Author Topic: Another aubergine question (Read 2954 times)

greyhound · « **on:** July 23, 2006, 13:11:21 »

I've got an aub plant given to me by a neighbour. Never grown one of these critters before. It is outside in a pot. Sunny sheltered spot.

It's about 14" and has 8 or 9 flower buds. But the first and biggest flower hasn't opened and seems to have sort of dried up. Is this common?

I have been giving it plenty of water. I didn't need to pinch out as it branched out on its own. Don't know the variety.

saddad · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2006, 13:26:40 »

Was it a male flower? they dry up and drop, or female in which cae see if you have a small aubergine starting. It may not have been pollinated or have dry set like tomatoes...
Aubergines do throw a lot of flowers...
???

greyhound · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2006, 15:49:15 »

Well, what I mean is the petals haven't opened at all, so it can't have been pollinated. They're just dry and somewhat shrivelled. Like those awful florist's rosebuds that never open properly.

edit to add I've just found a label shoved right down the side ... it's Moneymaker.

amphibian · « **Reply #3 on:** July 23, 2006, 19:17:16 »

Quote from: greyhound on July 23, 2006, 15:49:15

Well, what I mean is the petals haven't opened at all, so it can't have been pollinated. They're just dry and somewhat shrivelled. Like those awful florist's rosebuds that never open properly.

edit to add I've just found a label shoved right down the side ... it's Moneymaker.

The flowers can be deceiving they open then shrink back and look unopened, then dry and drop, either completely or leaving a fruit. It's just one flower, I wouldn't worry.

I spray each flower with water, it helps limit dropping.

That reminds me I have a deformed flower with about a dozen stigmata, must get a photo.

greyhound · « **Reply #4 on:** July 23, 2006, 21:32:45 »

Thanks, I'll give it a spray then, didn't think of that as it's outside. Should I be feeding it, or wait till (hopeful) some fruits form?

amphibian · « **Reply #5 on:** July 24, 2006, 13:07:15 »

Here's that weird flower, It has 27 stigmata in all

tricia · « **Reply #6 on:** July 24, 2006, 15:06:34 »

wrong picture amphibian ;D. Surely that's the tomato plant?

Tricia

amphibian · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2006, 16:04:15 »

Quote from: tricia on July 24, 2006, 15:06:34

wrong picture amphibian ;D. Surely that's the tomato plant?

Tricia

Edited, thank you.

Merry Tiller · « **Reply #8 on:** July 24, 2006, 21:37:51 »

Quote

Was it a male flower? they dry up and drop, or female in which cae see if you have a small aubergine starting

Nope, aubergine flowers carry both male & female organs, just like tomatoes & peppers, perhaps you are confusing them with squashes or cucumbers

greyhound · « **Reply #9 on:** July 25, 2006, 01:15:48 »

Whatever ..

But should I feed them yet?

tim · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2006, 05:28:12 »

Good morning - the normal teaching is to feed when the fruits set.

greyhound · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2006, 12:12:01 »

Thanks all, I'm more hopeful now as two flowers are showing real signs of opening.

Examined the other one and it turns out not to have any petals at all! Just the purple sepals. Weird?

Merry Tiller · « **Reply #12 on:** July 26, 2006, 09:12:37 »

Quote

Whatever

??? ??? ??? ??? ::) :-X

greyhound · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2006, 15:42:28 »

Being completely ignorant on the subject of aubergines, I just meant I was getting a bit confused. No offence.

Anyway, pleased to say I have flowers now, so initial panic over! 8)

sally_cinnamon · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2006, 16:14:36 »

Quote from: tim on July 25, 2006, 05:28:12

Good morning - the normal teaching is to feed when the fruits set.

5.28 AM - hells teeth Tim, you get up early! Being an ex-student I thought there was only one five o'clock in the day! Unless of course it's the new five o'clock that you get on the way back from the kebab house!

Anyway, on the subject of aubergines which is the point of this thread!! Are mine ridiculously slow, cos I don't have any buds, flowers or anything other than leaves? They are Barbentane (kindly donatd by Tim- Thanks!) and they looked like this the other week....

tim · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2006, 16:26:59 »

Oh, dear - I'm in for a rocket. Sub-standard seed eh??

When did you sow them?

sally_cinnamon · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2006, 16:28:20 »

Erm, that's testing my memory!!! Probably a bit late, will check when I get home I'm pretty sure I kept a note (she hopes...!) ;D

sally_cinnamon · « **Reply #17 on:** July 27, 2006, 14:34:34 »

Nope, didn't make a note, but DID have an envelope from another seed swap that was approx the same time of year and I'm guessing that I sowed them around late May... Was that too late? ???

Gadfium · « **Reply #18 on:** July 27, 2006, 23:39:03 »

... more usual to sow aubergines Feb/March e.g. http://www.realseeds.co.uk/aubergines.html

But given a long summer, and the weather we've been having, they might plump up in time to give fruit.

Sowed mine March 17th, and picked my first couple of aubergines 3 days ago. So that would be 4.5 months from seed to picking. They were planted up in a growbag 6 weeks ago, and have been on the patio ever since. The variety was 'applegreen' (not tried before), and the aubergines were tennis ball sized, pale green blobs... I was a bit dubious, but sliced them, dipped them in cayenne & tumeric, and fried them in a pan for a few mins on each side. Melt-in-the-mouth gorgeous.

tim · « **Reply #19 on:** July 31, 2006, 16:50:22 »

Sorry, Sally - missed that for some reason. Can only agree with Gadfium.

Mine were planted Mid-May but are only just fruiting. Slim Jim, this one.

Note the male & female versions?

SORRY!

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Author Topic: Another aubergine question (Read 2954 times)

amphibian

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