sowing aubergines

[bigpepperplant]

Could anyone give me any sowing tips for aubergines? I have an 'electric blanket' with a thermostat and an unheated polytunnel, but could germinate them in the house... Or should I just wait a couple of weeks? Any advice much appreciated.

[Geoff]

Last year I sowed my Aubergines (Moneymaker and Coffee Red) in the propagator on 27th February, grew them on in heated greenhouse where some were left with the others going into cold greenhouse beds. They grew slowly into reasonable plants but there wasn't much of a yield and they were quite late. I was wondering if I had started too late then I received the seeds of a new to me variety "Los Algarrobos" from The Real Seed Catalogue and their instructions are :
"Start off in small pots, ideally in a propagator. Sow late Jan/Feb if you have a heated greenhouse for growing on, otherwise March. Requires warm soil (ideally 32C/90F, rather warmer than my propagator) for 2-3 weeks to germinate. lower temps (min 25C / 80F) may work but will take a LONG time They take longer to germinate and require higher temperatures than peppers & tomatoes. Plant out after the last frost or grow in a polytunnel or greenhouse."
I've put mine in the diary for this weekend, I'll have to think about the temperature.

[bigpepperplant]

thanks for that, sounds like I should wait a while.

[Jenny Green]

Aubergines take a long time to crop, but need to be kept warm. I'm not bothering with them this year (family don't particularly like them) but I usually sow in early Feb in a propagator in the house. Then I grow on on a sunny windowsill until April and then put them out into an unheated greenhouse. I bring them in at night if the nights are cold and plant out into the border in late May.