How can I tell if they are on track, having never grown them before? They've got some huge leaves and are about 12" tall (maybe more) but no sign of buds yet.They are in the greenhouse.
I think ours were twice that size before they got buds.
They're now waist high, have flowers but no fruit.
How have you grown them? it's my first year with these too, and I made the mistake of putting them out in the mini-greenhouse far too early, so they sulked for ages. I should have kept them on a windowsill where it's warm. They're now about the same size as yours, and ready for planting out (no room for them to grow any bigger under cover), but I'm not too hopeful. I'll know for next year!
Just out of interest, I saw aubergine plants around that size in a garden centre last weekend. £4.99 each!!!
Who, me Robert?
Sown 26 Mar/germinated 4 Apr/potted up 16 Apr/grown on on hotpad @ 60F/planted 26 May.
The earliest I get fruit is first week in Aug. Looks like a vain hope this year!!
I have small weeny fruit, slowly slowly this year...
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/sandersj89/Allotment%20July06/Allot5.jpg)
Jerry
Just watch out for those SPIKES!!
I'm not showing off - buuut - I have two fruits ready for me to pick tomorrow. At last I've done something right. :D :D
I'm still at the flowers and tiny set fruit stage but they are really loving this hot spell!
;D
So, Dumpling - how did you achieve that??
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Just out of interest, I saw aubergine plants around that size in a garden centre last weekend. £4.99 each!!!
Life is never fair :'(
Cleo wearing his `Smiling Cat Herbs ` hat.
my aubies are just starting to flower btw
Thanks for the advice, Tim; I'll try to do better with them next year!
All mine are now outdoors, either in pots on my balcony or in the plot as haven't got a greenhouse. Biggest fruit is 4" long and growing fast.
Nearly dug up the plants on the plot - their fleece cover was ripped to shreds in the gales we had about a week after planting out, and they looked very pathetic indeed. Flowering and fruiting now though - must be all this exceptional weather. They are interplanted with some purple queen french beans, also flowering now - looks really pretty!
Mine were sown early March on kitchen windowsill. Not sure when I moved them out to unheated greenhouse. Now in a grobag. The leaves are much rounder than yours, Tim- different variety, I guess.
Doesn't sound too hopeful, but I'll keep trying!
I have one plant in GH from which I've had the first fruit - about 6" long. It is a plant I bought cheap from a garden centre, is un-named and there are 5 more small fruit and several flowers flourishing on it. Outdoors on the patio I have 2 Fabina and 3 Red Egg grown from seed. They have just started to flower. I also have a small bush aubergine called Baby Belle, also bought at the garden centre. Have had one fruit the size of a golf ball and there are lots more to come. All in all, a better year than last year, but having to water them constantly is a bit of a pain ::).
Tricia
I didn't think I did anything special. Seeds were Moneymaker from Alan Romans. Germinated in a heated propagator on the windowsill, then potted on and later planted in the border in the greenhouse. And I have no idea of the dates I did this.
I'm planning to try Red Egg as well next year. Fingers crossed.
Apple.
I planted my aubergine plants in the allotment today. They were in pots for ages (I'm still tackling my new plot so planting space is limited) and some were pot bound. They are only 15cm (6") tall. I'm worried that they may not bear fruits. :-\
Me too. But we'll be thinking of you!
And now it's periwinkle - how did YOU get so far ahead??
I sowed fairly early and they were doing so well in the conservatory until the red spider mite hit! They look very sad now but I've moved them outside and they do seem to be picking up and growing more leaves and flowers. No fruit yet, although my mother who had one of my plants has three or four flowers that look like they've set. All mind so far have dropped off without setting. I also have two that have been outside from May time and these suffered in a cold snap back then. They seem to be ok but no sign of any flowers.
Quote from: Apple Dumpling on July 16, 2006, 19:46:36
I didn't think I did anything special. Seeds were Moneymaker from Alan Romans. Germinated in a heated propagator on the windowsill, then potted on and later planted in the border in the greenhouse. And I have no idea of the dates I did this.
I'm planning to try Red Egg as well next year. Fingers crossed.
Apple.
I think it's Moneymaker that's a particularly early one. What gets me is that they start off shiny and at some point, go matte. I pick at that point...
I took have one ready (and another half-dozen growing) and WAIL! The RSM are back and Defenders can't ship till Wednesday! Argh!!!!
moonbells
Wish I knew what caused that 'matting' business??
Oh, sorry - meant tomatoes!
I think it's Moneymaker that's a particularly early one. What gets me is that they start off shiny and at some point, go matte. I pick at that point...
moonbells
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I think you're right, mine are Moneymaker. After I'd read the packet and seen they were for greenhouse I sent most of the seeds to my aunt (didn't have a greenhouse at the time) and just planted the remaining seeds all together in January on a windowsill, thinking nothing would happen. All 17 became strong plants, potted on and put in a mini greenhouse type of thing and they're now on my allotment, no protection but seem to be doing fine, surprising for a windy spot. Got 4" fruits or so. Must be the make. ;)
Tim - luck I think!
I tried to choose early varieties as I can only grow outside. All my fruit so far are on Orient Express, from Simpsons seeds, sown late February. They describe them as "very early, prolific, slim 6" purple/black fruit". I've other varieties - big experment this year - Mohican sown late March have grown quickly and are flowering but not yet found any fruit set. Mind you, hadn't noticed the ones on the plot till I had a really good look when this thread started!
No wonder - Orient Express & Mohican are both great.
This is Mohican.
23/7 - Where's my picture gone??
I went to water mine after work today, and found to my surprise that they were flowering merrily. Maybe there's hope for them yet.
Tim how long do you let Mohican grow. New to growing these and no clues on the packet. Growing them for my daughter so am keen to know when I can surpriswe her with the first one
Not too big. Goes for any Aub. You very soon get wooden seeds. 4-5" for Mohican? Start small & experiment? Must still be shiny.
Thanks, have a couple to pick then.
New to all this. Help much appreciated
I love my aubergine plants! The best thing our land at the moment! we've been picking them for about 3 weeks and there are still new flowers! do they just keep going or will they stop fruiting soon (I'm in Spain!) I will be growing Black Beauties again next year!!
Quote from: Tora on July 16, 2006, 19:47:42
I planted my aubergine plants in the allotment today. They were in pots for ages (I'm still tackling my new plot so planting space is limited) and some were pot bound. They are only 15cm (6") tall. I'm worried that they may not bear fruits. :-\
Some of my 'spare' plants have stayed in smallish pots, are only 8-10" tall and yet baring fruit and flowers in abundance. I know it's just because they think their days are numbered and they are desparately trying to seed before dying, but it is still interesting seeing a teeny plant baring fruit nearly the size of itself.
Exciting news- flowers starting to form on mine! (Well, I'm excited!)
Quote from: amphibian on July 23, 2006, 19:53:31
Some of my 'spare' plants have stayed in smallish pots, are only 8-10" tall and yet baring fruit and flowers in abundance. I know it's just because they think their days are numbered and they are desparately trying to seed before dying, but it is still interesting seeing a teeny plant baring fruit nearly the size of itself.
That's encouraging! I went down to the allotment this morning and my aubergine plants were still just the same except for one plant, which has a flower bud! ;D Hope they all start to bear fruits like your plants. :)
I have a confession... :-[ I bought a Long Purple aubergine plant at a garden centre because I thought I would never get any fruit from mine. The plant had a tiny fruit already and three flower buds. Planted it next to my plants at the allotment. It was flowering this morning so hopefully I'll get a few decent fruits. ;D