[spottymint]

Hi

I am atempting to grow aubergines for the 2nd year(no fruit last year)

The seeds are germinating now, calope, lista gaurdia ? and black beauty.

They are grown in a conservatory, fed tom food.

The problem I had last year was that when the flowers opened, I hand polinated as no bugs in the conservatory, but the flowers just turned limp and fell off.

What am I doing wrong ?

Many thanks.

[mumofstig]

The same thing was happening to me........i just put it down to not being warm enough
So I'll be interested to see if any other help is forthcoming

[Cazzy]

Count me in too, same thing last year.  I've a few on the go on the windowsill right now but they are so tiny and don't seem to be doing as well as the toms and peppers, maybe thats just how they are.

[Ice]

Could be over/under watering.  Do you water from the top?

[mumofstig]

I grow them on in a little poly greenhouse to make sure they stay warm enough, cos the house doesn't stay THAT warm overnight .They really do like it warmer than toms
I use a zip up polybag which the new duvet came in........they got quite big in this last year, before they were put out in g/house.

[spottymint]

Hi Ice

It could have been overwatering. I had them in a large pot, saucer underneath and they always had a bit of water in that.

I generally watered below, but occasionally on top when the compost looked dry.

The conservatory is unheated, so may have been a bit cold as well.

[mumofstig]

It could have been overwatering

Trouble with these new 'try to replace peat' composts they do seem always to feel wet....... so i find it hard to judge when to water nowadays. Wonder if they would do better in soil based potting compost then?

[Chiswickian]

why are you feeding them tomato food at this time of year? That's for when they are fruiting. And tiny wee plants don't need any feeding - they get all they need from the potting compost until they are bigger. I'd wager that has something to do with it.
Ian

[Ice]

I think spottymint is describing what they did last year.  Tiny little plants don't have fruit that can rot.

[Chiswickian]

aha!

[Ice]

aha!

[spottymint]

Hi Chiswickian

As Ice has kindly pointed out, that is  how we looked after last years aubergines, this years are still too tiny to prick out, let alone feed.

I just wanted some advice to hopefully get some fruit this year (providing we get a summer) 

[paintedlady]

I've never grown aubergine (but will be doing this year) so I'm just making a wild guess.  I wonder if perhaps the flowers need a gentle mist spray to increase the humidity in the air (I believe peppers in greenhouses can be a bit fussy like this too)?

[LivvyW]

I suffered too, last year, with dying flowers before fruiting.   The three things i was going to try to do this year after reading a little.

1. Don't over water
2. Mist for humidity
3. Pinch them out to concentrate growth. But i can't remember when to do this. I try and find it again before we get to that stage! 

Don't know if it will work.  I think poor summer didn't help.

[spottymint]

Hi

Thanks for the humidity tip, will try to cut down the watering and up the humidity.

I wish everyone luck with their aubergines this year and lets hope we get a summer, as a summer is long overdue !