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Aubergine, to remove or not to remove flowers, that is the question?

Digging-itDigging-it Posts: 117
in Fruit & veg
Hi, can anyone advise me please on growing my first aubergine plant? I’ve just read somewhere that after 5 fruit are set to remove flowers as they appear, is that right? All the pictures show plants laden with fruit, I have plenty of flowers and hopefully some are setting fruit. Many thanks in advance.

Posts

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Yes it’s a good idea to restrict fruits to 5 per plant, otherwise you will end up with lots of little unripe aubergines that won’t grow to anywhere near full size. Not all flowers will set fruit and perhaps leave a few on anyway, in case anything happens to any of the original five. You can always snip off excess little fruits if it starts to have too many.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Digging-itDigging-it Posts: 117
    Thanks Nollie, seems a shame to have to do it but I can see the sense of it. A good idea to keep some flowers as you suggest. I’ve no idea what variety it is as I bought it in the bargain basement section at the local garden centre when it was only a few inches high, took pity on it (couldn’t resist the challenge) and it’s now about 3 ft high with loads of flowers. It would be lovely to harvest at least a few aubergines from it. Thanks again for your advice.
  • Singing GardenerSinging Gardener Posts: 1,237
    I grow a variety that has miniature aubergines (Ophelia) and have never restricted the number of fruits - but I didn't realise you were meant to!
  • edhelkaedhelka Posts: 2,351
    Wait with any removing until you are absolutely sure that you have fruit. Aubergines are tricky and they often don't want to set fruit for many people. The first year I tried them, I had tens of flowers but no fruit (there were pollinators around, just not interested I guess or not the right ones). The second year, it was the same story... and then  I tried using an electric toothbrush, which works like a charm. And I ended up with many small fruits, they ripened before growing to a good size but were usable. This year, I plan to restrict.
    I also grow thai aubergines which have small fruit and I don't restrict these.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Absolutely, wait till you have five viable fruits first, as the advice you read said, and hedge your bets anyway by retaining some flowers. I didn't consider it might be a mini aubergine though - I don’t think you need to restrict the number of fruits for those, @Singing Gardener or at least not so drastically...
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Digging-itDigging-it Posts: 117
    Thanks for the advice everyone, I’ll make sure there are fruit forming before I remove any flowers and have a small brush to help the bees etc do their bizznizz 🙂
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I have Aubergine ( small fruit variety) that are growing ok with lovely furry purple flowers,  but no fruit! Have tried hand pollinating but no joy yet.😕
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