[northfifeduckling]

This is the first year I am growing Aubergines in growbags in the polytunnel They have now produced some lovely ppurple flowers - do I have to pollinate them? I'm a bit at a loss which are male or female...

[Fleecewife]

Aubergine flowers are all the same ie each flower is both male and female.  Just spray gently onto the flowers with water every evening and they will set.  The colour of the flowers is beautiful isn't it !

[Mo]

Mine have started setting but I've lost one fruit already. I had the same problem last year from the one plant that actually flowered. It grew to about the size of an egg then just seemed to give up and die.
I have a few more going this year and have only lost one fruit so far, keeping my fingers crossed for the rest.

[starcana]

my first time with aubergines too. Have six plants in two growbags in greenhouse, along with chillies and peppers. Everything else is in the polytunnel (or outside) as I wanted to put things in the greenhouse that would do well in a warm 'climate' so I have been keeping the door closed but vents open (wide in warmer weather and even opening the door some days). Four of the six plants are doing brilliantly with  4 fruts on one plant and two or three on most of the others. One of two plants still only have flowers though. The fruits are about large apple size now (but not the same shape, obviously!). My question for any experts is, should I pick them quite small - is it too optimistic to hope they get to 'shop-type size' and if I wait for big 'ens am I in danger of losing them? (Chillies and peppers also doing well, so lots of chilie jelly again this year, methinks!).

[loopy]

ooh, could you post your chilli recipe?  we've got about 70 chilli plants growing under glass, so will have a lot of chillis to use up!  desperate for ideas  on what to use them for!

[dizzy1pig]

Chilli vodka..............

[starcana]

the chilli jelly recipe is on the chilli king site
http://www.thechilliking.com/chilli-jelly-recipe/
and works brilliantly!

[dizzy1pig]

i made the jelly jelly its well good

[northfifeduckling]

back to topic  I have some small Aubergines just emerging!