By Barbara Pleasant | May 16, 2024
Growing healthy, productive eggplants can be challenging, especially when they refuse to bear fruit despite your best efforts. Many gardeners face this issue, even with healthy plants in ideal conditions. Let’s explore three proven strategies to address eggplant pollination problems, ensuring a bountiful harvest.
1. Hand-Pollinate Eggplant for Better Results
While eggplant flowers are self-fertile, they often rely on buzzing bees to transfer pollen effectively. If your plants aren’t setting fruit, try hand-pollination. Use a vibrating toothbrush to gently touch the stem behind the flower during the morning. Repeat the process the following day to increase your chances of success.
While examining the flowers, check the stigma (the pollen-receiving part of the flower). Flowers with long, protruding styles are typically more fertile, whereas shorter styles often result in poor pollination. Stressors like drought or extreme temperatures can cause eggplants to produce less fertile flowers, as the plants conserve energy, acting like the perennials they are in tropical climates. By hand-pollinating, you can help them overcome these environmental hurdles.
2. Prune for Better Pollination and Productivity
Eggplants naturally grow into bushy forms, but in a summer garden, this growth pattern can hinder fruit production. Pruning can encourage the plant to focus its energy on vertical growth and fruiting. Remove lower side branches near the plant’s base, and provide sturdy stakes or cages for support.
One gardener shared their success with pruning:
“After removing flowers and trimming the lower leaves, my plants finally developed strong flowers that set into fruit.”
Pruning isn’t just for backyard gardens—it’s a common practice among commercial growers, especially in high tunnels. Farmers prune plants to two main stems, use vertical trellises, and pinch out lower branches to improve airflow and increase fruit yields. Adopting similar practices in your garden can significantly enhance productivity.
3. Maximize Morning Sun Exposure
Eggplants thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct light daily. Plants in shady conditions may grow lush with leaves but fail to produce flowers or fruit. Morning sun is particularly vital for eggplant pollination. It energizes plants early, ensuring blossoms are ready for bees during their most active hours, from midmorning to noon.
If your eggplants aren’t receiving adequate morning light, consider relocating container-grown plants to sunnier spots or adjusting your garden layout. Morning sun can often make the difference between an unproductive plant and a fruitful one.
Additional Tips for Success
Excessive fertilization, especially with nitrogen, can exacerbate pollination problems by promoting leafy growth over fruiting. Instead, prepare planting holes with compost and balanced organic fertilizer. Supplement with a nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer at 4 and 8 weeks after planting to encourage flowering. Regular, deep watering is also crucial to keep plants healthy and flowering.
By hand-pollinating, pruning strategically, and ensuring proper sun exposure, you can overcome pollination challenges and enjoy a thriving eggplant harvest. With a bit of care and attention, your garden can produce plenty of these versatile, delicious fruits.