How on earth do you get decent aubs?

[moonbells]

I give up. OK so I don't, but I do want to know the secret!

This year for the first time I had a proper potting shed, controlled venting and south-facing so I had great hopes of more aubs than I could eat. I had three types of aub, grown in heat early in the year and potted on regularly. Mohican (white), Calliope (baby aubs, striped) and Long Violet.

From my main pots (about 10" ones) I have so far had three mohican, one purple and one calliope. Very disappointed about the latter, as they're supposed to be prolific. Lots of flowers but no setting. Watered regularly with dilute tom feed once flowering. Some more tiny ones coming, but when? They're growing slower than a cactus!

What else am I supposed to do to get a decent number or size? Are the pots too small? Not sure how to get a growbag in, but it's possible in future years. I like my aubs!

(Admittedly the chilli plants in the same conditions have gone mad...)

heeeeeelp please!

moonbells

[moonbells]

[Barnowl]

I got a fair crop last year but felt the plants could have done wit ha little longer to mature so sowed a couple of weeks earlier this time (6th March instead of 24th March)  but the results have been disappointing. However I don't think it was the sowing timing, I think my mistake was not to pot them on sooner and that the poor weather (they're outdoor) compounded the problem.

I'd be interested to know if anyone had a successful crop -  Aubergines like a lot of warmth and I don't think we got it this year.

[calendula]

you just need a good summer  8)

[Tee Gee]

I think Calendula is on the right lines.

Generally this year I have found that things that require 'sunshine' have not fared very well whereas other stuff that like lots of water have been a reasonable success.

I pulled my plants out this morning, plenty of aubergines on but quite small e.g. 2"-3" long at most when I would expect them to be around 5"-6" long.

I didn't think they would develop any further and the cooler damp weather we are having at the moment may have caused those that had formed rotting.

So I cut my losses I guess!

[tim]

So glad I didn't grow them this year. I would have joined all those with failures. It's the worst year ever in the greenhouse - & that's without any pests!

Given a normal year, they are not difficult indoors, & can be quite productive outdoors with some shelter.

Can't advise on pots - we do 2 to a grow bag.

[saddad]

I'm beginning to loose some to Botrys now but the ones in the big greenhouse have been reasonably productive... some of the black beauty are almost football sized!! The calliope lived up to the description prolific...  :-X

[caroline7758]

I thought I wasn't going to get any at all from my 7 plants (under glass) as all the flowers seemed to be falling off. We ate the first one a couple of weeks ago and I now have two more decent ones and a few more forming but not sure they'll develop unless we get a sudden warm spell. Mind you, they've survived sciarid fly in their early days and red spider mite later so guess I should be grateful!

[ceres]

I'm growing them outdoors for the frst time.  They were very badly hit by the manure weedkiller, almost worse than the tomatoes, but they have grown through it although they are still stunted.  They flowered quite well but not many set fruit.  I've got 1-2 fruits on each plant, have been harvesting them at 7-8* long.  They were a Wilko cheapie seed, Early Purple Long.  I'm pleased with them and will try growing outdoors again next year.

[angle shades]

I've managed to grow a few Rosa Bianca this year... I can die a happy woman!

they are in the famous free black buckets on plant pot saucers with gravel in them,mine have also survived red spider mite and rot.

I have four fruit left to pick, so even though the weather has been on the crap side , Rosa Bianca seems to like it ::)

[Deb P]

I've grown four different varieties this year, strangely enough the smallest type is doing the best, 'Baby Rosanna'. The big ones, one was huge but suddenly split and rotted! My 'Prosperosa' is the only other one that is fruiting well.. :-\

[caroline7758]

Tim, I'm disappointed!I was waiting for your post and expecting to hear of a bumper crop again- why did you decide not to grow them this year?

[djbrenton]

This has been my best year for aubergines ever. The significant change for me was growing them in 10" pots on staging so they got more light than when grown in the greenhouse border. I only grew Black Beauty but got 4 or 5 large fruits per plant and a few smaller.

[Barnowl]

Forgot to mention that: Aubergine Diamond is producing 4 to 5 (one already picked at half size) and some are nearing full size; Calliope and Fairy Tale some rather weedy specimens; nothing from De Barbentane and Little Finger except flowers that fall off.  Small ones in 10" pots conventional in 12".

Of the two 'conventional ones'  Diamond is of more northerly origin and requires less warmth than De Barbentane so the fruiting (or lack of) pattern  matches the 'not enough warmth' theory. 

Might have to keep one in the GH next year - actually perhaps should move one that's still flowering to the GH now.....hmmmmm

[Tyke]

I had 3 in my greenhouse that have produced lots of flowers and lush leaves, but not one single fruit. i grew them in 10 inch pots and fed them regularly. Not sure i'll bother next year.

[tim]

Caroline - because the family are not keen on Aubs - & we have a backlog of Mamta's Aub pickle.

And I was told to grow more Toms this year.

[moonbells]

It seems like I need 10-12" pots, lots of direct sun in the greenhouse and to use Black Beauty or Diamond! And hope for a decent summer...  ::)

moonbells

[Barnowl]

It might be worth trying an early one like Bonica (RHS AGM)

[moonbells]

I saved seed from an F1 (yes, I know...) the other year, and the last time I sowed some I got loads though aesthetically they were not nice (matte purple, not shiny). So whatever they ended up (the F1 was Moneymaker) I couldn't complain too much.

Course I didn't grow them this year. Should have, perhaps! And the Long Violets were Seeds of Italy so rather unused to the UK!

There was me thinking that even at 1-2 per plant, with 15 plants I'd be laughing. Hum....

moonbells

[tim]

We have foud that the long ones - Thai & Farmer's Long - have been the most reliable, with the small ones like Mohican & Snowy next.