[Basil Fawlty]

How do you know when to pick aubergines folks?

Mine have now got lots of smallish fruits but they don't seem to be getting any bigger.  They certainly aren't like the ones in the supermarkets.

They started out really nice and shiny but now seem to be turning dull.

Any ideas?

[Oliver]

How do you know when to pick aubergines folks?

Mine have now got lots of smallish fruits but they don't seem to be getting any bigger.  They certainly aren't like the ones in the supermarkets.

They started out really nice and shiny but now seem to be turning dull.

Any ideas?

1. Smallish fruits - what variety did you plant?  Some aubergines are very small (Chinese aubergines, for example, just as some are white not purple and some are long and thin and some are round. Supermarket varieties may not suit a plot they may be hothouse grown - a supermarket is a dogey yardstick at the best of times!)
2. Climate and water - The climate may not suit them. Too variable? very hot in the day, cold at night? Not enough water. A good soaking is better than a sprinkling every now and then.
3. Too many fruits on the bush - It is probably better to have more plants with fewer fruits per bush to give the fewer fruits more chance of ripening. Thats what she does.
4. If they are going dull now they re past it. Should pick when they a resaonsble size and firm and shiney. I would pick them now and cut them open and see what they are like. If the flesh is still reasonable firm cook them. It it is spongy and holey, compost bin.

[milkman]

Hallo Fawlty, I have picked four aubergines so far at about the size of my fist (which isn't very big).  Tonight's veg-packed dish was lamb curry - containing shallots, garlic, toms, aubergine x2, peas, french beans, 1 runner bean and of course courgettes - all from my plot! Yum