Aubergine Plants
Also know as the ‘Eggplant’, aubergines are a great vegetable to grow and very useful in a wide variety of recipes. These plants require warmer conditions than most common garden vegetables and will need to be grown under cover to get the maximum crop possible. Don’t worry if you do not have a
greenhouse, they are equally at home in your conservatory, windowsill or balcony. If you would like to grow these plants from seed please see our range of
aubergine seeds.
How to grow
Pot your plug plants up as soon as they arrive. As long as you give your aubergine plants the correct growing conditions they will thrive. Aubergines are not difficult to grow and are a rewarding crop.
Position
Position your new plants in sun and it is best to start them off in the
greenhouse or on a windowsill. As plants grow you can repot them in to larger pots, a 5-litre container will be sufficient for a fully mature plant. You can move your potted plants on to the patio when temperatures rise in May, however, this can reduce cropping.
Soil
Care
Easy to care for, aubergines require regular watering and feeding with a
general fertiliser every 2-3 weeks. Stake plants as they grow to add support and repot when you can see roots growing at the base of pots. When the first small aubergines appear, just after flowering, feed the plant with a high potassium
tomato feed on a weekly basis.
Harvesting
Simply remove each aubergine from the plant with a sharp knife or scissors. Plants can be harvested when they are of a good size and have a shine to the surface of the skin.
Top Tip
When plants grow to 30cm in height pinch out the growing tips, which will improve branching and focus all the plants energies in to producing a plump aubergine.