Aubergines

[Strawberry delight]

How can you tell that an aubergine is ready to eat, can you tell by feeling to see if it is spongy?

I have 2 that are a rather big size and i would hate them to put them to waste!

Thanks in advance for any help

[binley100]

I have got loads of fruit on my plants so I've just been using them as soon as they are big enough to slice up. At the moment they all seem to be looking like bananas , hoping they might fatten up .

[Alison]

I just pick them when they get to a reasonable size for eating but make sure you harvest before they go dull as they're definitely past their best by then

[Strawberry delight]

Cool

cool shape! This is mine, there are 2 of them one slightly smaller than this one.

[binley100]

That looks good.......Can't understand why mine have gone curly. What sort are you growing ? I've grown early long purple .......

[Strawberry delight]

Black beauty its called. I'm sure they will taste the same, i wouldnt leave them for that long 'cause its unlikly that they will fatten up! Good luck!

[smallblueplanet]

That looks good.......Can't understand why mine have gone curly. What sort are you growing ? I've grown early long purple .......

Your's are ready to eat now. They're not like the big fat purple ones you see in the supermarket.

[smallblueplanet]

How can you tell that an aubergine is ready to eat, can you tell by feeling to see if it is spongy?

Don't let them get spongey or dull, eat them when they are shiny and firm. You can eat them small or large..

[binley100]

We've been using some in stir fry and roast veg. Take a lot to make a moussaka .....

[northepaul]

Mine just grew into big (ish) plants, produced flowers which promptly dropped off, then the plants followed suit, and started to die

[thatshallot]

I have plenty of flowers, which have started to drop off, but no fruits. This is the first time I have tried them - what have I missed or done wrong?!

[chris]

Mine are just attempting to flower.. probably going to pull them out this weekend and chuck on the heap!

[Alison]

I think that if you haven't got fruit by now then you're not going to . I've struggled for years to get a crop in the greenhouse. Last year managed a few in the conservatory with a couple in pots but this year have done very well with them in the polytunnel. They have seemed to love the extra space for their roots and produced some lovely early fruits. Will be growing them there again next year as they didn't even seen to mind the fact that they didn't really get enough water due to me being a bit lazy at times