Aubergines are a part of the identical household as tomatoes, peppers and chillies and want loads of heat to thrive. Greatest grown in a vivid greenhouse or conservatory, they may also be grown on a sunny patio within the warmest elements of the UK. Simply begin the seeds off early to offer them a protracted rising season. Right here, skilled allotment grower Lee Senior shares high tips about how one can develop aubergines from seed.
Need to give them a go? Browse our full vary of aubergine seeds right here.
What are the very best aubergine varieties to develop?
The number of aubergine you select will rely on the rising situations you’ll be able to present. That is an important consideration, as these shiny black fruits have pretty exacting wants. Aubergines are tender vegetation when grown within the UK. When you’re rising them outdoor they want a lot of solar and a heat, sheltered location. When you’re rising the vegetation in a greenhouse or conservatory, then your alternative of types shall be far better. For out of doors rising, early-maturing varieties are greatest. And as a normal rule of thumb, smaller-fruited varieties are a bit of higher suited to UK situations.
Most of us consider aubergines as being that acquainted, shiny deep purple color. Whereas that is after all true, lately there are various different colors too! As an illustration, Aubergine ‘Inexperienced Knight’ F1 is totally completely different to every other I’ve ever grown. The bizarre slender jade-green colored fruits are sweet-tasting and ideal for stir-fries and curries. This selection additionally has the bonus of being one of many earliest to mature, so it’s a great one for northern elements of the UK.
In the meantime a packet of Aubergine ‘Patio Combine’ seeds incorporates a whopping 4 completely different varieties offering a veritable vary of colors: ‘Jackpot’ (additionally obtainable as potted vegetation) has darkish purple fruits, ‘Amethyst’ has vivid purple fruits, ‘Pinstripe’ has cream and purple striped fruits and ‘Ivory’ produces creamy white fruits. All of the varieties are F1 and appropriate for rising in pots in addition to conservatories, greenhouses or sheltered courtyards.
Maybe the most well-liked selection is Aubergine ‘Black Magnificence’. A dependable early cropper, it produces good-sized fruits on vegetation that attain a top of as much as 1.2m (4ft) when they’re rising effectively.
‘Genie F1’ is one other wonderful white-fleshed selection that has the good thing about spineless stems. This makes it a good selection If kids are round otherwise you desire a selection that’s straightforward to reap.
How and when to sow aubergine seeds
Stripy ‘Pinstripe’ is a dwarf selection that’s superb for pots, tubs and raised beds
Picture: Aubergine F1 ‘Pinstripe’ seeds from Suttons
Aubergines want a protracted rising season within the UK to permit time for the fruits to ripen. So long as you’ll be able to present adequate warmth and heat growing-on situations, they’re usually one of many first seeds of the yr to sow. I all the time begin my aubergine seeds between the tip of January and mid-February, utilizing a heated propagator.
To sow your aubergine seeds, sprinkle them on the floor of seed compost in a tray or small pot and canopy with a 6mm layer of compost or vermiculite. Aubergines require a minimal temperature of 18C to 21C for dependable germination, and it sometimes takes between 2-3 weeks. Inserting the seed tray on a radiator at dwelling and protecting the tray with a lid will help germination if required. One of many major causes that aubergine seeds fail is that the temperature isn’t persistently heat sufficient for germination to happen.
As soon as the seedlings emerge, develop your younger vegetation on in a light-weight and vivid place with minimal daytime temperatures of 16C. At evening, defend them from extreme chilly and frost and, if you happen to’re rising them on a windowsill, please be aware that the temperature between glass and curtains can drop very considerably. When you can’t present sufficient heat and lightweight after germination, your seedlings will battle to develop. (That is when it is sensible to buy potted, grafted vegetable vegetation which have already handed the seedling stage after they arrive.)
As soon as the true leaves type and the vegetation start to develop strongly, transfer them into small particular person pots of free-draining compost and maintain the vegetation moist.
Out of doors specimens ought to be hardened-off within the regular means with a view to planting out on the finish of Could after the danger of frost has handed in your space. I typically present further safety with a cloche or fleece if the climate is chilly. Offering safety from chilly winds is important.
plant aubergines
‘Black Magnificence’ produces early-maturing, shiny fruits
Picture: Aubergine ‘Black Magnificence’ seeds from Suttons
Aubergines want a lot of solar and heat and ought to be planted in non-exposed places. They’ll develop in pots, growbags or instantly into good-quality soil in a greenhouse or polytunnel.
When you’re planting in containers, the best pot dimension for aubergines is 30cm, though a bit of bigger is okay. Use good-quality proprietary compost, which might be combined with backyard compost and well-rotted natural matter if required.
When you’re planting into good high quality borders within the greenhouse or polytunnel, area your vegetation about 60cms aside. Give them a great water and make sure that temperatures aren’t too excessive whereas the vegetation are establishing of their new dwelling.
take care of aubergines
These scrumptious Asian aubergines are a shiny jade inexperienced color
Picture: Aubergine Inexperienced Knight F1 seeds
Aubergines are associated to peppers and tomatoes and want related rising situations. Rising them exterior is much less predictable however, having stated that, final summer season I efficiently grew aubergine vegetation outdoor from June till September in a yr when the climate solely spluttered into summer-mode reasonably sporadically!
For probably the most half I usually develop aubergines indoors, and I desire a greenhouse to a polytunnel. Taller varieties like ‘Black Magnificence’ want assist canes as they’ll grow to be high heavy, and this selection reaches over 1 metre in top. In contrast, the dwarf varieties attain slightly below half that top. To assist with pollination, attempt misting the flowers and ensure there may be good air flow within the greenhouse to permit pollinating bugs in.
I wish to feed my vegetation fortnightly with a excessive potash tomato feed to encourage fruit formation. If the setting of flowers is superb and the vegetation are carrying a lot of immature fruits, it may be price growing this frequency to as soon as per week.
Water aubergines liberally in scorching dry situations, particularly vegetation which might be grown in growbags and pots. Attempt to keep away from letting the compost dry out. Aubergines require a moist soil and dryness on the roots might be one explanation for flowers dropping off.
When your vegetation attain a top of about 45-50cm, pinch the highest of taller (non-dwarf) varieties. This encourages the vegetation to bush out and provides a great yield of as much as 5 – 6 fruits. Dwarf varieties usually don’t want the highest pinching out, nevertheless it’s a good suggestion to examine the seed packet for every sort.
Crimson spider mite is usually a frequent pest for vegetation within the greenhouse. One method to fight that is to mist the leaves with a advantageous spray of water within the night. Alternatively, spraying the ground of the greenhouse (this additionally advantages cucumbers) helps to discourage this pest because it dislikes humidity. Whitefly and aphids can even strike, however these are usually manageable on aubergines.
In my expertise, coldness, chilly winds and dryness on the roots are the principle points to attempt to keep away from.
harvest aubergines
‘Galine’ is right for greenhouses, pots or raised beds
Picture: Aubergine F1 ‘Galine’ seeds from Suttons
It’s not as straightforward to inform when aubergines are prepared to reap as it’s with tomatoes. A pleasant shiny sheen on the fruits, a constant color and being agency to the contact are all good indicators that they’re ripe.
Various varieties have spines on the stem, so it’s a good suggestion to put on gloves when harvesting. Over time I’ve used a pointy pair of secateurs to chop the fruits away from the principle rising stem. I’ve additionally experimented with twisting the fruits away when the secateurs haven’t been shut handy… Chopping is much better because it minimises the danger of harm to the principle stem. Assist the fruit together with your spare hand as you chop.
As soon as harvested, undamaged, good-quality fruits might be saved for every week or so in a cool place. Or they may handle a number of days within the fridge earlier than they begin to deteriorate. I desire storing in a cool room reasonably than the fridge, however some allotment holders disagree! As aubergines have a comparatively brief storage life, your greatest wager is to eat them as shortly as doable for max high quality and flavour.
We hope we’ve impressed you to attempt rising your individual aubergines from seed. Discover extra of Lee’s sensible, hands-on, vegetable rising recommendation over at his month-to-month allotment pages. It’s also possible to observe Lee on his Instagram web page: @lee_senior_gardening.