To really grow aubergines successfully in the UK, you have to think about the 3 things they need. Light, sunshine and a long growing season, so with this said if you happen to live in the south of the country you have a better chance of growing them successfully.

However, I live in the far north and I hope to have a successful crop this year myself. As such I will be planting my seeds as early as February and I will be placing these in my new heated propagator. If you want to grow peppers and chillies, then this is a great way to start them off as well.

I have already chosen the variety I want which is called Violetta Lunga, it has a nice long purple fruit but there are other varieties I did look at and these included Moneymaker and Red Egg. If you don't have a heated propagator, there is no reason why you can't sow your seeds and then place them on a very sunny windowsill to get the seeds to germinate.

Sowing Your Aubergine Seeds

I sow my seeds in 7.5cm pots using seed compost. I make sure this is nice and firm by tapping the compost down and then I let it settle for a while. Once it has I will then scatter my aubergine seeds very thinly on the surface. I will then cover these with a thin layer of vermiculite, give them some water and of course not forget to label my pots. I will then place these in the heated propagator. You could also use a clear plastic bag over the top of your pots and then use a rubber band to seal it and then place this on your sunny windowsill.

Germination is Quick

Aubergine seeds, like peppers and chillies only take around a week to germinate and this is when I will remove my plants from the propagator. If you have your plants in plastic bags then you need to do the same and after this you have make sure the plants don't dry out.

Potting Up Your Seedlings

Once my seedlings are around 2cm tall, I will repot them into their own individual pots. At this stage the seedlings are really quite delicate, so you have to do this carefully by loosening the compost and then very gently lift each little plant out by holding a leaf but at the same time supporting the roots, a dibber is ideal for doing this.

I will place each seedling into it's own 7.5cm pot using multi-purpose compost. I will make a hole in the middle of the pot, place the seedling into it so that the leaves are just slightly above the top of the compost. Then I will firm down the compost around the seedling and place them in my greenhouse – you can use your windowsill if you don't have a greenhouse.

Once I see the roots showing underneath then I will pot them on again to 12cm pots and again use multi-purpose compost.

It is always a good idea to support your aubergine plants with some sort of stake when they reach 20cm. Once they reach 30cm, I will pinch out the tops, the growing tips as this will encourage the plant to bush out.

When To Plant Out Aubergines

Come May, your aubergine plants will be ready for planting out. One thing you have to remember is that aubergines are very thirsty plants, so in dry weather make sure you keep them well watered. You'll notice that the first flowers will appear when the plants are still quite small and this means you'll have to feed them weekly with some kind of liquid feed that is high in potash. I intend on using a tomato fertiliser for my aubergines.

I am looking forward to the coming months and especially July, as this should be the time I harvest my aubergines. As I said this will be the first time I am growing them, so for me it is quite an exciting project. Do you have a project you've set yourself this year? Is there something new you are going to grow?