Topic: Aubergine's on the plot

[PJW_Letchworth]

Hi All,

It's been a age since I posted anything here and it is really nice to see some old names still posting such valuable advice.

What I wanted to ask was is it possible to grow aubergine's on the plot without a greenhouse?  The site I am on is on the top of some fairly large hills and does catch the wind.  I tried last year by putting cloches on end and surrounding the plants and they did set a couple of fruits but they soon died.

Any hints and tips in readiness for the growing season would be appreciated.

[star]

They need warmth, I think the wind would see them off. :)

[tim]

We're colder than you, & have grown them happily ( especially the Farmer's Long type) with protection of 4 Dutch Lights as an open 'greenhouse'. We had about 100 fruit.

[saddad]

I've never had any success here...
 :-[

[calendula]

if you go for smaller varieties and get them going early and it is a good year weather wise then you should be ok, you can but try :)

[Barnowl]

might be worth having a look here - there's an Ukrainian one called Diamond that might work

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/aubergines.html


but like Calendula says I would give the small bush varieties (e.g. Calliope and Little Finger) a try,  provided you can start them under glass and give them some wind protection when you plant out.

[tim]

Smaller, yes - but thinnrer also,  like FL or Thai Long Green.

[Deb P]

I tried some in a sheltered spot outside my greenhouse at home in 2006 when we had a decent summer, and had much smaller crops with more slug damage than the ones in the grrehouse. Last year I had some lovely sized aubergines in my little lottie greenhouse that wasn't tended every day and got to some spectacularly high temperatures, the chillies loved it too. If I had cloches high enough to cover them all season I might try outside again, otherwise I would stick to greenhouse ones... :-\

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm going to try them inside my mini-greenhouses this year. I wish we could get good-sized cloches at a decent price. The Poundland ones are OK for starting things off, but they're seen outgrown.

[tim]

And Aubs are BIG!!

[PJW_Letchworth]

Thanks for the feedback guys and girls, I think I will try growing them again on the plot with the inverted cloches.

Mind you, the only thing that I've planted so far is the garlic last year, and shallots.  Plenty of time to go.