Allotments 4 All

I've just got a last-minute order from the Real Seed Catalogue, and the blurb on the aubergine packet says  that it will take 2-3 weeks to germinateat 90 degrees F, but 'a LONG time' at 80 degrees. This particular variety (Diamind) can take an extra week. Anyone had any experience of germinating thses? This particular variety is Ukrainian, adpated for short cool summers, so if I can get it started it should hopefully be OK.

Oh, why did you land yourself??
The average aub takes 8 days @ 70F.

DO check with them - they are hugely helpful - could be an error??

Could be - that's why I asked. I don't mind landing myself when it's only a matter of a quid or two; if you don't experiment, you never find out what's possible. My family are addicted to warm-weather veg, and I don't want the allotment taken over by greenhouses, so it's a matter of trying all sorts, and jublocks are a major item on the menu. I'll put them in later and see what happens. From what you say, they should do all right in the cupboard with the hot water tank, though I might be inclined to put them on top of it rather than underneath.

I'm having probs trying to grow Aubergine they don't grow.

'Trying' how??

Tim, sowing the seeds in compost and nothing coming through. Did another lot on tues/wed this week so I might get something this time.

Alright - here we go - first sowing ,a day of last year's. I'll let you know how they work out.

I can't believe mine germinated after hearing everyone's problems.....they'll probably go and die on my now!  I planted them two to a 4" pot and put them in an unheated prop on an upstairs south facing windowsill.  They took about two weeks I think although I have to say we did have a couple of days of bright warm sunshine at the time.  I took them out of the prop but on the same windowsill with just one to a pot about two weeks after that.  They are now about 5 weeks old and seem to be growing ok....but never having grown them before as long as they are alive to me they are ok!  I'm not sure what to do with them now and how big they should be before I pot them on.  And do they need pinching out like toms?

Pinching out? The book says yes. I say no!! They have multiple leaders, which makes it difficult anyway.

Potting on? Where are they going? A 4" pot is fine until they are a sturdy 5-6", & then into the soil, 9" pots or grow bags.

They go out smaller than the peppers on the right. The aubs in the middle have been out sometime. (Last year!)

what a neat and well organised greenhouse you have Tim. It looks great, I am very envious. ;D  I always find aubergines difficult and slow to start and rather temperamental.

Very impressive Tim!

Gonna start my aubergines off this weekend - never grown them before, so will let you know how I go 

Getting worried they are not gonna work now!

PS - I should have said 75F.

My aubergines were sown on a windowsill on 2nd March.  The Black Beauty ones came through a week or so ago but the Moneymaker aubs have just sent up their first two leaves now.  They do not get a lot of the sun but the room temperature is 68ºF during the day, probably falling to about 48ºF at night.  I covered them over with a towel at night during the really cold weather.  They were much slower to germinate than the tomatoes, so I would not give up hope on your first lot of sowing Rosyred.

None of mine have germinated yet.  VERY ANGRY!  Have sown some more today....'little fingers' and .....another which of course I can't remember!

Wish I had a greenhouse like that too... I'll let you know if my aubergines come to anything.

I planted mine on 7th February....and some emerged yesterday!!!!

There is hope for me yet then. I now have two varieties planted - tres hatives de barbentane and long purple. Only one of the former has germinated, and the latter has only been in the pot for a week, but one seedling appears to be peeking out.

I've sown mine today, 5 varities.

Orissa
Bambino
Rosa Bianca
Listada de Gandia
Thai Long Green

I'll update when I have progress.

i planted my black beautys about 2 weeks ago and obviously the wind blowing backwards has not helped them !!!

well i was going to plant some more but i might just hang on a bit yet after reading some off htese

I bought a packet of T & M's variety Red Egg and one called Fabina (can't remember where). They were sown and kept in a heated propagator on 30 January. By 6. March only 2 Fabina were showing and since the Red Egg were expensive for only 10 seeds I rang T & M. to complain. They apologised and sent me another packet - and lo and behold the very next day the Red Egg seedlings started to emerge ::) :-[ That was 6 weeks after sowing the seeds! Since then I can count 6 tiny 1 cm high seedlings, but no more of the Fabina have come through, still the 2 which came through after about 3 weeks and they are no bigger than the Red Egg. I grew Black Beauty last year, but was able to start them off in early January. I don't recall having any difficulty with germination and eventually had quite a good crop from sturdy plants.

Tricia

I've tried two years running in my greenhouse and whilst the seeds germinate fine, the fruits get to about 1 inch and drop off.   They are in 9 inch pots. Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong would be welcome.  Thanks

I grew mine in half growbags last year and they were happier than in pots -probably because you've got a bit more latitude on watering feeding &c.

Sowed this years on the 6/1 -rather annoyingly I didn't record when they came up -a while ago ::)

Rosa Bianca looking a bit further on than money maker -but then it needs to be.

They all got a trip out to the greenhouse today.

Jeremy

Sowed 'Applegreen' from the Real Seed Co. on the 14th March (airing cupboard)... first seedling emerged 4 days later, they've been on a windowsill since then, with the last seed germinating on the 21st March.

It said 2-3 weeks to germinate, on the packet, but last year's aubergines from the same seed company (different variety) also emerged very swiftly.

I sowed saved seed from last year's Moneymaker, and nothing happened in 3 weeks. So I bought a packet of Franchi long violet, sowed some in a 3" pot and popped them in the heated prop.

Cue the Moneymakers to grow. 

Now have three Moneymaker and a massive FIFTEEN long violets, and am about to go and prick out some of them. 

moonbells

If ever there was a veg that tried ones patience ...  I think the Aub wins with Honours  ;D

Having read all this  ...  I like a challenge, so in they will go today ...  perhaps Mothering Sunday will bring me luck   ;D

I sowed Heritage Mix aubergine seeds from DT Brown on 17th this month and only one out of seven has germinated :( Has anyone tried the same seeds before? Should I be worried?
Another aubergine I sowed (small, round one) germinated in about three days.

Feeling quite chuffed, having sown aubergines for the first time and they've germinated within a week in a heated propagator. Time will tell whether I get any fruit!They are T&M Black Enorma.

i have found the following page very informative

http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/aub.htm

That was indeed very informative LittleGem and thankfully not in Turkish as the name might suggest :D Now all i've got to do is try and not kill the seedlings when pricking out. About 30 geminated (100% germination ;D) only 2 left now! ??? I don't think they liked the liberal applicaton of fish, blood and bone but I don't know.

Noddy.

Thought I would just show off my first-time-ever aubergine plants.  They look a little droopy as they are probably in shock from being potted on yesterday.  I am hoping they will recover and fruit - be a miracle!

Blooming wonderful! Sowed some a couple of days ago.

Mine aren't showing yet nor are my tomatoes that a planted last week. (what am I doing wrong with tomatoes even)

In what? Mine, last year, at 70F, germinated in 5 days.

But this year I can't even germinate a lettuce!!

I think mine are about the same stage as yours Amanda -some anyway. They went a bit sulky after there first trip or two to the green house but seem to be past it now.

I kept them indoors. I am pleased now though when I looked in my little plastic greenhouse I have four cabbages  that have come through.

After the worries which gave rise to this thread, I'm almost embarrassed to say that mine is coming up like cress in under a week!

Well I wish you would have a stern word with mine Robert!  Nuffink as yet.  Amanda, your's look fabulous!  I have biiiiig green eyes now!  :)

Wow, Amanda - when did you sow them? I envy you such healthy, compact plants.

I have 6 Red Egg and 3 Fabina which have finally decided to show themselves after weeks of nurturing, but they are only 2 cm high. If I don't lose them to slugs I'm still hoping they will someday look as good as yours. Which variety are they?

Tricia

They're Early Long Purple 2 and were sown on 4th Feb, put under an unheated prop. and on a south facing windowsill.  I remember we did have a few days of lovely sunshine just after so that might have got them going from the start and they germinated at about 10-12 days.  I left them covered for another 2 weeks but kept them on the sunny windowsill until now when they have been moved down into the north-facing conservatory.  The heating is still only just on in there and only during the day so I am hoping this will begin hardening them a little.

I am still stunned by their growth and am keen that they continue and go on to produce lovely fruits - so any tips on what to do with them from now on would be gratefully received!   ;D

Excellent Amanda! There are two varieties sown in my trays now -Tres Hative de Barbentane which have only produced one plant, and Long Purple which are germinating nicely off last years seed. Nothing as good as yours though.

This  has really tickled my fancy :o  Ive never tried to grow aubergine before so went hot foot out to buy some seeds to try .
Johnsons - Early Long Purple 2
It says Keep at approx 68 - 71 deg F
Seedlings appear  (very confident) 14 - 21 days.
So here goes. Think I will stick them in the airing cupboard. Windowsills have propagators stacked on top of each other!

*feeling glum* my aub seeds germinated, but then reached so hard for the light they were almost horizontal, which then weakened the stem and they broke off!  back to the drawing board  :'(

Finally some of my aubergine seeds (thank you littlegem!)  have made it through, has taken about 10 days in a heated propagator. :)

Quote from: amphibian on March 24, 2006, 19:53:23
I've sown mine today, 5 varities.

Orissa
Bambino
Rosa Bianca
Listada de Gandia
Thai Long Green

I'll update when I have progress.

Listada de Gandia and Thai Long Green have both recorded 100% germination, after 7 days, no sign of any of the others yet.

Quote from: amphibian on March 31, 2006, 19:16:44

Quote from: amphibian on March 24, 2006, 19:53:23
I've sown mine today, 5 varities.

Orissa
Bambino
Rosa Bianca
Listada de Gandia
Thai Long Green

I'll update when I have progress.

Listada de Gandia and Thai Long Green have both recorded 100% germination, after 7 days, no sign of any of the others yet.

Orissa and Bambino have now germinated, so only Rosa Bianca to go.

No sign of mine yet, my tomato plants I sowed at the same time are up so I'm looking hopeful this time.

Yippee, three are up.  Still loads not poking through. My chillis are finally all coming through also, slow slow quick quick slow!

I'm now drowning under aubergine seedlings.  I pricked out 14 nice little seedlings and they are getting proper leaves now, and the moneymakers keep on germinating - got another nine to prick out when I've raided my pot store!

I shall be giving them away at this rate...

moonbells

All of my varities are now up, I got 100% germination. (unlike my lettuce which won't germinate).

3 out of 5 germinated so far... The first one is getting leggy because of being in a propagator. Should I take it out? ???

mine are doing great, money maker and black beauty, i'd say about 75% germination. they're now in the GH and will be ready to prick out at the weekend i reckon, i'm just not looking forward to actually growing them!! last year i tried with one plant from garden centre - eaten by slugs or something. then another - the same. then another - the same. then another - started fruiting then one day fruit was on floor (1" long) with hole in it!
hopefully now we've started from scratch in garden and took down existing vinehouse etc I can take better precautions on the pest front!! (i hope) ::)

That is a sad tale littlegem, personally I found growing aubergines very exciting, rather exotic and 'mediterranean' ...  :) My long purple seed are germinating quite happily, but the tres hatives de barbentane are sadly non runners (two germinated from a whole packet), and they were not cheap. We win some, lose some, but the crops make up for the failures ...  :D

My tres hatives germinated fine but I'm having real problems with Ping Tong Long - they don't seem to want to grow at all.

Mine are all doing fine on the kitchen windowsill (being glowered at by the wife, which must encourage them) but the chilis haven't done a thing so far.

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on April 04, 2006, 18:17:54
Mine are all doing fine on the kitchen windowsill (being glowered at by the wife, which must encourage them) but the chilis haven't done a thing so far.

Does she object to the produce, or just the plants?

Just the plants. Jublocks are a major item in everything she cooks.

YIPPEE.  4 teeny weeny leaves have poked thro. Only took 5 days!  Hope the rest follow soon.

Felt like a piccy!

These are Orient Express and Tres Hatives, with 3 Rosa Bianca on the right. Sown a month after the others. Also have some smaller ones still coming along, was experimenting with sowing times. (Thats my excuse anyway - really couldn't wait to get going.)

I think i must have a duff packet. For the third time nothing showing yet.

Periwinkle, your plants are impressive! Mine are still tiny!
Where do you keep them and when did you sow?

I love aubergine plants, I think they are prettier than many house plants, and their flowers are stunning.

Thanks Tora!
First sowing 21/1, Rosa Bianca 23/2. Sown in electric winowsill propagator, taken off heat when germinated but have been kept indoors in our flat since. OH becoming more tolerant of seed trays everywhere - or perhaps I'm just wearing him down  :D ;D

mine took 5 weeks to show but to be fair they have been in the conservatory with hit and miss heating so im pretty pleased that they showed at all !

Thanks, periwinkle. I'm going to sow earlier next year and make sure they get more light :)
I love aubergine! Shame it's my husband's least favourite veg... ::) I agree they are one of the prettiest plants too.