Aubergines

[Paulines7]

I grew aubergines in grow bags last year in my unheated greenhouse .  They weren't very successful.   :(   I only had two small fruits plus another couple that were eaten by insects. 

I have just seen a pic of Jesseveve's aubergines (Top Tips, Cheap Propagator) and they appear to be growing outside!  Should mine have been put outside rather than in the greenhouse?  ::)

Last year was the first time I had tried to grow aubergines and want to do better this year.  I grew Melanzana Black Beauty from seed and bought two unknown varieties from a garden centre.  I only managed to grow one plant from the seeds but I did not sow them until April.   :'(

Are there any particular varieties that grow better than others in England and is a growbag too rich for them?  Any help is much appreciated.

[Paulines7]

[Jesse]

Pauline, they are growing inside a conservatory! I tried growing some aubs outside in a wallowater but they didn't do well at all, probably down to my lack of growing talent as my allotment neighbour grew his outdoors and the plants looked to be growing well, I'm not sure if he got a crop off them though. The variety I grew are called Moneymaker and they grew very well for me. :)

[tim]

I have been most successful with the long aubs. Prefer them, anyway!

I have grown them outside - up here in the Cotswolds - with 'Dutch light' protection, & - mainly - in a cold house. Growbags? Always. Regular dilute feed. Typically 20 per plant.

[Paulines7]

Thanks for your replies.  So far, the only aubergines that seem to be successful are the long ones that Tim grows.  Unfortunately, it is the fat ones that we prefer as we like them stuffed.   :(

Unlike Jesseveve I don't have a conservatory which would retain more heat over a longer period than a greenhouse, so Moneymaker will be out of the question. 

Wardy, you seem to have been as unsuccessful as me.  There must be someone out there that has grown some big beauties and will let us in on their secrets!

[glow777]

I got a few plants from a packet of seed (115 seeds), each had about 6 plants survive on it. Lots died of when small. Plenty of nice big flowers though.
Final aubs were about 60% the size of the shop bought ones. Don't know if they were any tastier as I've never bought any from a supermarket.

There seems to be something that burrows into the fruit but I have no idea what and just cut out the hole.

Grown in pots and planted into the greenhouse border under a latted bench. Fed comfrey tea and slug pellets!

All fruit came at once, v nice sliced then on top of steak with cheese melted ontop!

[Jesse]

Did your aub plants produce more flowers when you cut the fruits off? As I cut the fruits the plant produced more flowers and more aubs developed.

[undercarriage plan]

I'd love to help, Pauline, but I have no idea what I did! I bought 2 from a garden centre, they were selling them off cheap...bunged them outside in full sun...erm.......the soil is quite light though good stuff and they did well. I only watered occasionally, trying to think, but perhaps it was beginners luck...any, best of luck..

[Derekthefox]

That is a wonderful and delightfully inspirational picture Tim !!!

[Paulines7]

That is a wonderful and delightfully inspirational picture Tim !!!

They are magnificent aren't they!  I should have taken a photo of mine Derek and that would have given everyone a good laugh.   ;D ;D

[tim]

A fair guess - earwigs!

[glow777]

A fair guess - earwigs!

1cm hole usually about 3cm deep, never saw the blighters but one went all the way thru and out the other side!

Any known ways of dealing with them?

[djbrenton]

I gave some plants to a friend who planted his in the greenhouse border whilct mine were in pots. His produced far more than mine did but I did have one the size of a small melon. I'm thinking of putting mine in the border along with sweet peppers which also seemed to do better than in pots.

[glow777]

home made earwig trap, eg plastic plant pot filled with straw or shredded paper, turn it upside down and stick it on the end of a cane stuck in  your pot or by your aubergine.  The earwigs move up into the pot at night and you empty them out in the morning. Hopefully before they've breakfasted on your aubs

Thanks Wardy will try this in Summer

[Squashmad]

I like fat aubergines too - and had more success last year with an aubergine called Diamond (seeds from Vida Verde) - I grew them in my polytunnel in Northumberland, and they produced plenty of nice fat fruit. Planted them quite late as it was a bit of a last minute idea - but hope to start them by March this year and get more over a longer period.

[tim]

These are my fattest! Not true 'stuffers'.

[plot51A]

Tim, you are an inspiration.

[jennym]

Tim, those long ones in the first picture, what varieties are they? I'd love to have a go, never grown aubergines.

[Derekthefox]

Jen, i intend to grow tres hatives de barbentane, available through the organic gardening catalogue, as they are supposed to be very prolific ... i may grow another variety too, depending on what I can manage.

[Paulines7]

Tim, I am absolutely amazed at your second picture; well done!  What do you do with them all?  Is it possible to store them in a frost-free outhouse or will they turn mushy as my marrows did?  

Squashmad, I might try growing the Diamond variety next year.  If you were successful in Northumberland then I stand a good chance of growing them here in sunny Wiltshire.

Thanks Wardy for details of how to make an earwig trap; I must try that.  I won't be up early enough to stop them having breakfast but I could dispose of them late at night when I do my slug and snail patrol.

[tim]

Derek - I know the quote, but mine were the least productive of all, last year. Only 10.5 per plant.

Pauline - 2 main uses for the flushes - ratatouille (Delia style)  pickle (Mamta style), 'in pickling style' (Madhur Jaffrey) and, in between, fried, involtini (Nigella style), curry, moussaka & mock pizzas (Palazzi style).

Keep? - no!