Overwintering Aubergines

[PyreneesPlot]

Has anyone?

Having read in GYO that they can be perennial and having had some success with chillies I thought I might give it a go. They would either have to be houseplants in the warm living room or go in an unheated bedroom for the winter - frost free but only about 10 degrees.

It would be nice not to have to wait until September to eat them!

[marchogaeth]

Always failed. By they time they have ripened this year's fruit they are dying and don't seem to recover when brought in to the house. Mind you I think all my peppers have failed this year for no obvious reason that I can see.

[PyreneesPlot]

Maybe it would be worth having a plant or two that are not allowed to fruit until year two?

[Kristen]

May not be cost effective, but for an early crop bring them on under lights will bring forwards the cropping date. Might be more sure-fire than over wintering them?

[Chippy Minton]

Ooh, ooh, ooh, me, me, me

Never had anything from an aubergine, other than a nice plant and some pretty pink flowers. Then grew Jackpot (from Kings seeds) last year, got aubergines [hurrah] didn't have enough water during holidays and died [boo], found a green bit on each one and resurrected them [hurrah]. Left them on the "office / music room / craft room / generally where stuff that hasn't got a home lives room" window sill. They're still here, looking vibrant (as aubergines do which is the main reason I grow them). Flowering, happy as Larry. So yes you can

But now the questions, what do I do next, I kept them alive, they're flowering but I'm not fertilising them as I don't think there's enough light for them to be strong enough to fruit yet so I'm removing the flowers. I water once a week, when do I start to up the water? When do I feed? When will they be strong enough to bear fruit (the lone pepper they adopted has 2 fruit on but they're not doing so well)? Do I repot? Having got this far I'm too anxious to do anything that may upset them

I'll try to upload a photo (first one), if my techie knowledge will allow....

[PyreneesPlot]

Right then, Chippy, I'm on it!

As I get a zillion seeds in each packet, why not?

No lamps or even windowsills for me, though (some silly sod decided to put them on the outside) so they can go in the spare/bike gear/skiing gear/beer storage room over winter.

Excited about 2016 already!!

As to what you do next? No idea but no doubt a Wise One will be along soon

[Kristen]

No ... windowsills for me, though (some silly sod decided to put them on the outside)

so they can go in the spare/bike gear/skiing gear/beer storage room over winter.

I'm guessing they will want a minimum temperature of 10C? Might cope with less, but I've struggled to over winter Peppers at lower temperatures. That said I expect that mature plants will cope with lower temperatures than seedlings.