After three years of trying to grow aubergines, this is the furthest I have ever got. In previous years, my aubergine plants haven't even flowered, so I'm really hopeful this year that I will get some fruit. There is currently one flower on the plant, and another bud is getting ready to open.
My tomatoes are flowering like mad, but still no sign of fruit, except for the micro tomato plant which has about six ripe fruit on it and more still ripening. I have never seen such a small tomato plant before, and the fruit is the size of cherries.
The courgette plant which I have in a container in the greenhouse is flowering so I'm hoping for fruit to follow. The courgette plant which I have planted at the allotment hasn't got any flowers on it yet.
The plants in my wildlife border are flowering like mad and attracting lots of bees and hoverflies, but sadly no butterflies. I haven't seen many butterflies around at all this year. Last year I grew some Nasturtium in the border and I'm forever pulling out seedlings which have self seeded from last years plants. They're even growing in the cracks between the paving.
The first of my lilies which are planted in containers has burst into flower today and there are lots more buds on the plant so there will be lots more flowers to come. I have planted lilies on the allotment to cut and bring home for the house, but although they have plenty of buds on them they aren't yet flowering. Perhaps the warm weather we have had forcast for the coming week will spur them on.
Oh what a lovely flower. Such a superb colour. I really hope you get some aubergines this year! Val
ReplyDeleteglad to see your aubergines are coming on. mine too. my variety is a really deep purple. a bit different to yours. those tomatoes sound great. teeny tiny is always fun! how do they taste?
ReplyDeleteI hope it produces for you! It is lovely never-the-less!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Best of luck. How will you cook it?
ReplyDeleteKat
I've had the same problem - with aub/eggplant and peppers - this year I'm growing them in containers and they are so much further along than I usually get them before September. :) I think the extra warmth of the pot vs the garden soil is helping out.
ReplyDeleteonce your other flower is open, get a small paint brush and transfer pollen from one flower to another. I find they don't pollinate easily and this guarentees it, when I did this last year I had a very good crop!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jo
ReplyDeleteGlad the Micro is performing well for you. Have you tasted it yet?
Love the aub flower btw. :)
G x
You seem to be having the same successes as me! My Aubergine has made one flower, with a bud on the other plant too. Let's hope we can actually produce fruit from them? Time will tell....
ReplyDeleteIt is a nice flower, Valeri. I like the colour too.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that your aubergines are coming on for you too, Steph. I've never seen such a small tomato plant before. The tomatoes are very small and taste delicious.
Thanks for visiting my blog, Sheila. I am really hopeful of getting some fruit this year.
Hmmm, I haven't decided how to cook it yet, Kat. It's got to produce for me first!
Thanks for popping by, Ann. I've always grown my aubergines and peppers in containers, however, this year is noticeably warmer than the past two years, so perhaps this is helping.
Thanks for the tip, Libby. The second flower still hasn't opened yet, but I'll definitely do this once it has.
I thought you might like the aubergine flower, Georgie. It goes with your colour scheme! Yes, I've tasted the micro tomatoes. I made sure I tasted them before anybody else saw them though, or else it would be like the strawberries all over again where I don't get a look in! I'm just about to have some cheese on toast with some micro tomatoes on top. What about yours'? Is it producing fruit yet?
Well, it will be a first for me if my aubergine does produce fruit, Square Foot Hammer. Good luck with yours'.
What a pretty flower! It would be great for decorating pasta dishes. Do you have recipes that include the flowers? I remember seeing Jamie Oliver stuff the flower of the zucchini with cheese and then batter and fry it once... Cheers!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any recipes which use aubergine flowers, Avis, but I've seen courgette/zucchini flowers being used, although I haven't tried them myself.
ReplyDeleteJo, I came by to visit after you commented on my blog. I'm really impressed by your aubergine flower. What a great colour! I hope yours produces fruit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog, Carol.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the flower on the aubergine has dropped off without starting to produce any fruit. I have more flowers waiting to open up though, so I'm not giving up yet!
I will try the 'brush trick'. My plants are the biggest they have ever been.....last year 3 aubergines. There are loads of flowers, little fruits appear then just drop off.
ReplyDeleteAnyway...here goes!
Cheers
Thank you for visiting my blog, Vilmab. I have found that the 'brush trick' works. If you check my latest post you will see the aubergines which I have just harvested. Good luck with yours.
ReplyDeleteVery happy to report...I have 2 maybe 3 on one plant and 2 on the second....small but still there. Fingers crossed eh!
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely keep my fingers crossed for you, Vilmab. Keep us informed how you get on.
ReplyDeleteI have harvested 2 magnificent aubergines...now I need to find a good recipe. Something odd tho....i have 2 coming along on the second plant but both are green....the seed came from the same packet. Any ideas and what is the best way of storing/keeping them?
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that your aubergines came good for you, Vilmab. I'm afraid I have no idea why the second plant would produce aubergines which are green. As I've never had a glut of aubergines I haven't had the need to find out the best way to keep them. I'm sure a google search will help though.
ReplyDelete