Aubergines

01 About

Glossy, dramatic, and deeply satisfying to grow. Aubergines need warmth and patience but reward the dedicated grower with spectacular fruit from midsummer through autumn. A heated propagator is essential — they are the most heat-demanding crop in the British kitchen garden.

02 What to Grow

Aubergines divide into classic purple types, long Asian varieties, and novelty coloured forms. Classic purple F1 hybrids are the most reliable for UK growing. Long, slender Asian types such as Ping Tung have thinner skin and a milder, sweeter flavour. White and striped heritage varieties add drama to the plot — Rosa Bianca and Listada de Gandia are outstanding for both looks and flavour.

03 Varieties

The number of varieties shown for each crop is based on UK consumption data (2025/26) — the more popular the crop, the more variety choices we include.

🍆 Classic Purple

The workhorses of the British greenhouse — dark, glossy, reliable fruits with rich flavour. These oval to cylindrical varieties are the easiest to grow and the most productive in UK conditions.

Moneymaker

Classic · Long

One of the most popular UK varieties. Long, cylindrical, deep purple glossy fruits with meaty texture and good flavour. Strong, productive and reliable over a long season in a UK greenhouse.

• Greenhouse
• Beginners
• ⭐ Yield

Bonica F1

Classic · Oval

Compact, early-fruiting F1 with smooth, deep purple oval fruits in clusters. Excellent for container growing and smaller greenhouses. One of the best choices for those with limited space.

• AGM
• Greenhouse
• F1
• Container
• Early
• ⭐ Yield

Black Beauty

Classic · Large

The benchmark heritage aubergine. Large, glossy, deep purple-black oval fruits with dense creamy flesh and excellent mild flavour. The variety that defined what an aubergine looks like.

• Greenhouse
• Heritage
• ⭐ Flavour
• Beginners

🌿 Slim & Striped

Long Asian types and dramatic striped heritage varieties. Thinner skin, milder flavour, and a different eating experience from classic types.

Ping Tung Long

Asian · Long

A beautiful slender Asian-style aubergine with long, bright lavender-purple fruits in clusters. Thin skin, very mild and sweet flesh. Highly productive and early — one of the best Asian types for UK growing.

• Greenhouse
• Asian
• ⭐ Flavour
• Early

Listada de Gandia

Heritage · Striped

A stunning Italian heritage variety with distinctive deep purple and white striped oval fruits. Milder and less bitter than classic types with delicate creamy flesh. A showstopper on the plot.

• Greenhouse
• Heritage
• ⭐ Flavour

Calliope

Compact · Streaked

A compact variety producing clusters of small to medium oval fruits with vivid purple and white streaked skin. Heavy-cropping and attractive. Excellent for containers and smaller growing spaces.

• Greenhouse
• Container
• Compact
• ⭐ Yield

⚪ White & Novelty

White and cream-skinned varieties with a milder, more delicate flavour than purple types.

White Gem

White · Round

Produces clusters of small, round, pure white fruits resembling eggs. Mild, tender and delicate, with a flavour quite different from purple types. A genuine curiosity that always delights visitors.

• Greenhouse
• Heritage
• Novelty
• ⭐ Flavour

Bianca

White · Oval

Pale ivory-cream smooth oval fruits with a very mild, almost sweet flavour. Less bitter than any purple variety. Superb grilled or roasted where the pale flesh stays cream-coloured. A chef favourite.

• Greenhouse
• Heritage
• ⭐ Flavour
• White

Rosa Bianca

Heritage · Blush

A beautiful round Italian heritage variety with stunning rose-pink and cream blush skin. Meaty, almost seedless flesh with exceptional mild flavour. One of the finest aubergines for the kitchen garden.

• Greenhouse
• Heritage
• ⭐ Flavour
• Italian

04 Where to Source

Aubergines are widely available as seeds from specialist seed companies. Quality F1 varieties are worth the premium. Ready-grown plug plants are available from garden centres and online nurseries from April and are an excellent option for those without a heated propagator.

📬 Seeds by Post

Specialist seed companies offer the widest variety selection including F1 types, Asian long varieties, and heritage forms. Order by January to ensure availability of popular F1 varieties.

🏪 Garden Centres

Garden centres stock plug plants from April. A sensible shortcut if you cannot provide the heat required for germination. Choose stocky, dark green plants — avoid anything pale or leggy.

🌱 Grow from Seed

Sow your own in Jan–Mar for the widest choice of varieties. A heated propagator or warm airing cupboard is non-negotiable for reliable germination above 21°C.

05 Planting Options

🏠 Greenhouse

A greenhouse is the ideal environment for aubergines in the UK. Plant into the greenhouse border or in large pots. The reliable warmth and shelter allows the long growing season aubergines require. Aim for a minimum night temperature of 15°C.

Suitable varieties: All varieties. The standard growing method for maximum UK yields.

🛍️ Growbag

Two plants per standard growbag in a greenhouse or polytunnel. A reliable and straightforward method — the rich compost suits aubergines well. Water frequently as growbags dry out fast in summer. Push canes through the bag for support.

Suitable varieties: All compact varieties, especially Bonica F1 and Moneymaker.

🪣 Container / Pot

Aubergines grow well in large containers of 30–35cm diameter. Works best in a greenhouse or on a very sheltered, south-facing patio. Use a rich peat-free compost with 20% perlite. Water daily in hot weather — containers dry out extremely fast.

Suitable varieties: Bonica F1, White Gem, Ping Tung Long — compact and prolific types.

06 Companion Planting

✅ Grow nearby

• 

  🌿 Basil

  Basil is the classic companion for aubergine and other solanums. It is thought to repel aphids and improve the flavour of neighbouring crops. Grow basil at the base of aubergine plants in the greenhouse.

• 

  🌿 Spinach

  Low-growing spinach uses the space beneath aubergine plants without competing for the same nutrients. Keeps soil cool and moist around the base.

• 

  🌸 Marigolds

  French marigolds (Tagetes) planted at the greenhouse perimeter deter whitefly and aphids, which are the main greenhouse pests of aubergines.

❌ Keep apart

• 🥔 Potatoes — Same family (Solanaceae). Share blight and other diseases. Keep well apart and rotate strictly.
• 🌿 Fennel — Allelopathic root chemicals from fennel inhibit the growth of aubergines and most other vegetables.
• 🍅 Tomatoes — Same family. Avoid growing side by side in a greenhouse to reduce disease transfer and competition.

07 Sowing — How To

Aubergines are the most heat-demanding crop you can sow. Germination requires a consistent 21–24°C — a heated propagator is the best option, but a warm airing cupboard, the top of a boiler, or a heat mat under a seed tray works equally well. Sow in January or February for maximum growing time. The process from seed to harvest takes 6–7 months.

1. 

   Fill tray with compost

   Fill a module tray or small pots with fresh seed compost. Firm lightly and water well before sowing.

2. 

   Sow seeds

   Press one seed into each module at a depth of 6mm. Aubergine seeds are small — tweezers help place them accurately.

3. 

   Cover with vermiculite

   Cover with a thin layer of vermiculite or fine compost. Vermiculite retains moisture while allowing air circulation.

4. 

   Label and propagate

   Label with variety and date, then place in a heated propagator set to 21–24°C — or a warm airing cupboard. Keep covered to maintain humidity.

5. 

   Prick out

   When the first pair of true leaves appears (2–3 weeks after germination), prick out into 9cm pots of potting compost.

6. 

   Harden off

   Before planting out, harden off over 7–10 days by placing plants outdoors in a sheltered spot during the day, bringing in at night.

Regional sowing timing

Region	Sow / plant	Harvest	Notes
Scotland & Far North	Feb–Mar	Aug–Sep	Sow Feb–Mar; plant out late May in greenhouse only
Northern England	Jan–Mar	Aug–Sep	Sow Jan–Mar; plant out May in greenhouse only
Midlands & Wales	Jan–Mar	Aug–Oct	Sow Jan–Mar; plant out May in greenhouse
Ireland & Isle of Man	Jan–Mar	Aug–Oct	Sow Jan–Mar; plant out May in greenhouse
South & SE England	Jan–Feb	Aug–Oct	Sow Jan–Feb; plant out May in greenhouse
South Coast & SW	Jan–Feb	Jul–Oct	Sow Jan–Feb; plant out May in greenhouse or outdoor

08 Using a Propagator

Aubergines need consistent warmth of 21–24°C to germinate reliably — more than most UK homes provide in winter. A heated propagator is the best solution and makes a genuine difference with this crop. If you don't have one, a warm airing cupboard, the top of a boiler, or a heat mat under a seed tray are all good alternatives. Move seedlings to the brightest spot available the moment they emerge.

Heated propagator

A heated propagator set to 21–24°C gives the most reliable germination for aubergines. Once seedlings emerge, open the vents gradually over several days before removing the lid entirely, then move to a bright south-facing windowsill at 18°C minimum.

Standard unheated propagator — A lidded seed tray traps warmth and humidity around germinating seeds without electricity. Performance depends entirely on room temperature — best placed on a warm windowsill and used from March onwards. Replace the lid promptly after watering. Remove it completely the moment seedlings emerge to prevent damping off.

Windowsill alternative: A bright south-facing windowsill can substitute from late February. Place a clear polythene bag loosely over the pot during germination. Remove immediately once seedlings appear.

09 Soil Requirements

pH

5.5–6.8

Best

Loam, Sandy loam

Tolerates

Clay loam

Avoid

Waterlogged, Cold heavy clay

10 Ongoing Care

💧 Watering

Aubergines need even, consistent moisture — never let the compost dry out or become waterlogged. Water at the base, not over the foliage. Daily watering may be needed in a greenhouse in summer. Inconsistent moisture causes blossom drop and misshapen fruits.

🌿 Feeding

Once the first flowers appear, feed weekly with a high-potash liquid fertiliser (tomato feed). Continue throughout the fruiting season. Aubergines are hungry feeders — insufficient feeding significantly reduces yield and fruit size.

✂️ Pinching & Thinning

When plants reach 30cm, pinch out the central growing tip to encourage a bushy, branching plant. Each plant can support 4–6 fruits to full size. Remove excess small fruits once several have set to concentrate energy into the remaining ones.

🎋 Supporting

Developing aubergines are surprisingly heavy. Support branches with canes and soft ties, or use a tomato cage. Unsupported branches will snap under the weight of developing fruit. Check ties regularly as plants grow.

11 Watch Out For

🐛 Insects & pests

• 🐜 Aphids (Blackfly & Greenfly) — Curled, distorted, or stunted growing tips — aphids inject saliva that causes leaf curl to protect them
• 🕷 Spider Mite — Fine, silky webbing on the underside of leaves and between growing tips — the definitive identification sign
• 🤍 Mealybug — White, fluffy or mealy patches in leaf axils, stem joints, and under leaves — the insects themselves
• 🐌 Slugs & Snails — Silver slime trails on leaves, soil, and pots — often the first sign before damage is found

🍄 Diseases to watch

• 🩶 Botrytis (Grey Mould) — Botrytis cinerea (grey mould) is the most ubiquitous fungal pathogen in temperate gardens — present in virtually every garden soil and on plant debris. It becomes a disease only when conditions favour it: cool, humid, poorly ventilated environments with damaged or senescent plant tissue. In a greenhouse in autumn it can destroy an entire tomato or grape crop.
• 🌿 Fusarium Wilt — Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) is a soil-borne vascular disease that invades root systems and blocks the water-conducting tissue of the plant. Infected plants die of internal drought even with adequate soil moisture. Different formae speciales (strains) target specific host plants — asparagus fusarium is different to tomato fusarium.

Full identification and treatment advice is in the Pests and Diseases sections.

12 Harvesting

🔪 Cut with Secateurs

Cut fruits from the plant with secateurs rather than pulling, leaving a short stem attached — aubergine stems are woody and tearing can damage the plant. Harvest when the skin is glossy and taut; a dull, wrinkled skin means the fruit is overripe and will taste bitter.

13 Storage & Preserving

🍆 Use Fresh

Aubergines are at their absolute best within 2–3 days of harvest. Store unwrapped in the fridge for up to a week. Never freeze raw aubergine — it becomes mushy on thawing. Harvest while skin is still glossy and taut.

🔥 Roasting & Grilling

Roasting or grilling is the finest way to cook homegrown aubergine. Halve, score, brush with oil and roast at 200°C until completely tender and caramelised. Grilled slices on a griddle pan create beautiful char marks and a smoky flavour.

14 Expert Tips

15 Common Mistakes

16 See Also

• 🌼 Companion Planting
• 🏠 Greenhouse & Structures
• 🔄 Crop Rotation