How to grow Aubergine in the UK
Needs a warm, sheltered sunny spot - a greenhouse is best.
- DifficultyMore care needed
- WherePots
- Grows to70cm
- Spacing50cm
- Time to first pickabout 20 weeks
When to sow, plant and harvest aubergine
| Sow indoors | mid February to late March |
|---|---|
| Plant out | early June to mid June |
| Pick | early August to early October |
Dates are for central England. Sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland, and up to two weeks earlier in the south and south west. Get the dates for your postcode.
Starting it indoors
- Fill a small pot or tray with seed compost
- Push the seeds in (1cm deep) - a couple per pot
- Water gently, then put them on a bright windowsill
- Keep the compost damp but not soggy - check it every day
- When they have 2 proper leaves, give each seedling its own pot
Planting it out
- Toughen them up ('hardening off'): put them outside in the day for a week, bring them in at night
- Dig a hole a bit bigger than the pot
- Tip the plant out gently, holding the leaves, not the stem
- Pop it in the hole, firm the soil around it, and water well
- Space the plants about 50cm apart each way
Top tips for growing aubergine
- Choose a 'mini' variety for pots.
Looking after aubergine
- Week 4: Feed with tomato food once a week when flowers appear
Soil and feeding
Rich compost, kept moist, in the warmest spot you have. Plant into good compost, then feed with tomato feed once a week as soon as the first flowers appear.
Pests and problems
- Blackfly & greenfly: tiny bugs that crowd the tips and suck the sap
- Squash greenfly with your fingers, or wash them off with a gentle spray of water
Harvesting and eating aubergine
Cut them when the skin is shiny. Dull skin means it's past its best.
How to eat them: Slice, brush with oil and grill - or make a curry.
Storing aubergine
Keeps about 1 week.
- Keep somewhere cool, or in the fridge
Don't freeze raw - cook it first (curry, or roasted slices), then freeze.
Good varieties of aubergine
- Black Beauty: Big, shiny purple-black aubergines.
- Ophelia: Egg-sized aubergines - great in a pot.
- Listada di Gandia: Purple-and-white stripes.
Companion planting
Grows well with
- French marigolds: the smell keeps whitefly away
Saving your own aubergine seed
From a fully ripe fruit, in late summer or autumn.
- Let one fruit ripen right through to its final colour
- Cut it open and scrape the seeds onto a plate
- Dry them for 2 weeks somewhere warm (chillies: wash your hands after - and don't touch your eyes!)
- Seeds from 'F1' varieties (it says on the packet) don't grow the same - save from ordinary ones.
Things to build for aubergine
Where to buy aubergine seeds
Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · Amazon
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Aubergine questions
When should I sow aubergine in the UK?
In the UK, sow aubergine indoors from mid February to late March. These dates suit central England; sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland and up to two weeks earlier in the mild south and south west.
When do I plant out aubergine?
Plant aubergine out from early June to mid June, once the last frost has passed.
When can I pick aubergine?
Aubergine is ready from early August to early October. Cut them when the skin is shiny. Dull skin means it's past its best.
How long do aubergine take to grow?
Roughly 20 weeks from sowing or planting until the first harvest.
Are aubergine easy to grow?
Aubergine are rated 'more care needed' for beginners, and can be grown in pots and containers.
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