What Is Killing My Eggplant?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Phytophthora blight

(caused by Phytophthora capsici or P. nicotianae) is a water mold that may attack eggplant roots, leaves, stems, or fruit. Symptoms include dark streaking on the upper branches of the plant, followed by the rapid collapse of the plant and death.

Why is my eggplant plant dying?


Eggplants suffering from over-watering and drought eventually die

. Over-watered eggplant roots rot, which prevents plants from taking up water and causes wilting. Under-watered plants also wilt, grow poorly and develop pithy fruits. … Frequent, light watering causes plants to develop shallow roots that dry out quickly.

What is eating my eggplant?


Thrips, flea beetles, cutworms, armyworms, aphids, and white flies

can also find food in maturing eggplant plants. The treatment for such insects is usually very simple and can be cured in reasonable time.

How do I keep bugs from eating my eggplant?

Cultural and Mechanical Control. Hosing off your eggplant with a

strong blast from your garden hose

can help control small flea beetle populations. Prevent the pests from even reaching your eggplants by covering seedlings and young plants with floating row covers.

What bugs attack eggplants?

  • American Serpentine Leafminer. American serpentine leafminers feed on a number of crops, including eggplants, and they are present throughout the growing season. …
  • Aphids. …
  • Armyworms. …
  • Melon Thrips. …
  • Silverleaf Whitefly. …
  • Tomato Pinworm.

How often should you water eggplant?

Watering. Eggplant also needs consistent water,

at least 1 inch per week

. It is better to give one thorough soaking than several frequent, short waterings, because frequent watering promotes shallow roots. Weather and soil type, of course, will affect water demand.

Why is my eggplant not getting bigger?


Sunlight

.

Lack of sunlight causes stunted growth in eggplants

. They need full sun, all day long. If your garden doesn’t provide full sun, consider planting eggplant in containers that you can move into sunny areas.

What should you not plant next to eggplant?

Do not plant eggplants near

fennel

. Fennel – Not a companion for any garden food plant, fennel will actually inhibit growth in bush beans, kohlrabi, tomatoes, and others.

How do you treat spider mites on eggplant?

Severe spider mite feeding can stunt a plant’s growth and can even kill the plant. Use nonchemical steps, such as keeping plants healthy, to protect plants. There are few pesticides available for treating twospotted spider mites;

insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils

are the most common.

How do I control aphids on my eggplant?

You can often get rid of aphids by wiping or spraying the leaves of the plant with

a mild solution of water and a few drops of dish soap

. Soapy water should be reapplied every 2-3 days for 2 weeks.

Why are eggplants bad for you?

Eggplants are part of the nightshade family. Nightshades contain alkaloids, including solanine, which can be toxic. Solanine protects these plants while they are still developing. Eating the leaves or tubers of these plants can lead to symptoms such as

burning in the throat, nausea and vomiting

, and heart arrhythmias.

What causes brown spots on eggplant leaves?

On seedlings,

phomopsis blight of eggplant

causes dark brown lesions, just above the soil line. As the disease develops, the lesions turn gray and the stems eventually collapse and the plant dies. Blight in eggplants on established plants is evidenced by gray or brown, oval or round spots on the leaves and stems.

What are the diseases of eggplant?

The diseases most commonly met with are

damping-off

(due to Rhizoctonia [Corticium] solani, Phomopsis vexans, and Sclerotium rolfsii[Athelia rolfsii]), bacterial wilt (Bacterium solanacearum) [R.A.M., xv, p.

What are the little black bugs on my eggplant?


Flea beetles

are tiny black bugs that chew holes in leaves like someone peppered them with miniature buckshot. They’ll attack mustard, radishes and sometimes cole crops, but eggplant is their favorite. … The other telltale trait is that these little bugs hop off the plants when they’re disturbed, kind of like fleas.

How do I know if my eggplant has worms?

Carefully check the eggplants for

any cuts or holes

and discard them for bharta. You can not use an eggplant with hole for bharta as it is a probable indication of worms. Wash the selected eggplant thoroughly.

How do you treat eggplant?

Listed below are symptoms of the most common tomato, pepper, eggplant and potato diseases, and how to control them. Unless otherwise indicated,

GardenTech

®

Daconil

®

Fungicide Concentrate

, with the active fungal pathogen-fighting ingredient chlorothalonil, can be used to effectively treat the problem.

Sophia Kim
Author
Sophia Kim
Sophia Kim is a food writer with a passion for cooking and entertaining. She has worked in various restaurants and catering companies, and has written for several food publications. Sophia's expertise in cooking and entertaining will help you create memorable meals and events.