plant Nurseries in your City here

Brinjal Meaning in Hindi

Brinjal meaning in hindi in Baingan. There are many tasty recipes like brinjal fry and green brinjal bhaaji that are prepared all over the country.

Planting Brinjal Plant

Usually, the spring season is the best time for planting brinjal in your gardens; after the winters have passed. But when you are growing it in pots, you can plant it throughout the year despite any season, as you can move the plant according to the changing weather.

Growing Brinjal Plant in India is possible even in winters as the climate of India is subtropical, and winters are not very cold except for the Himalayan states.

Propagating Brinjal Plant from Seeds

You can propagate Brinjal Plant from seeds in small pots. Sow the seeds in a well-draining potting mix, water well, and keep the container where it gets plenty of bright and indirect sunlight.

Once the seeds germinate and have up to four leaves, the saplings are ready to be transplanted into bigger pots, where they can grow well.

Choosing a Container for Brinjal Plant

As different varieties of brinjal will need a different size of containers, large varieties will require larger pots to grow. Choose a pot that is 12-14 inches deep and has proper drainage holes.

Requirements for Growing Brinjal Plant in Pots

Sunlight

Position your plants on a spot where they get plenty of sun as they require a lot of warmth and sunlight while growing. A good circulation of air is also necessary for the best growth of plants.

Soil

Brinjals grow best in a sandy-loam soil, which is neutral to slightly acidic in pH. They require soil that is rich in nutrients, can hold a sufficient amount of moisture, and is well-draining at the same time.

You can also add cow dung manure or compost to the soil to improve its water retention and add nutrients.

Watering and

These plants require evenly moist soil, so provide regular watering every day in summers and every 2 or 3 days in winters or rainy season. Make sure the pot has drainage holes so that the plant does not rot due to the soggy soil.

Temperature

India mostly has a tropical or subtropical kind of climate and the plant being native to India, is adapted to the climate in the country. So you don’t have to worry much about the temperature conditions of Brinjal plants.

They easily survive and thrive in the home climate.

Brinjal Plant Care

Brinjal plants are heavy feeders and need proper doses of fertilizer. Prepare a soil mix with 1/4 of compost and the same amount of rotted cow manure (gobar ki khaad) or chicken manure. Also, provide a handful of manure during the mid-growth. You can also provide your plants with tomato fertilizer if they do not pick growth with organic manures.
You can improve the productivity of your brinjal plant by pruning them. Look out for any yellowing leaves or suckers in your plant and remove them. Also, prune the stems that are getting tall as they restrict the plant growth.
Tie your plants to provide them with enough support. As the plants can get tall with heavy fruits and they can make the plants heavy. So, tie your plants to the railings of your balcony, or you can also support the plant by tying them around a bamboo stick by placing it in the center of the pot.
Protecting the plants from various kinds of pests and diseases is also necessary. The black flea beetle, aphids, cutworms are some common pests in brinjal. You can remove these pests easily by using homemade pesticides like neem oil or by simply putting a few drops of dishwashing soap on them.

Harvesting Brinjal Plant

The plants generally take two to three months to reach maturity from the day of planting. It depends mostly on the climate of the place and the kind of variety that you choose to grow. These plants start producing fruits by this time.

To harvest, look for the brinjal colour. If it’s dark purple, it is ready. Simply cut it a few centimeters above the cap of the fruit with a pruner or knife. Harvest it, preferably at the time of cooking to preserve the freshness or store it in the fridge until you use it.