[eryl]

growing aubergines for the first time in the polytunnel, they're looking really well but no sign of any flowers yet. Anyone any idea when they usually do flower?

[Fleecewife]

Mine this year are a waste of time because I didn't pot them on.  They have flowered lots though in their too-small pots, and have been doing so for at least a month, longer I think.


Without a photo it's hard to say what's wrong, but I wonder if you have been feeding them too much nitrogen rich feed?  That might delay the production of buds, but would produce a lot of leafy growth.


When did you sow your seed? Perhaps they're just not well enough developed yet to produce buds. Aubergines can be sown a bit earlier than outdoor tomatoes, which gives time for them to develop fruit and ripen before the end of the year.


The normal feeding plan is nitrogen fertiliser at the leafy growth stage, then change to potassium rich feed to develop fruit (use tomato feed, comfrey and so on)

[Anke]

Mine were sown in late January, (potted on several times and stayed in the light box in the house until they were about 1 ft tall) and I also bought some plug plants, just to have a comparison. I have found the two I have in buckets, using tomato compost from Dalesfoot, are growing much better than the ones in the beds, and I have had one really good sized aubergine already, a few more growing. But I also had a couple that went mouldy just after pollination, a problem I have most years... I also only allow two shoots to develop - check out Charles Dowding, he has a video on his channel about growing aubergines.


If you haven't got flowers by now it is unlikely that they will fruit successfully - this is what happens quite often to me.

[Ghdp]

I grew grafted stock ( bought in March from the local garden centre ) and also planted seeds on a heated propagator (planted in Early feb) Grafted plants have done very well, exceeded expectations, in our poly tunnel, so I think that is what we will do in future. Each plant has produced 8- 10 decent fruit and 6 or so smaller fruits which I hope may yet grow.  We have enjoyed  them as stunning plants. The seeds I planted grew into plants that are flowering beautifully (and they are beautiful plants) but only a few (2 per plant) set and still small.
 I think they are always a bit hit and miss but as inexperienced gardeners I think the extra expense was worth it.