Discover Aubergines

• The eggplant, aubergine, melongene or brinjal (Solanum melongena) is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades) and genus Solanum. 
• Aubergine bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. 
• As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
• Aubergines need light, sunshine and a long growing season to be fully successful in the UK.
• The southern regions are probably best suited for growing Aubergines, but Aubergines are being increasingly grown well 'up North' as the climatic changes dance around the country!
• Aubergines are a little slower growing than their near relatives the Tomatoes & Peppers.
• The key point is to start them off with some heat and then either transplant out (after all danger of frost) or grow on in a greenhouse/polytunnel (depending on your local climate).
• Grow your Aubergines in a sheltered sunny position - against fence or wall is good.
• Start them from seed early - in a heated propagator or elsewhere indoors. Late February to early March. Consider buying young plants of Aubergines if not, in April/May from the garden centre nursery.
• Harden them off well before planting out after all frosts are finished.
• Pinch out the top of the plants once they have got to 15in tall. This will turn them into bushy plants.
• Feed your Aubergine plants well with Tomato Fertiliser throughout the growing season - but not after end of August.
• Look out for greenfly and whitefly.
• Look up some Aubergine recipes - they are more versatile than many realised!