aubergines

[Scunner]

did anyone get any aubergines from their plants?

[dousslesh]

No :( Tried for a few years but never had any success. Did achieve flowers on the plant this year though !!!!

[Scunner]

I was just curious, as I had plenty flowers, and a few fruits. Read somewhere that the plants need 65 degrees heat for the fruit to set.

[changilass]

If thats true then the only way we can grow them up here is in the house with the heating turned up.

[Bad Manners]

Last year we had lots but this year we have only had 1 and plenty of flowers. Just have to try again next year

[Bonnie Parker-Duke]

Hello from the States!

How did the aubergines turn out by the end of the season? I live in Arkansas where it is very hot and very wet. Usually Aubergines are grown in semi-arid conditions but two years in a row, mine have done fantasticly well here. We gave away somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 or so besides the ones that two friends families and my own ate and froze for winter.

I heard that you had an exceptionally cold summer this year. That may be the reason. And if you had a lot of rain, maybe the roots stayed too wet. If you have a way, you might think about using a slighly raised bed to grow them (maybe 6 inches to 1 foot if possible) and if there is some way to make a tent over them that you can close up on cold days and open on warm days or during the warm part of the day so the plants don't "cook" that would probably help. Here in the states we have a pipe material called PVC which bends easily. We can drive stakes in the ground on both sides of the rows we want to cover and then bend the PVC down hooking the ends over the stakes forming an arch. If you do a series of arches over your aubergine row slightly higher than the plants, you could then cover the arches with a large piece of plastic (anchoring it with rocks or dirt so it wouldn't blow away) which would allow the light in, warming the aubergines, but keep out the cold and the wind. Like I said, you'd need to open the ends when it was warm so the plants didn't cook or you could open them in the morning and close them in the evening. In essence, what you would be doing would be to create a mini-greenhouse over them. All the parts are reusable.

If you keep it closed during the day, when it blooms you will want to pollinate the flowers yourself. If left open, the bees, wasps, etc. will do it for you.

I hope this has been of some help.

Bonnie

[Scunner]

Dont think that aubergines would do very well outside in Caithness. I had them in pots in the greenhouse, and did get some fruits. Plenty insects around as I keep bees, and the peppers and tomatoes did well in the same house.

[gardeninginagale]

It's not just about temperature, it's about sunlight hours. It will take an exeptionally sunny summer for successful aubergines in Caithness.

I wait with the proverbial bated breath.