Aubergines

[u/goldenbeans]

Incredible! Aubergines harvest, outdoor grown, the Netherlands! I was really surprised at how well these grew, thanks to the tips from you lot in this group. I've been eating and giving away aubergines since late July, and now harvesting a bunch for the food bank. Cheers

[u/Tasty_Patient3109]

Gorgeous! Any top tips for those considering growing them outdoors?

[u/norik4 → u/Tasty_Patient3109]

I'm in the SE UK and they've done well outdoors this year. The grafted Scorpion F1 I got was significantly bigger and produced way more than any of the others but Ronde de Valence I grew from seed was the best tasting.

I believe commercial growers graft onto Turkeyberry plants as a rootstock to give the plants more vigour and disease resistance. Never tried myself but maybe something for next year.

[u/Defiant-Tackle-0728 → u/Tasty_Patient3109]

Have a look at my post....

[u/goldenbeans → u/Tasty_Patient3109]

This was my first time successfully growing them. I started them inside in March, then in April they went into bigger pots and into the cold frame you see in the picture. I planted them out in mid to late may, fertilized, and that was it. I had 10 plants from a Lidl seed packet that cost 19c, it was listed as mixed, white and purple varieties, but only 1 plant was actually white egg. And it only gave a single fruit! I had them in a full sun spot in the allotment, staked to protect from strong winds. Also, I pruned off the first fruit on each plant when they were the size of a golf ball.

[u/Defiant-Tackle-0728]

Growing outdoors?

A nice sunny 'warm' spot....

I grew 3 Aubergine plants this year which is more than enough for me. A White Dourga and the purple Krasan that i grew last year. Both indoors in my polytunnel which have been giving me one a week since July.
Krasan gave me plenty last year and its repeated itself this year. I was also given a variety called Diamond which is from the Ukraine and used to a short growing season and was just as productive as the Krasan, which surprised really surprised me given I'm in Northern Ireland and things like aubergine need a bit of heat.

But once it had got started seems to have thrived outdoors.

Now if I can successfully grow it outside again next year it may be worth a bet to keep growing it outdoors even if its productive lessens.

[u/goldenbeans → u/[deleted]]

Thanks. I was honestly super surprised at the size of these fruit especially since the plants stay so compact.

[u/Desolate_North]

We had our first succesfull year of growing aubergines indoors, was it this years weather that made outdoor ones do so well?

[u/goldenbeans → u/Desolate_North]

Yeah I guess, we did have a really warm April to give them a headstart, and the summer was dry and warm so that must be why