Any aubergine tips? Including when to sow?

[SlugLobber]

I'm eating a lot more of it, these days, so got some when I was last in Lidl, but there's no sowing date on. I was planning later this month, when I do the courgettes. Is that about right? Any aubergine specific pitfalls I should be aware of? I was going to put them in my blowaway, in large tubs.

[bario1]

I'd sow some indoors now, they take forever to germinate and get going, and need a long season to ripen. A lot of books say to sow in February to get a head start.

[Kristen]

I grow mine in greenhouse as they need a fair bit of heat, and I find them a long season crop, so mine were sowed in January. Needs heat for that, and light (I have a supplemental lighting rig). My Aubergine packet says they can be sown from Jan to end of Apr, although I'm a bit sceptical that such a late sowing will give much/any crop!

Moles Seeds says:

18-20C for germination and (in the linked PDF file) "Cropping starts around five months after sowing", so sown now that would be July.

Moles Seeds - Technical Information: Aubergine

[Alison]

I sowed mine in mid Jan too in 'ickle newspaper pots. They germinated in a about a week in a heated propogator and were transplanted to 3" plastic pots last weekend. They'll grow on inside now until Mayish when they'll go out to the greenhouse in pots to be hardened off and then planted out in the polytunnel with a good mulch. Round here I've never had any fruit outdoors but do quite well in the humidity of the tunnel. Does depend a bit on the type though, I never managed anything till I bought some seeds that are supposed to be very good in this country from Real Seeds.

[Bren In Pots]

I gave up growing Aubergines because although they do have pretty purple flowers I'd really like more than one fruit per plant.

[Alison]

I never used to even get a single fruit when I grew them in pots in the greenhouse but by growing them exactly the same but in the tunnel borders I get about 4 or 5 per plant. It shocked me too

[Ananke]

I gave up growing them too, when I did get a fruit it turned to mush and fell off or didn't ripen. I might try a different variety next year, I was advised to get the smaller roundish ones that are a light purple colour (cannae mind the name) seemingly they don't take as long to mature.

[SlugLobber]

Oh no! I'm late with these, then!!! Better get sowing! Eep!

Thanks all.

[redser]

You might be wasting your time sowing, they really do need a long season. Think about buying in some established plants from a garden centre?
For next year, Bonica is an excellent variety that does great in UK and Ireland. Got great crops in the tunnel last year.

[Kristen]

You might be wasting your time sowing, they really do need a long season. Think about buying in some established plants from a garden centre?

I agree, I would buy plants if starting now ... but my seed packets say otherwise and the sowing dates [on 3 different packets] are Jan-End Apr, and Feb to mid-Apr, and "Feb-Apr" ... mind you one also says "Just three plants will keep a family of four with Aubergines from mid summer to late Autumn" which I think is rubbish too (well ... depending on how few you eat it could be true I suppose ...) Begs the question why they sell 40 seeds in a packet though?!!

[jacob]

They're certainly one for someone who likes a challenge. My observation is that they like to be potted on quickly. They seem to hate it if the roots so much as touch the edge of the pot. So my top tip is to pot on as soon as you think the plan looks big enough, ignore what the roots are doing.

(My post productive has been something called a Moneymaker, from Suttons. Which they've stopped selling. Grrr.)

[chopper_j]

They're certainly one for someone who likes a challenge. My observation is that they like to be potted on quickly. They seem to hate it if the roots so much as touch the edge of the pot. So my top tip is to pot on as soon as you think the plan looks big enough, ignore what the roots are doing.

(My post productive has been something called a Moneymaker, from Suttons. Which they've stopped selling. Grrr.)

On average how many would you get over a season from one of the moneymakers? I am growing these this year, they are still available from thompson & morgan

[jacob]

I've got 4-8 moderately sized aubergines from a well looked after plant.

You have to remember I'm in Scotland (any my greenhouse is partially shaded by my neighbour's annoying large tree), so I'm really doing battle with the climate. It's not the med, no matter how much I'd like it to be....

[SlugLobber]

There were about 60 seeds in the packet, so I thought 'What the heck' and put in a few (I think I did 12). It's very warm round my way at the moment, so hopefully they'll take off quickly. If not, then one lives and learns!

[horticultural_hobbit]

I have a few varieties on the go, sat on my desk sunning themselves. Diamond, black beauty, diamond and what's the other one. Tres hative de barbentane. early long purple didn't germinate this time, Are all about three-four inches high in 5 cm pots. Will be indoors a long time, but I plan to transplant them into the poly tunnel. Have never had any viable success with them though. Got tall plants, and pretty purple floo'ers, but nothing else.