Aubergines - easy to grow & fruit in a London garden??

r.a.i.n.b.o.w

I wondered how easy it is to grow and fruit aubergines in a London garden? Would it be better to keep indoors in a south facing window?

Should I go for a dwarf variety?

misskool

aubergines need a long season and hot weather to ripen. So you need to have plants by now and you need to hope you get enough sunshine for them to go purple. You shouldn't have a problem, keep feeding, keep warm and it can go outside in the greenhouse if you've got one. Otherwise indoors in a south facing windowsill but you would need to pollinate

I always get fruit from my aubs but many people find it difficult to grow.

kachar

I wanted to grow aubergines for years but was put off by the advice that they were only worthwhile in a greenhouse. Then one day i was given a plant and decided to just give it a go outside in a pot in the patio, and it grew and fruited really well. Now I gow them outside every year in a good sunny spot. I usually get about 4-5 fruit per plant plus some pretty flowers! I grow the variety "Moneymaker" which is recommended as being more suited for the british climate! I usually get the plants from a local plant sale this month, rather than buy the seed. I'm not sure about dwarf varieties, the regular ones don't grow that huge. Otherwise I do as Misskool says, keep them warm and feed them well! Good luck!

newsgroup_monkey

I grew huge Aubergine plants last year. I mean massive - they were around 5 foot+. Flowered beautifully but no fruit. We left them the whole season, watered them well and so on.

I'm going to have another go this year but feed them a little bit more and grow them entirely in their own plastic greenhouse.

Not quite sure where we went wrong so started them a little earlier too.

ginvzt

The River cottage book I have suggests growing the smaller varieties, as they don't need as long to ripen the fruit. So this year I have sown Rosa Bianca (which was recommended for its taste) and Slim Jim (which grows long thin fruits).

frazzbo

I tried growing from seed last year but they didn't germinate - I think I'd planted too late anyway. I bought a plant from Wilkinsons though and that produced about 5 fruits I think - I was really pleased with myself as I didn't think they'd grow without a greenhouse! I'm in South Yorks so if I can do it then I'm sure you will have more success in the southern sun!

I've tried again to do from seed this year but since it only germinated last week I'm not sure if I will be successful with it. I did like the ones I had last year though so I might be going back to Wilkinsons for a plant this year!

freezspirit

Oh I didn't realise they grew 5ft+ last year I bought a small plant from a charity shop for 50p so assumed that all aubergine plants grew upto 2ft. This have gone for growing from seed. Have 2 varieties on my windowsil, seedling look ok. "Black Beauty" and "Lisda de Candia" as I got the seeds given to me. The packets are white with only the name no information. The most of the seedlings have true leaves I might be ok but I agree it might of been better to start earlier.

[Deleted User]

I am growing aubergines for the first ever time. I had nothing to lose as I was given free moneymaker seeds at a garden show. To my delight, my plants are doing very well in large pots in a small polycarbonate greenhouse and now have buds on. From tomorrow I shall try and put them out to get pollinated or maybe I have to use a soft brush?

newsgroup_monkey

freezspirit wrote: »

Oh I didn't realise they grew 5ft+ last year I bought a small plant from a charity shop for 50p so assumed that all aubergine plants grew upto 2ft. This have gone for growing from seed. Have 2 varieties on my windowsil, seedling look ok. "Black Beauty" and "Lisda de Candia" as I got the seeds given to me. The packets are white with only the name no information. The most of the seedlings have true leaves I might be ok but I agree it might of been better to start earlier.

I don't think they generally do (or supposed to).

I can't remember what variety these were, but I've since found out I shouldn't have let them get that tall and pinched them out.

They were organic seeds IIRC

annie123

I'm in south east london and grew one last year as I saw a 20p one in homebase, half dead.
Potted it on, feed and watered it and it gave me 3.

I have a small south facing garden and it seemed happy there, think it would have given me more if I'd have got it earlier in the season.

r.a.i.n.b.o.w

Thanks all! I shall add it to my list of things to try for next year
(unless I see any plants on "reduced to clear" offer!)