Growing Aubergines Outside

I think I need to fess up... in my last post there were some pictures of my prize aubergines.

These were grown outside in the patio garden but with a little bit of help.

Now I don't have the space for a green house and am so envious of people who are able to grow their tomotoes, aubergines, peppers, chillies, physalis ... the list goes on!... under cover.  They always look so healthy when grown under cover.  And of course they do for they are in the solanaceae family, also known as the sun lovers family.

Whilst I don't have a green house, there are other options for the space challenged container gardener.

Last year, we had a rather disappointing summer (not that much different to the one we've just had) and all the flowers dropped off my aubergines - i.e. no fruit. 

This year the aubergines have been enjoying the comforts of a hort fleece tent fastened to the wall with clothes line pegs and a stone on the floor to stop it flapping about.  They seem to really like the tomato planters I have grown them in this year too as these are the tallest aubergines I have ever grown aubergines. They also enjoy a diet of worm tea from the wormery and comfrey leaves.

If we are getting a good sunshiny day I unveil them and then tuck them in once the sunshine's finished for the day to keep them warm for the night time.

I know, I know, I could just grow easier things that don't have such a need for heat but I love eating aubergines - they are just great roasted in the oven with tomatoes and garlic.  Its a challenging labour of love every year but this year I think I've cracked it!

The other thing I was not telling you in my last post was the peppers and chillies that are still happy outside despite the drop in temps.  They are not showing signs of stress yet and I don't like denying them outside sunshine if they are able to cope with our outside temps so to help them extend their stay outside that little bit longer, they are in the portable greenhouse, a present that my lovely boyfriend bought me last spring that proved invaluable when I was hardening off seedlings in spring and now to extend the growing season into autumn.

So there you have it... I'm now thinking of hort fleece tents for the tomatoes next year, especially if the summer's the same as it was this year I just need to improve on the frame for the hort fleece tent - any tips out there?

Cape Gooseberries and Tomatillos

Last year I grew tomatillos with some success.  I do think they prefer a hotter climate like their native South America, but I had quite a few tomatillos for my salsa which I mixed with garden tomatoes.

 

This year, I decided to experiment with cape gooseberries (their sweet cousin) Physalis Peruviana.  My father has grown these on the border of North Wales with success so I thought I would try the same.  Also as my gardening is all container gardening I don't grow many fruit so that was another motivation for sowing some cape gooseberry seed.

My sowings were too successful and I had loads of seedlings.  So I gave some to the Wimbledon Food Group community gardens.  They haven't had so much success with theirs so I thought I would write a blog on the cape gooseberry's preferred conditions.

Situation:  They like a sunny position which is reasonably sheltered from the wind.

Soil:  They have a preference for well draining soil sandy or loam soil.  When putting them in a container put gravel or crocks in the soil.

Water:  They are relations of the tomato and the potato in the solanaceae family so like to be kept well watered, but don't like to go to bed with their feet wet.  Care needs to be taken to ensure their roots do not stand in water.

Fertilizer:  Do not need fertilizer and will grow more foliage than fruit if they get fed.

To summise: lots of water but don't feed!

They can take a while to get going, and placing them in a sunny spot should help kick start them.