Grow Your Own Magazine

I sowed some aubergine seeds a month ago - a bit late perhaps but that was what it said on the packet! They've all sprouted into seedlings, and most of them have now got 4 leaves, but they are looking a bit leggy and spindly. I don't have a greenhouse as I live in a flat in central London, but I do have an east-facing balcony that gets some sunlight in the morning. I have a small coldframe and I've put them outside but I wonder if its still too cold for these small plants to survive outdoors? Should I put them under cloches and plant them out, or wait until they get a bit bigger? They're still in their plastic root trainer trays.

veggiewomble

My guess would be to plant out under cloches.

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Paul

mine have only just gone in the poly tunnel

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My aubergines have been in a greenhouse since the beginning of April - they went out when they were about the size that yours are now. Considering your location I really don't see why you shouldn't plant them out - this week we are having particularly mild nights and the temperatures are not changing much between day and night - it's not hot, but under a cloche they should be fine.

Go for it.

Thanks everyone. I've planted them out in a trough under a polytunnel cloche. The polytunnel feels way too big for the tiny plants. Right now they are just over an inch high and slowly developing more leaves. I wonder if this means I won't get any aubergines this year??? This is my first time growing them.

veggiewomble

Don't worry.

They'll put on a real spurt over the next month as the weather warms up. I don't see why you shouldn't get a crop.

You've done all you can - keep them watered, fed and warm and they'll do you proud.

I usually grow them on in a 3" pot till they are about 3/4 inches high. Mine are now in 5" pots and about 5" high. I shall let them get well rooted into these before putting them into 10" pots as their final position. I prefer to let plants get a good root before potting on. Your plants should put on more growth in the warmer weather but you might be better next year to grow on gradually. Putting dinky plants into big containers can cause the compost to sour up - you are watering it but nothing is using the water and nutrients. Don't know if I've explained that very well. However, don't worry about them. Keep an eye on the watering.

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Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

It's our fault, Flummery - if you look above you will see that we advised Veggiwomble to put them out because they were getting leggy.

I am not sure how leggy they really were as they are now described just over an inch high

Hmm! Just over 1" is hardly even ankly!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

Quite!

Sorry, I should've been clearer. When I said 'leggy', I meant that the seedlings were getting quite tall with only very small leaves, and they were spindly, i.e the stalks seemed very weak and I worried they weren't getting enough sunlight indoors. I don't have good light through any of my windows, so I put them outdoors in the hope that they'd toughen up.

They haven't grown that much although their leaves have been getting a lot bigger, so there's still hope.

What do you think? Just keep them in the trough and hope for the best?

Ah yes, but "tall" for an aubergine is a couple of feet - I thought you were being smothered by them in your flat

Often, when we raise plants indoors, they grow taller than they should, but usually, they thicken up successfully when hardened off. It's not ideal, but a lot of us do it and we get crops.

I think if I had know that your aubs were so small, I might have advised you to pot them on rather than planting them - sorry, that's not much help now, I know.

I still think they'll be ok - we're going to have a wet and windy spell this week, so keep them covered. If they're small, they're not going to need much, if any, water.

Is it too late to start off some aubergines?

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Kim



http://kimbos-veggies.blogspot.com

Kimbo - I think its way too late, but you could try buying some plants, even our local garden centre sold some.

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
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To not have a care."

Well at least that has made my mind up for tomorrow off to wyevale it is then - they have some large plants on offer according to their website.

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Kim



http://kimbos-veggies.blogspot.com

I have still got all my aubs in my pretend greenhouse, the house we rent has a porch which is pretty much all glass with a plastic roof. They are doing really well and one has a flower ready to open and other buds showing. Keep your fingers crossed that we will get a crop.

i bought an aubergine plant,but something is starting to eat it. I have put it in my sunniest vegplot.it only cost 49p so if it dies i wont mind too much.but i do think they look cool.do you think its got a chance?

Go for it Stacey! Give it a little Tender Loving Care, and see what happens?
That's the way I got 'completely hooked' on growing them myself!
Good luck and all....

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Give it some....

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im so hooked with growing veg right now that i have been sowing seeds since 8:30pm and only just stopped about 10mins ago. Even when something dissappointing happens something exciting is happening elsewhere on the plot.its amazing. could aanyone tell me how long itl be before i see an aubergine? (if succesful of course) thankyou xx

Ended up going to homebase but I managed to get 2 aubergine plants (one big one smaller - hopefully will have a succession of aubergines then) for 1.79 each should have been 1.99 but 10% off day - yipee.

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Kim



http://kimbos-veggies.blogspot.com

I got a cheap wee plant about 3 weeks ago and it has gone crazy!

I have no idea what kind it is but it's now about 10 inches tall and very very sturdy. Is there any way of me telling what kind it is?? Well other than waiting for the aubergines!

C

I'm interested by this thread as I've read a few threads which say that you're not likely to get a crop if you grow aubergines outside as we don't get enough warm weather. I'm not sure what to do with mine now (it's our first year at growing our own and so far our aub seedlings ar about 3" tall!!!!).

Also - will the plants die off or will they continue through winter (obviously need to be protected) and produce a crop again next year?

Sorry if that is a silly question - we really are total novices here!! xxx

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Nat xxx

My Rather Uninspiring Blog

I have only ever grown them as annuals, I have over-wintered a chillie plant B4.

I have also had crops outside but they are very susceptible to bad weather and a large plastic bottle cloche or similar is essential really. They need careful hardening off and a sheltered spot at the very least, also aphids love them -so keep an eye. Pick them while the fruits are still bright they go dull looking, bitter and seeds start to develop.

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Paul

In the past I've grown aubergines outside on a very sunny and sheltered patio. Only got a couple of fruits per plant but at the time I didn't have a greenhouse so I call it a successful experiment! Just as long as you're aware that they like it hot, give them a bit of shelter if it goes cold/windy etc.

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)