Allotments 4 All

I'm feeling in an adventurous mood, and maybe the heat has gone to my head. There is a little aubergine plant in the shop across the road for 85p. I have never grown aubergines, and do not have a greenhouse, so it would be going on the balcony with tomatoes, peppers and herbs.

Any tips? I'm sort of banking on a long, hot summer....

Move to the Dordogne...  :-X

very sensible  :P

go on give it a go, you know you want to ;),

give in to the green side ;D.

We have grown them (the long varieties) outdoors, 600' up here - with shelter.

Where are you?

If given a little cloche protection at first I have grown them outside here on the Lincs/Cambs border.

85p??-you should have bought from me--70p   ;),but I do confess only a limited choice this year `Bonica`or `Thai Green`

I paid £1.50 (sucker) in Wilkos today - slugs stripped all the ones I had grown from seed.

Thai Green, Stephan? Who needs anything else??

I hate to repeat myself, but there will be lots of aubergines for sale at considerably less than £1.50 at our Open Day....... ;)

Quote from: tim on June 04, 2009, 19:45:10
Thai Green, Stephan? Who needs anything else??

tim, what variety is the little one at the bottom? it looks exaclty like my ones.
is it prickly?
lbb

I have long thai green outside right now. Give it a go, I've grown quite a few aubergines outside before, though had little success the last two seasons.

Deb P you are making me even :(er. Have you thought about a postal service for people with poorly cars ;D ;D ;D.
Janet

I'm in Southampton! Hopefully should be warm enough? Am going to go for it and see what happens. I totally love aubergines, and would be awesome to grow them myself...will keep you updated...

Mine grew fine outside last year (S W London) despite the rotten weather and a good dose of aminopyralid.  Go for it.

Which is basically what I said earlier, but not taken to the same extreme... being further south has some advantages...  ;D

I'd say give it a go and a bit of fun! Grew some 2 years ago and had a small crop and am trying them again this year. I grow them in big pots and was wondering would they like some rotted manure in the bottom of the pot?

Thanks
1066

Edit - forgot to add I'm in 'sometimes sunny Hastings'  :D

Real Seeds

De Barbentane
A great medium-sized cylindrical black aubergine from France, with firm white flesh. We have always found it quick to get going and the plants are very sturdy.

This variety was bred for outdoor growing (in France, mind you, so we in the UK are really better off growing it under a bit of cover) and it does not require the same high temperatures that glasshouse aubergines are used to.


Earliness, consistently high production and good flavour make this one of our favourites. If you only grow one, try this one!

Long black fruit, white flesh.

Order AuBN - 30 seed £1.64

Oh to be on the south coast!! But, as said, we were happy up here with 113 fruit from 8 plants. Variety Macchiaw  - discontinued, but Farmer's Long is similar.

similar to cleo ... we put the plants under barn cloches until they are bursting to get out - usually end of June - and then they are on their own.

Crops vary from year to year depending on the conditions - 2008 was ok.

We are in Berks.

thankyou tim, thats the one, i only had one type survive but the lables are all
missing :(
lbb

113 fruits from 8 plants that is amazing Tim.  I am pleased if I get two or three from one plant.  Will try your suggested variety next year.   Are you having an open day?  I would like to see your aubergines.