Strange flower pushing up in Aubergine seeds

[paulaf]

Hi, I am new to planting my own veg and was really excited to see my peppers and cougettes growing nicely. My concern is that I have a strange stem and flower pushing up out of my aubergine seeds. Grey/purple stem long with small daisy like flower on top. I don't think this is normal. Does anyone know what this could be, I don't want to pull it out if it is part of the seed.
Sorry - am a real newbie :-)
Thank you

[jacob]

It's not an aubergine. In fact, I'm not sure you should be planting aubergines at this time of year, even in Devon. Do you think they will survive the winter? Hopefully your courgettes will produce a late crop and the peppers ought to survive inside.

[bario1]

Hi Paulaf and welcome to the vine.

Aubergines should not be sown until early spring as they need a long growing season, there will not be time for them to grow now before winter sets in. What you have growing there is a fungus of some sort, just pull it out. To be honest, I'd be surprised if your aubergines germinate at all - i would try again in March! Also, your compost looks very wet, which is why you have fungus growing - perhaps add less water to your compost when sowing.

[Kristen]

your compost looks very wet, which is why you have fungus growing - perhaps add less water to your compost when sowing.

I thought how rough the compost looked too. Looks like something sold in the Sheds as "Seed and Potting Compost" that is actually only fit, IMHO, for plants in 1L pots or larger.

I would be inclined to sieve it when using it for seed sowing (or half fill the modules and then top up with sifted compost).

[paulaf]

Thank you all so much, I do really appreciate all your input. The foreign plant has been removed and I am allowing my pots to drain, hopefully to remove some of the moisture. Thanks again :-)