Aubergine growing advice

I’ve tried and failed to get any fruit the last three years, haven’t bothered this year. They either grow very slowly u til too late is the season or grow ok but the flowers fall without fruit setting.

First time I green them they were cheap late season buys for a GC and did really well completely neglected and smothered by rampant tomatoes and cucumbers

 

Mine are flowering now, we will see.

 

Here are mine for comparison.

In a container

In the ground




The variety is Black Beauty.

I don't have much trouble growing them and consistently get between 3-5 dark purple fruits per plant, more in a really good year.

 

I have tried growing aubergine several times without much success. The seed need staring early, lots of warmth, no cold spells, plenty of water and light. The flowers need tickling with a paint brush every day to ensure fertilisation.
Not an easy crop to grow in this country. My most successful effort was when I was living in the Thames Valley area, I planted them against a South facing wooden fence and we had a long hot summer. The plants grew to about 3ft and each had several fruit on them.
Since then nothing.

 

In Essex I regularly grew Aubergines three plants provided more then enough in a good year. Sowed seed with peppers and planted out into grow bags at the same time as the tomatoes.
Moved to Devon and after a year or two I gave up, they grew, but as for flowering and fruiting they weren't having that and I wasn't fond enough of them to go and hunt out a variety that might be better in the Devon conditions. I think it was the drop in sunshine and the slightly lower temperatures in Devon they didn't like.

 

I had some spare plants so have planted them where the garlic was, they are in flower but not really bothered if they come to nothing.

 

Quick question, how do you know when an aubergine is ready?
I originally assumed they turned purple when ripe, but they are purple from the start.

 

Had reasonable success at the allotment (South London) last year...but the UK growing season is so short for them.
I'm Greek so of course love them, but casting my mind how they grew like weeds in my grandparents' garden and it makes me laugh.
May try a couple under glass in North Wales next year but know not to expect much.

They were a decent size by September 11 when I took that photo. And they were delicious but must have been the most expensive fruits even if you factor all the toil involved

In Greece by August you don't know what to do with them...no wonder we also preserve the baby ones in syrup

 

Well mine appear to be doing OK, I've only got two plants in the greenhouse the rest are outside, but even they have small fruits developing.
The best one so far, a way to go yet but seems to be growing reasonably fast even in this miserable weather.

 

I spray my aubergine plants regularly with soapy water. Supposed to keep red spider mite at bay. Usually works but not this year, I thought I had a different flower coming.but on wearing me specs I found it was a bud covered completely with brownish/reddish mites.so I'm mixing a mixture of ginger and garlic . I'm spraying the whole plant , I will let you know if aubergine plant survives on the other hand I might kill the whole plant !!!!!!

 

I've tried garlic spray on a few different plants now and so far () all is okay and no plant damage. Judging by the cosmos damage we've had in the past from slugs it is working.

 

I like the idea of garlic spray but not fancying stinking the kitchen out...would a dilution of powdered garlic work? Has anyone attempted it?

 

It's worth a try. To be honest our sense of smell is useless, probably due to the amount of garlic we consume. Saying that I'm sure you could brew it up outside on a small camping stove. The concentrate we made will definitely last us all year if it keeps well.

 

I picked these the other day, the plants are now infested with RSM and are slung out in a corner of the garden where not much survives, so not expecting anymore.