Crops › Aubergine
How to grow Aubergine
in the UK
Sow February to March, plant out April to June, harvest July to September. About 100 days from seed to plate.
Now, aubergines, they're a bit of a challenge up here in the North East, you know, but proper rewarding if you get 'em right. They're a fruiting crop, like tomatoes, and definitely one for the greenhouse or a very sheltered, sunny spot on the plot.
Sowing
You'll want to get your aubergine seeds sown indoors nice and early, sometime in February or March is best. They need warmth, a good 18 to 25 degrees Celsius to get going, so a heated propagator or a warm spot with a mat is cracking. Pop the seeds about 1cm deep in small pots or trays of seed compost, and if you've got 'em, grow lights really help. They take about 100 days from sowing to harvest, so an early start is key. If sowing from seed feels like too much faff, plug plants are commonly sold and a great option.
Growing on
Once your seedlings are big enough to handle, usually when they have a couple of true leaves, prick them out into individual 9cm pots. Keep them warm, mind, they don't like anything below 15 degrees Celsius. Harden them off gradually once the weather warms up, but don't even think about planting them out until all risk of frost has well and truly passed – that's mid to late May up here. Plant them in your greenhouse or a super sunny, sheltered spot, giving them about 60cm between plants. And remember, those fruits can get heavy, so they'll need some support, like a cane.
Looking after it
Aubergines are thirsty plants, so water them regularly, especially when the fruits are setting. A weekly liquid feed, something for fruiting plants, will do 'em a world of good. Pinch out the main growing tip once the plant has about 5-6 fruits set; this encourages bushier growth and more flowers. Keep an eye on the lower leaves too, snip off any that are yellowing or touching the soil.
What goes wrong
Like a lot of greenhouse crops, aubergines can suffer from red spider mite, whitefly, and aphids. Check under the leaves regularly, especially when it's warm and dry. A strong spray of water can dislodge them, or for something more persistent, a bit of soapy water sometimes helps. Keep the air moving in the greenhouse to try and avoid these little nuisances.
Harvest
You'll be harvesting your aubergines from July right through to September. They're ready when the skin is shiny and firm, but not hard, and they feel weighty for their size. If they look dull, they're probably overripe, tough and bitter. Snip them off with a sharp knife or secateurs, leaving a bit of stem attached. They're best used fresh from the plot, but you can keep them in the fridge for up to a week if you need to.
To be honest, the biggest mistake I made when I first grew these was not giving them enough heat. Keep them cosy, and you'll get a proper crop.
Dates for your plot
Type the first half of your postcode and the plant-out advice shifts to your area's typical frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Black Beauty This is a classic variety, giving you lovely large purple fruits. It's a maincrop that's a good reliable choice for most growers. | No club votes yet |
| Moneymaker F1 As the name suggests, this F1 hybrid is a really reliable cropper. Expect a good harvest of purple fruits from this high-yielding plant. | No club votes yet |
| Bonica F1 If you're keen to get your aubergines early, Bonica F1 is a cracking choice. It's an early maturing variety, so you won't be waiting around too long for your first fruits. | No club votes yet |
| Fairy Tale These are little stunners, producing striped purple mini fruits. They're just the job for growing in containers on a patio or in a small greenhouse. | No club votes yet |
| Turkish Orange A heritage variety that gives you small, round orange fruits. They're a bit different and look lovely on the plant, great for something a bit unusual. | No club votes yet |
| Pingtung Long This is a heritage variety from Asia, giving you long, slender purple fruits. It's a really interesting type, great for stir-fries and different recipes. | No club votes yet |
| Violetta di Firenze Hailing from Italy, this heritage aubergine produces beautiful ribbed purple fruits. They're a proper showstopper with a lovely flavour. | No club votes yet |
| Bambino F1 Another great one for containers, Bambino F1 is a mini variety that's incredibly prolific. You'll get loads of small fruits, even in a small space. | No club votes yet |
| Listada de Gandia This heritage variety has stunning purple and white striped fruits. It's a beautiful plant to have on the plot and the fruits have a lovely mild taste. | No club votes yet |
| Thai Long Green If you fancy something a bit different, this heritage variety gives you long, slender green fruits. They're great in Asian cooking and have a unique flavour. | No club votes yet |
| Fairy Tale F1 Similar to the original Fairy Tale, this F1 version gives small purple and white striped fruits. It's a reliable choice for smaller spaces and containers. | No club votes yet |
| Turkish Orange A heritage variety that gives you small, round orange fruits. They're a bit different and look lovely on the plant, great for something a bit unusual. | No club votes yet |
| Pingtung Long This is a heritage variety from Asia, giving you long, slender purple fruits. It's a really interesting type, great for stir-fries and different recipes. | No club votes yet |
| Casper This heritage variety produces pure white, sweet fruits. They're a bit unusual and very tasty, making a lovely change from the usual purple ones. | No club votes yet |
| Slim Jim As the name suggests, Slim Jim gives you long, slender purple fruits. It's a good heritage variety if you're looking for something elegant and easy to cook with. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Aubergine seeds
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Cook the harvest
Whole aubergines are split and stuffed with a sweet, slow-cooked mixture of onions, tomatoes, and garlic, then baked in olive oil until completely tender and collapsing. This is the classic Turkish dish whose name translates as 'the imam fainted' — allegedly from the sheer quantity of olive oil used. Serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread and a dollop of yoghurt.
95 min · mediumThick aubergine steaks caramelise under a high grill with a sweet miso glaze until they are sticky, tender and almost meaty in the centre. They sit on a bed of cool sesame-dressed soba noodles, making this a dish that works just as well at room temperature as hot. It is bold enough to convert anyone who thinks aubergine needs to be hidden in something else.
27 min · easyA deeply warming Middle Eastern-style stew that comes together in well under an hour, built on big cubes of aubergine that slowly melt into a spiced tomato broth alongside tender chickpeas. The aubergine practically disappears into the sauce, giving it a silky, almost meaty body that makes the whole thing taste like it has been cooking all day. Serve with flatbreads or over rice.
45 min · easyDeeply roasted aubergines are blended into a velvety, smoky soup with a good hit of harissa and a base of sweet red peppers and onions. The contrast of the smooth soup and the crunchy spiced chickpeas on top is what makes this dish — do not skip them. This is the kind of soup that warms you from the inside out and genuinely satisfies as a main course.
65 min · mediumWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: beans, spinach
Questions people ask
When do you sow Aubergine in the UK?
Sow Aubergine from February to March. Plant out April to June, after the last frost.
How long does Aubergine take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 100 days, with the harvest July to September.
Which Aubergine varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Black Beauty, Moneymaker F1, Bonica F1, Fairy Tale and more.
Track your Aubergine from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.