aubergine hand pollinating

[noisette1325]

I'm growing two aubergines in my small tunnel. I have read that hand pollinating is necessary but I didn't succeed with my first try.

Actually, I think difficult to estimate when the stamen and the pistil are mature. I guess that for one flower, first the stamens mature and after that the pistil matures. So I need several flowers?

Moreover, can spraying water facilitate the maturation of both stamens and pistil?

Thank you for advices

[noisette1325]

can anybody help me?
the variety is Black Beauty.

[richard p]

im growing some this year, must be 4 or 5 years since i last had some in the tunnel, dont remember hand pollinating and i did get some fruits, hope this helps

[Colin_M]

I have read that hand pollinating is necessary but I didn't succeed with my first try.

Hi Noisette, I don't think it's essential to hand pollinate, though it may help.

You've probably already seen the advice to keep the atmosphere humid for Aubergines, giving them a regular misting.

I've grown aubergines for the last few years and always got fruit without any additional hanky panky. However I haven't bothered this year as I've never got more than a couple of fruit per plant; other people are more successfull so there are definitely some other tricks to be learnt here.

[Primrose]

My aubergine plants are outside and I don't know whether they have pollinated naturally or not because as soon as the flowers have opened I have finger pollinated them. (Don't bother with a little brush). Just very gently wipe my finger around the inside of the flower and then move on and do the same to another flower.
All the flowers in question are now showing tiny fruit so either the insects have done their stuff, or my finger has! (Belt and braces policy!)
I also mist the leaves on my plants on a daily basis when it's hot and also spray water on the brick wall of the house immediately behind them to try and increase the humidity.

[mel corbould]

I know its early days but have you suceeded with the hand pollination. I'm having no luck at all. Each flower goes brown then falls off. I'll give it another go now i've seen this helpful advice but do people think it is now too late to any aubergines to ripen in the greenhouse?

[PLUMPUDDING]

Aubergines are notoriously difficult. This year mine have been flowering like mad, but like yours they have all gone brown and dropped off. The same thing has happened in other years whether I've left them alone or done the pollination and spraying.

Occasionally, usually in nice hot summers they all set on their own, so I think it is pot luck.

I've just looked at my plants and I think one might have set a fruit, so I might get something.

Good luck ...

[noisette1325]

I have 2 plants in my greenhouse and I only have 4 fruits. Like plumpudding, the majority of the flowers turns brown and drops off.
I can give small experience concerning the hand pollinating.
I tried to open the stamens to obtain pollen and I concluded that there is not enough pollen to succeed good pollination. I don't know why there is few pollen. (maybe, the weather)
The stamen is very hard and the pollen can't be liberated.
It is better to make pollination in the morning.
I know that aubergines are not like tomatoes but I find a forum describing in details the pollination of tomatoes.
Here is the link :
http://tomodori.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4567
Sorry, it is in french. But I find it very interesting. At the end of this topic, there is another link in english.

Good luck to all those having problems with aubergines.

[mel corbould]

thanks. I'll keep trying. How frustrating! I grew these 6 plants from seed planted indoors in January and loved and cossetted ever since. They are a bit like my children.....loving and totally giving until they are able to actually contribute helpfully then totally disinterested!!!

[newbie]

I must be having a bit of beginers luck with these - my Mum brought me a tray of 6 sorry looking assorted veg plants from Wilcos in May I think, No lables and all wilted - Mum paid 50p for them. I potted them up and put them next to sheltered wall in the garden. One night they completley colapsed with the cold but ralied by lunchtime. Worked out they were aubergines from the flowers.Have picked off several fruitlets (?) to leave 4 per plant and they are now about the size of plum tomato. I can only assume they have been polinated by insects. Should I feed them now? PS. They were the only survivors from the tray.