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Aubergines
Old timer2
Posts: 65
in Talkback
I am growing Aubergines for first time and hope someone can advise me as to when these fruits should show as mature and ripe. Also what size can I expect to achieve baring in mind they are growing in 8inch pots, at the moment they are small egg size. Any advice will be most welcome.
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Hi Old Timer, well done, that's fab
I could do with someone telling me how to get some aubergines to start with, mine just don't want to grow - I just keep getting pretty purple flowers 
Oldtimer2, In the past I have let them grow till they are as large as the ones that I buy. This year they seem to be taking longer to mature, may have to re-think my strategy
Old Timer -
Aubergines come in many differing varieties and some stay at, well, small egg size, hence the American name for aubergines is "Eggplant". So, the next question for you is, what variety are you growing? They can be long thin and purple, large plump shiny and black, small white and egg shaped, the list goes on.
Lovely vegetable though. I love them. I cooked with them this evening in a ratatouille-style stew with pasta. I sometimes make stuffed aubergines with beef mince, but to go into detail would be for another forum
The Grateful Deadhead
The seed I used was from lidl and called Halflange Violette which shows shiny purple on packet. The plants have grown well and stand approx 70 cm tall with 12-15 small fruits per plant and increasing in size by the day. I think I need to be patient and let nature take its course. Grateful thanks for all advice up to now and hope for more.
I'm not an aubergine expert, but this site may be helpful http://www.bakker-irl.com/product/aubergine-halflange-violette-/
It says "....Harvesting period August - October. In a greenhouse from June.
If the aubergines have fully grown and can be pressed in slightly, they are ready for harvesting. Harvesting is done by simply cutting the fruit from the plant with a sharp knife. ...."
The picture on this link indicates that they grow to a good size http://www.ranzijn.nl/nl-nl/catalog/gazon-en-gewassen/zaden/groenten/hortitops-aubergine-halflange-violette-103757.aspx
Hope that's helpful
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've only grown aubergine a couple of times and decided not to bother again so I haven't had a read at the links from Dove.
I wonder if you have too many fruits on the plant, maybe less fruits will mean larger ones
just a thought. 
I have read somewhere (in the Alan T book form the library I think) that you should limit the number of fruits in the plant to about 6. I can't find anywhere much info on how to get the fruit to start with though
Grateful Deadhead, we can and do share recipes on here sometimes
OL it's the same pollination as courgettes.
Old timer2 I grew mine and transplanted into household sized buckets but due to them attracting aphids they were taken out of the greenhouse and put in a sheltered sunny place. I removed a lot of the flowers/ fruits and got about 4 half decent sized ones on each plant. I believe aubergine need a long and warm summer to do their best...we don't often get that in S.Yorks
Thanks KEF, that's what I thought but the bees just aren't doing their thing
I have also read they are quite hard to grow so think this may be the first and last time unfortunately as I love aubergines.
Thanks to all interested viewers. I have limited the developing fruits to 6 per plant and in doing so discovered one fruit near base of one plant to be approx 4x1.5 inches so have high hopes of further success. I have been advised to provide plenty of water and feed twice weekly with a high potash tomato feed. So come along all you doubters and give it another go.