Aubergines

[smallblueplanet]

Thinking about getting ready to plant out things into the greenhouse - we plant direct into the borders.

As some of our aubergines are tiny I just cheated and got one from the garden centre, I think it will be ready to plant in a week or so....

So should I cover the border with black plastic to warm it up? Then if I do that should I leave it on and plant thru it or take it off and plant?

Phew! who else is doing aubergines this year?

[Alice]

Hello SBP, wish you good luck with the aubergines. Haven't tried them for years but used to grow.Plants always grew well in the greenhouse but NEVER set fruit. Will be interested to hear how you get on. Maybe I'll try them again next year now that I have time to look after things properly, and all you experts to ask for advice.

[smallblueplanet]

Have had no success in pots, but we moved from oop north (Derbyshire) to dahn south where we'd been left an old aluminium greenhouse. We plant into the borders.

Had no problems with pollination but we do grow tagetes in the greenhouse as companion plants (as well as tomatoes and basil) and they attract insects in.

1st summer (we moved in about May/June) as we were late we bought a couple of plants Blackbell f1 - they were tremendous, grew huge with lots of reasonable (5/6 inch) sized fruits.

Last year we grew our own Black Beauty and applegreen - former not as good as Blackbell but bigger fruit, latter lots of small green fruit (lovely taste) with a longish growing season.

This year we're trying some of the long thin varieties but also the shop grown Black Beauty and also applegreen.

[Alice]

Thanks for the info SBP. Feel quite heartened. Will definately try them again next year. Best wishes for your crop.

[smallblueplanet]

Thanks, but its not too late for you to nip down your garden centre and cheat a little too!!!

[poultrychat]

I can't remember what type it was but I grew them successfully last year in pots in the greenhouse, the only trouble I had was supporting the fruit as they kept on pulling the plants over

[lyndap]

2 years ago grew'moneymaker' brought as small plant,fruited well(grown in pot in mini greenhouse).Last year grew'black beauty'.Total disaster. Flowered a little, but no fruits(my daughters were the same)This year trying'mohican' (dwarf white variety).They at 5 leaf plus seed leaf stage at moment.

[smallblueplanet]

Yeah am a bit nervous about BB lyndap, but can recommend applegreen if you like smaller aubs (sort of upto tennis ball size & green!) with a short growing season and good taste, also kept going up til frosts.

[shine388]

i bought a black beauty plant a couple of weeks ago and its grown a bit but nothing major, will it do what toms do - sit for a while before suddenly taking off?

[smallblueplanet]

Reckon so - there's not enough light and heat for 'em - I've read aubs need 18 degrees centigrade to be growing, they like it warm!

[Clarea1]

my Aub is growing okay, perhaps a little slower than I would have liked but as I've never grown one before I've nothing to compare with! I'm growing Black Enorma'

[lyndap]

Where can you get seeds/plants for 'applegreen'Manda? It's not one I have heard of.

[smallblueplanet]

Hmmm, there are places but I got mine from Daves Seeds (off ebay in the US) cos I wanted other 'eggplant' & tomato seeds all together to save on postage.

Daves Seeds link

recommended friendly, free seeds cheap p&p and all germinated okay.

But in the UK I see Plants of Distinction sell them - order the catalogue from
this link - and then buy by post. Very nice catalogue, lots of unusual choice of veggies too and good pictures. Applegreen seeds - £1.45 for 40 seeds.

[julie williamson]

Do find with aubergines, that they do need a large pot, with a very hefty stake, to stop them falling over when they have fruit on..Its great to grow them, but they're not a very tasty veg, so this year its peppers instead.

[smallblueplanet]

Have to disagree, aubergines are very tasty - applegreen has a nice 'meaty' flavour (and I don't mean meat cos I'm a veggie! ) and blackbell were great in curries, chillis and bolognese!