Your comments and tips

15 Apr 09, ray (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

My six eggplant have been cropping since october and are going stronger than ever, they over 2 meters height. Each plant has delevered in excess of 15-20 fruit each. They are in a new garden bed that was based on well rotted horse manure. I have sprayed carbaryl twice in the peak of summer as the friut got attacked by a white grub. i sprayed mancozeb once after the leaves were looking sad. i plan to keep them going over the winter for a second season.

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22 Apr 09, Rosie (Australia - temperate climate)

Marina, I have had the non-fruiting problem with my Black Beauties, too. Lots of healthy strong plants & abundant flowers, but only one fruit early on. I read on an American site that this can be caused by TOO MUCH nitrogen or over-watering so i'm going to try and address both. I'd be interested to hear whether the potash brings fruit on yours, Marina.

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01 Jun 09, vegewitch (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi folks, i am growing eggplant for the first time and the flowers come up and open then the flower dies off and the whole flower and stem piece just drop off? What am i doing wrong?

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02 Jun 09, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi vegewitch (love the name!) I wonder if a complete high-potassium fertiliser would help, such as the tomato-food version of Dynamic Lifter. I have found a little paintbrush helps make sure the flowers pollinate and set fruit. The other issue might be the cold - my eggplants do much better in summer.

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18 Aug 09, Thora Dutton (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

My baby aubergines are full of flowers although a number of flowers seem to die for no reason. I have had 1 little fruit and now there are only 2 more on one plant and both of these fruit are green and don't seem to be going the aubergine colour. Could you please help? Many thanks

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20 Sep 09, Joan Maguire (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

one fruit going well but the balance of flowers have died - plse advise

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06 Oct 09, monkey (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

dear vegewitch - eggplants don't fruit until October/November in sub-tropical climates such as Brisbane - it is too cold. If the flowers still drop in November try putting some dolomite on the soil and watering in - the Ph may be wrong in your soil.

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10 Oct 09, newtovegegardening (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I've just planted eggplant seedlings, yes - they have a tent to protect from the frost. But a couple of them have been eaten down to the stems. Is there a natural pesticide that I could use to save the rest?

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08 Dec 09, Roz (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I've tried growing corriander from seed without success during November straight into the garden bed. Do they need any special requirements to get seeds sprouting other than watering to start with? Is November not a good time I've given them a partial shady position to guard against the scorching summer sun and have been pretty consistent with watering. I felt I prepared the soil well by mixing cow manure compost existing soil coconut fibre for moisture retention blood & bone and some lime left it for a week or so then planted seeds. My eggplant seeds did not come up either so I have put in seedlings from Bunnings. What am I doing wrong?

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15 Mar 11, Wendy (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Roz, I too couldn't get coriander to grow when planted in summer but when I planted in autumn over the winter I got so many I didn't know what to do with it. So I now plant only over the cooler/winter months as I suspect they just detest heat.

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