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It takes a little expertise to grow an eggplant. You need to know how much water to provide, how to prevent it from getting infested by pests, and how to recognize the signs of plant disease.
Sometimes, even the most solid expertise can’t help. There’s a possibility of your eggplant flowers falling off before growing a fruit.
Why does this happen, and how can you prevent it? We’ve investigated this common eggplant issue, and we’ll tell you what to do.
Quick Answer: Why Do Eggplant Flowers Fall Off?
Your eggplant’s flowers are falling off due to a condition called blossom drop. It’s most likely caused by either a lack of water or because your eggplant is failing to pollinate itself.
We’ll look at the two reasons more closely below, as well as explain what you can do to fix them.
Read Also: Why Do Eggplant Leaves Curl Up and Start Wilting?
Your Eggplant Isn’t Getting Enough Water
Eggplants need a decent amount of water each week. If they fail to receive enough water, one of the signs of thirst will be blossoms dropping off the plant before producing fruit.
Insufficient water is actually one of the main reasons an eggplant gets stressed out. The good news is, this is a pretty easy issue to fix.
You Might Also Like: Why Do Eggplant Leaves Curl Up and Start Wilting?
How to Fix It
Fixing a water deficiency starts with understanding exactly how much water your eggplant needs. In an ideal situation, your eggplant will get at least one or two inches of water per week.
You should be providing it this water all at one time, so the water can seep deep into the eggplant’s roots. The first foot of soil should be moistened this way.
Read Also: Why is My Eggplant Yellow Instead of Purple?
Your Eggplant Isn’t Self-Pollinating
In the wild, eggplants essentially pollinate themselves with the wind. This may not be possible in a garden, and it becomes even more difficult if you’re growing the eggplant indoors or in a greenhouse.
Other factors such as humidity can hamper pollination. This is because humidity can cause grains of pollen to stick together rather than dropping onto the pistil.
Also Read: Why Do I Hate Eggplant?
How to Fix It
Lack of pollination isn’t particularly difficult to fix, but it is a bit of a hassle. It can be time-consuming to pollinate your plants manually.
We recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush or paintbrush. With that in hand, very lightly brush the inside of the of the eggplant’s flower. You’ll need to do this for every single eggplant flower in order to be effective.
It takes time, but the result is worth it. You can also look at adding an oscillating fan to your greenhouse or garden to simulate the wind that would normally help your eggplant pollinate.
Wrap Up
It’s especially frustrating when you’ve tried so hard to grow eggplant, only to find something going wrong for seemingly no reason. When the blossoms on your eggplant start dropping off, you might feel helpless and confused.
Rest assured that the two main causes, lack of water and pollination, are easy to fix. By providing your eggplant with enough water and helping it pollinate, you can ensure your plant is much more likely to fruit.
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
