Pinching out aubergines

[caroline7758]

I've just read that you should pinch out the top and the sideshoots of aubergines.Mine are about a foot high with the first flower forming, and I haven't done either! Will it be too much of a shock for the plants to do it all at once? The variety is Black Beauty.

[caroline7758]

[Chilipepper]

was wondering the same thing  ???

[vegmandan]

Pinch the top out when it's about a foot tall but you only want to remove the excess side shoots once you have about 6 fruit set,otherwise you'll not get enough flowers to form your fruit.

Once 5-6 fruit are set then you can then remove all subsequant side shoots,or if they're very big side shoots then just nip the tips out and take off any flowers :)

[tim]

Can't argue with the expertise behind that thing you're holding, but I have to say that there's always another way with Aubs.

I have never pinched or stoppd & reckon on up to 20 fruit per plant. Fewer for Black Beauty.

[saddad]

I don't stop them either... just as an aside has anyone else seen Aubergines for sale in Homebase? Big Plants 5-6 set fruit, ready to use but £19.99 who on earth pays that.......... I know they have sold some...  :o

[caroline7758]

I don't stop them either... just as an aside has anyone else seen Aubergines for sale in Homebase? Big Plants 5-6 set fruit, ready to use but £19.99 who on earth pays that.......... I know they have sold some...  :o

In the words of Victor Meldrew..... ::) They'd be better going to Tesco-don't think aubergines have got to a four quid yet, have they?

Maybe I'll try both ways and see what happens!

[calendula]

variety makes me decide what to do but I have never stopped them either but you might want to with really big black ones (just a few to each plant) which I don't grow very often as I prefer the smaller ones which the plant will hold well if there are a lot - trying both seems a good idea 
:)

[thegreatgardener]

why would you want to unless you want too prevent future production.

[calendula]

presumably to get bigger and better plants and this could matter for the big black variety - to get them shop bought size has never been possible for me and one other reason why I prefer the smaller varieties

[tim]

And the shop sized ones are all pap. Small is beautiful!!

[Barnowl]

Small is beautiful!!

...and never bitter.

PS Seeds of Italy do Black Beauty seeds from Franchi - 660 seeds per packet for £1.59! Can this be correct?