If you want plump, shiny aubergines this summer, sow the seeds now

Spring is the ideal season to plant most seeds, but the luscious eggplant is a notable exceptionI have a pet peeve that I share with a lot of gardener friends: the social media-driven push to start sowing seeds now, even though it's simply too early for most of us. Buoyed by the memory of generously warm springs - like that of 2020 - we could be forgiven for being optimistic and sow seeds in the hope that this coming spring will be just as ideal for our early crops. But British weather is unpredictable, so why plant seeds now when those sown later will probably fare better? This is true for the vast number of crops that I'll be sowing when the daffodils are in full bloom.But there are notable exceptions - and one is the aubergine. This vegetable was at the heart of the Mauritian cooking I grew up on, and so came to associate it with warmer climates, but it's very possible - and very satisfying! - to grow aubergines in the UK. Continue reading...