Aubergines - how quickly do they grow?

[Nicky]

I planted some aubergine seeds ages ago and they germinated OK. They were about the same size as the tomatoes when I potted them up but they don't seem to have taken off as wll as the tomatoes. Something has eaten a few of them so I've not got many left at all
Should I bring them back indoors from the greenhouse?

[smallblueplanet]

Ours are about 4" tall with lots of leaves - we have been bringing them in from the g/h each evening. When we potted them up they did take longer than the toms to get going (they like warmer temps & lots of light mind). What size pots are yours in?

[Alice]

I planted this one in Feb and its flowering today. It's been living on the windowsill and never been out. I've never had any success with aubergine before so hoping I've cracked it. The ones I planted in March are about 4" high and doing fine - again on the windowsill, but they will be going to the greenhouse as the season warms up.

[Cutecumber]

It sounds completely normal to me. Don't expect your aubergines to grow at the same rate as your tomatoes.

Aubergines, though in the same family as tomatoes, are not as vigorous growers. They become bushy, rather than reaching for the skies as some toamtoes, and are rather more ornamental and attractive than a tomato plant (usually!). As small blue planet says, they are more delicate and not able to cope with cold temperatures.

Keep them warm and sheltered and they'll come good in their own time.

[Nicky]

I've put them in 3" pots. I think I'll start bringing them, in overnight. It sounds like it's the cold they don't like.

[smallblueplanet]

Okay Alice I can't miss a chance to compete - here's my baby aubs!

[Alice]

They're looking great SBP. Are you growing more than one variety. I'm only growing Baby Belle in the hope of some success. If that works out I'll be looking for recommendations for varieties for next year.

[smallblueplanet]

Yep, growing Ichiban (meant to be early, and so far its the biggest at the back, left), Applegreen (small green long cropping), Rosa Bianca (new this year, purple/white) & Ping tung long (long purple). They'll all be planted in the g/h border down one side with toms down the other, any gap left for peppers & a cuke.

I adore aubergines!

[veggieginger]

We are attempting Aubs this year too; black and white and calliope are the varieties we are trying.

I am new to this website and to gardening so everything is abit of an experiment this year Some of my Aub plants look exactly like the pepper ones I have sowed so we are getting abit confused

We made the mistake of using our homemade compost abit early and seem to have pepper plants everywhere

We are also love Aubs and I will be sooo happy if I get just 1 grow. We are keeping ours in the porch (which is like a greenhouse) within a plastic greenhouse.

Happy growing everyone

[smallblueplanet]

Hi veggieginger, if you use the search on this board you'll find a couple of threads from last year talking about growing aubs - some with lots of pics. Aubs love heat and light (and it being a bit humid too) I doubt you'll get it too hot for them. Good luck, I've not tried either of your varieties so I'll be interested in how they go.

oh and you'll soon be able to tell the aub leaves as they do get spikey and 'furry'.

[Alison]

They're looking great SBP. Are you growing more than one variety. I'm only growing Baby Belle in the hope of some success. If that works out I'll be looking for recommendations for varieties for next year.

Have grown them a couple of times in the past and to be honest they're the ones I've had most luck with, small obviously but they ripened well and were good in stir fries etc. Am trying Black Beauty and Ichiban this year but they're not as big as yours, only a couple of inches tall at best but looking pretty healthy so fingers crossed they'll catch up.

[Flummery]

I didn't sow mine till 11/04 - I hoped to be able to buy one or two plants but couldn't. The only variety the garden centre had was Long Purple so I now have 12! Just potted them this morning into 3" pots. It's years since I last grew them - we got a few fruits from a plant on the patio. Hope for much better results on my greenhouse staging!

[smallblueplanet]

Whats wrong with long purple Flum? They sound interesting and if they grow in 'bunches' they might be quite prolific?

[veggieginger]

Thanks smallblueplanet, sorry it has taken a while to reply.

I will let you know how I get on. The plants are growing well and do have distinctive leaves.

I will have a search to see what I find about Aubs.

[mrskp]

here's my baby Black Beauty's sown 5/2 (the bigger ones) and Calliope's sown 17/2. They've not been out of the house yet !

Two BB's went in black buckets yesterday. Not sure what I'm going to do with 14 plants though !