eggplants dropping blossoms

15 years ago

I realize this isn't about tomatoes, but I know that botanically, eggplants are in the same family as tomatoes, so I figured this would be the best place to post this.

This is my first year growing eggplants, so I really don't know too much about them, except generally, they have similar problems you encounter w/tomatoes, since they're in the same family botanically.

The foliage was ravaged by aphids earlier; I tried applying an insecticide powder, which has done damage control, but hasn't gotten rid of the aphids. The aphids only went after the foliage, not the buds, blossoms, and/or fruit.

I don't know why but the blossoms keep dropping off prematurely. This IS NOT blossom end drop, because there is a fruit at the end of the blossom when it drops off.

However, they seem to be dropping off way too early. Based on observation, I believe the typical thing for the plant to do is to set a bud, then set the blossom, the blossom will say on for a certain amount of time, then it will shrivel up and fall off.

However the blossoms dropping off of my eggplant are new ones that just recently set. When the fruit DOES appear after these blossoms have set, it is very tiny. When the fruit that has set on the blossoms that shrivel up and die and have been on the plant longer,

the immature eggplant is considerably larger in comparison to when the newly set blossoms set fruit.

This keeps happening, but why? Recently the temperatures have been in the mid-to-high 80's to mid-to-high 90's; I know that eggplant likes hot weather, but I also know if the temperature becomes too hot it stresses out the plant, and the biological response of the plant is to just drop blossoms.

I applied some pine bark mulch on top of the soil, because it was drying out very quickly. Since it's been so hot, I've also been watering twice, once in the afternoon, the other in the evening. I fertilize weekly, and the fertilizer is an 18-18-21.

Is it normal for the plant to do this? Will these blossoms that have fallen off prematurely, still grow the immature fruit on them to maturity?

Is it normal for eggplant to drop blossoms prematurely,

or this a sign that it needs to be more heavily fertilized, and/or it's stressed out? If so, what can I do to remedy the problem? I honestly don't know, because this is my first time growing eggplant.

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Comments (4)

missingtheobvious
15 years ago
What insecticide did you use?

Soapy water is good against aphids (just mix up some mild dish soap in water and put it in a spray bottle).

You can also use oil sprays, for example Garden Safe's Fungicide 3, which contains neem oil and is advertised for aphids and spider mites; I've found it effective against both. It's also sold as a concentrate, so if the spray bottle didn't go far, you can mix up another batch very cheaply and re-use the spray bottle. Bright turquoise bottle -- can't miss it.

I've never grown eggplants. On tomatoes, at least, you shouldn't spray in the middle of the day, or the combination of sun and spray will burn the leaves. Make sure you spray where the aphids are (on tomatoes, they mostly hide beneath the leaves).

Your insecticide will probably kill the good insects that might otherwise have eaten at least some of the aphids.
digdirt2
15 years ago
This is clearly a Vegetable Gardening forum question and I know you know where that forum is as you often post there.

But blossom drop works on eggplant just like it does on any other fruiting vegetable including tomatoes. Same causes and the same solutions. The FAQ on blossom drop covers that point well.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Vegetable Gardening forum
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kawaiineko_gardener
Original Author
15 years ago
Not to be rude, but first off this IS in the vegetable gardening forum; it's just in the subforum of the veggie gardening forum 'tomatoes'.

2nd what I have isn't blossom drop because in blossom drop, the blossom drops and you get no fruit; although my blossoms ARE dropping, there is an immature fruit. I realize that blossom drop and blossoms dropping prematurely are similar, but it's not the same thing.

I don't know what's causing the problem, that's why I'm seeking solutions. I've been fertilizing, watering frequently, and used mulch to help the plants conserve moisture. However despite all doing all these things, the blossoms are still dropping, so I don't know what else to do. That's why I need advice and suggestions with this.

No offense, but I don't need a diagnosis as to what it is, because I know what's happening. I need to know what to do to treat it and how to prevent it from happening in the future.

I'm at a loss of what to do, because I'm doing everything I think I should be doing, and this is STILL happening.
digdirt2
15 years ago
Not to be rude, but first off this IS in the vegetable gardening forum; it's just in the subforum of the veggie gardening forum 'tomatoes'.

Not to be rude but no, this is not a subforum. It is a totally separate forum for Tomatoes and just as all the garden forums here, it is an independent, stand alone forum. The forum directions make it clear that you should post on the correct forum.

my blossoms ARE dropping, there is an immature fruit.

You cannot have a blossom with an immature fruit. The blossom has disappeared before any fruit would appears or be big enough to see. What you are likely seeing is just the ovule of the bloom that wasn't pollinated.

What you may have is both blossom drop AND inadequate pollination if what you are talking about is some dropping blossoms AND some immature fruit on the same plant. But given the fact that you grow everything in containers and given the exceptionally hot weather in your part of the country of late, blossom drop and incomplete pollination is to be expected.

At any rate, if "the blossoms are still dropping" as you say they are then what you have is "blossom drop" and all the causes and what you need to do to "prevent it from happening in the future" are outlined in the FAQ and the thousands of other discussions about blossom drop both here and on the Vegetable Gardening forum that a search would pull up for you:

Water the plants deeply once a week, mulch heavily to maintain constant soil moisture levels, establish windbreaks as needed, avoid using excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizers, and wait for temperatures to moderate and stabilize. That is all any of us can do.

IF incomplete pollination is an issue (the immature fruit) then hand pollination is the solution but given the heat the pollen will be tacky and non-viable anyway.

Dave