Aubergine advice please Vines!

[Edwardo82]

My 6 Aubergines have reached a reasonably height now and I am wondering if I should pick out the tips now so the side shoots can get going?





Also does anyone think I should pot these up at some point, or can you keep Aubergines fairly pot bound?

Thanks to all in advance

[FionaH]

Dont know if its the right thing to do, first year at this, but I have potted mine up.

[smallblueplanet]

If you search on here there's lots of aubergine advice - some will grow pretty tall, 3-4ft high. I tend to let mine get on with it and only chop off leaves to let air circulate better or if they're a bit 'mankey'. We grow ours in the greenhouse border but lots grow them in containers, the bigger the better I'd have thought.

[Edwardo82]

Thanks SBP.

I think I will let mine carry on then, it did seem a shame to pinch them out, as per my book (at 25 to 30cm). I reckon I will upgrade them to just one more size of pot, but that means buying more compost!!

Glad I have put so much effort into my compost bins, but a load of comfrey and nettles on them last night and gave them a little spray with the hose.

Thanks again!

[tootles]

The thing with pinching out the tops is that they become bushier and more easy to support than a tall plant. This is only really a problem though if they are outside.

[TonyF]

And the advice in France is to pinch out the interbranching growing tips as you would do with tomatoes - I'm trying it this year.

[tracy]

and here in the canary islands we leave them alone no pinching out and we are lucky i grow mine all year round outside i have found that they are very greedy and love a good regular feed

[veggielover]

I'm really starting to doubt that i'll get any fruits.......

[Flummery]

I've never pinched out at all. Mine are starting to flower - well, the flower bud is drooping at least!

[Edwardo82]

Thanks everyone, I will certainly leave half of them to grow on un touched and the other half I will lightly pinch out to see what results I get.

Thanks

[irisgirl]

I'm spoiling mine with a twice weekly feed and am just going to let them grow freely. It's what we do at work and they look fantastic.

[Edwardo82]

Thanks irisgirl I think I might just leave them to grow.

I also also giving them a good regular feed and they are loving it.

[Edwardo82]

After doing a fair bit of reading it would seem to be beneficial to pinch out the tops at the desire height. It encourges more side shoots and hopefuly more fruit.

I am going to experiment by pinching out 3 of them and leaving the other three to grow on.

Thanks all for your advice!