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.
was wondering the same thing ???
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 :)
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.
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
Quote from: saddad on June 29, 2008, 09:42:03
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!
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
:)
why would you want to unless you want too prevent future production.
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
And the shop sized ones are all pap. Small is beautiful!!
Quote from: tim on July 01, 2008, 13:50:45
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?