[strangerachael]

Can anyone tell me how I will know when my aubergines are ready? They are getting quite big.

[sunshineband]

When they are nice and glossy, and about the size that variety grows to... some are huge, some very tiny 

[Lady Rosemary]

Mine are about 5" long at the moment and look quite glossy ... think I'll pick one at the weekend and report back here when we've devoured it.  :happy:

[Comfortably Numb]

I didn't realise they hads fruits 

I thought they were a plant that you grew for a long season, watched it flower, pollinated with a small brush, continually watched the flowers drop off, and then finally consigned the whole lot to the compost bin 

[sunshineband]

I didn't realise they hads fruits 

I thought they were a plant that you grew for a long season, watched it flower, pollinated with a small brush, continually watched the flowers drop off, and then finally consigned the whole lot to the compost bin 

 

That has been what has happened to me for the last four year -- this year : success 

[mumofstig]

I didn't realise they hads fruits 

I thought they were a plant that you grew for a long season, watched it flower, pollinated with a small brush, continually watched the flowers drop off, and then finally consigned the whole lot to the compost bin 

 

That has been what has happened to me for the last four year -- this year : success 

It's happened to me this year

[stompy]

I didn't realise they hads fruits 

I thought they were a plant that you grew for a long season, watched it flower, pollinated with a small brush, continually watched the flowers drop off, and then finally consigned the whole lot to the compost bin 

I have never been able to get them to fruit so i don't grow them.
My dad this year at his first attempt has lots of fruits on his and has already had a few 

[strangerachael]

One of my problems is that they are not a proper aubergine shape, so it's difficult to estimate whether they are the right size. I will try to post a picture when I've picked them as they are quite extraordinary - one of them is wider than it is long, with lots of little sort of 'fingers' coming off it, as one person pointed out, it looks like an udder!  and yes, it is definitely an aubergine 

[oldcow]

I agree with sunshineband, if they're nice and glossy then they're ready. Better pick them up when they're smaller than the max they can get, because the flavour will be better and they will have fewer seeds. If the plants are still flowering, the energy of the plant will go into producing more; I harvested them well into October last year.

[strangerachael]

After all this advice I decided they were probably ready to pick. Here is a photo:

[strangerachael]

and from another angle:

[polly nator]

I'd certainly pick those. Small aubergines will be nice and tender. You can always tell if you've left it too late because the skin will go dull and the shine will vanish

[oldcow]

That's one weird looking aubergine!!!!

[Lady Rosemary]

That's one weird looking aubergine!!!!

I was just thinking the same thing.  But aren't they shiny!  Very impressive. Makes mine look positively rubbish. 

[snails2go]

There I was fretting that I only had one fruit on my two aubergine plants - but after reading the posts I'm thinking thats a great success  Fingers crossed it grows bigger than a ping pong ball!