Aubergines - how quickly do they grow?

[mrskp]

fingers crossed.

[Flummery]

Whoo - mine are smaller than that - still in the greenhouse. Growing but slowly. Today I noticed a slimy nibble - in my greenhouse - how very dare they! So the little blue pellets will be in there later.

[tinyvine]

Hello
I am growing Calliope and Bambino. They are very small compared to Mrskp. The biggest one I've got, about 4 ", was bending over this morning and now I know why, me thinks I'll bring it in to the hospital aka dinning room for extra heat

[JennieAtkinson]

My Baby Belles sown in March germinated well, but keeled over in the cold. I was going to sow again next week when it SHOULD be warmer, but I think I'm going to be a bit behind.

How do you manage to grow so well on the windowsill Mrs KP? Mine just go leggy even though I keep turning them. Are you on a south facing elevation? Perhaps I should go for an east or west?

[TEB]

I started F1 Miracle in a heated propagator back in Feb and they went leggy and insipid, ditched them and then cut a flap out of a 2lt coke bottle and put some compost in the bottom and they grew great on a south facing window. Transferred to 3" pots and then into 10lt pots and they are now in a unheated greenhouse at about 6" tall and quite bushy. I like Aubergines but have never grown them before especially white ones.

[Alice]

Hello Jennie, What a shame about your Aubergines. The Baby belle I sowed in Feb are doing well and making flowers but no Aubs yet. Just keep dropping the flowers. Anybody any ideas. I've kept these two in the house for pets. The others from a later sowing are in the greenhouse.

[mrskp]

heh heh Alice, everyone should move to Glasgow eh ?

Started mine off in a leccy propagator, then they've been moved around the place really. For the last month or so they've been by the west facing patio doors and we have had some really good weather.

they started off life in the bottoms of cut off milk bottles (i think) and i've just left them to it. I've always been concerned about growth check because of the cold, so the central heating was on (the other side of the room) until oh I dunno, about a month ago, so they've never been chilly.

i started them off too late last year, got magnificant plants and blooms but no fruit to speak of, and what i did have dropped off, so I think i was extra early this year.

Flummery - naturally I am organically opposed to ickle blue pellets, so I'm out there before the sparrows and dispose of offending sluggies before the birdies can get to them. out of all the contraptions i've tried, the pellets work best. those that show signs of life, get tipped into the compost heap. as you say, how VERY dare they even look at my babies, and they deserve all they get if they do. the deed ones get put in the brown garden rubbish bin to be composted on the council heap. I'm sure (hoping) that the heat will destroy any sign of violent chemicals i might be adding to it.

[Flummery]

I only use the pellets that are supposed to be wildlife friendly Mrskp, and even so I only use in the greenhouse or under netting. Sometimes with slugs and snails, it's them or me!

[mrskp]

i ran out of bird friendly ones and found the "other sort" at the back of the shed. i've nearly run out of them so i'm extra viligent with the early morning sluggy despatching missionl

[jondanie]

Alice,
On an aubergine plant, there's both male and female flowers. The male flowers will drop off naturally. The female ones should develop into the aubergine. If these drop as well, it's most likely a lack of water that's the problem.

However, sometimes it can be due to other things like,

1. Not having a high enough humidity, they need a really humid environment, at least 75%, which also helps pollination and helps keep Red Spider Mite at bay
2. Too high temperature
3 Not giving them a regular liquid feed when the fruit are setting.

Hope this helps,

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Jondanie, and thanks for all that. Looking at it I think I have had them too hot and dry. Remedial action underway. Looking forward to fruit with your help. Thanks again. Will report progress.

[jondanie]

thanks for the welcome Alice,
good luck with the aubergines. Keep us posted!

Regards.