Aubergine problems

Hi

I've tried to grow Aubergines for the 1st time this year in a greenhouse. The plants are healthy and produced plenty of flowers and fruit. problem is, the fruit is long, thin and not very aubergine-like in colour. They don't seem to be fattening out despite copious watering and feeding. Some of the fruit are almost white ! The picture on the seed packet was your typical aubergine shape and colour, so unless I've got a bizarre strain, I'm totally lost.

Any advice would be helpful !

Thanks

Craig

 

Consider yourself very lucky (or green fingered) to have fruit at all in this dreadful year's weather, yes, Loofah is quite correct.

As your in Lancashire (I'm in Cumbria) I know the North has had some particularly cold nights throughout this season and any one of those could of stalled your aubergines.

Things is, you have done well to get fruits so you stand in good stead to grow and ripen aubergines in a good years weather, so dont change what you have done this year.

When did you sow your seeds BTW, as early as possible is best as long as you can keep the seedlings warm enough, I sow mine in late February.

Steve...

 

Hi Loofah and Steve, thanks for your replies. I'm not sure about the 'green fingers', this is the 1st year I've had an allotment and greenhouse, so I think it might just be down to luck that the fruit set at all. I have had to ventilate the greenhouse because on the odd occasion it has been sunny its got very hot and the toms and chilli's haven't been too happy, so its entirely possible its down to temperature and nothing else. Strangely enough, the new fruits that have come through in the last week or so are a really deep purple colour, whilst the fruit that have been on the plants for a while just seem to be getting paler.

If I picked them now, at this long thin pale stage, any idea what I could do with them ? I have a habit of making bizarre chutneys (the latest being beetroot and marrow which is yummy) so perhaps an aubergine chutney, or pickle ?

Any idea's gratefully received !!

Thanks

Craig

 

Oh, I planted them in March from seed in an unheated greenhouse if that helps ?