Aubergine Seeds - Clara F1

Aubergine Clara is a striking and unusual plant with pure white and thin-skinned fruits that are of an elegant ostrich egg style which precludes attractive purple flowers. Aubergine Clara has an excellent flavour. Aside from its interest, we chose this white aubergine variety as it is fast-growing, a prolific cropper, and one of the most disease-resistant, making it ideal for organic cultivation.

• Pack size: 6 seeds
• Time to germination: 14-21 days
• When to sow inside: January – April
• When to sow outside: April - June
• Spacing: 70cm +
• Soil preference: Fertile, well-drained
• Light preference: Full sun
• When to harvest: July – October

How to grow Aubergine Clara from seed

Aubergines, or eggplants, belong to the same family as peppers and tomatoes and should be grown in much the same manner. They are, however, slightly more cold-sensitive which will halt the plant’s growth, reducing its vigour, resistance to pests and disease, as well as its yields. As such, for a successful experience, we recommend growing aubergines under glass only.

When sowing your Aubergine Clara Seeds (shallowly), consider the temperature they will be exposed to. 21-24 degrees is ideal, however once germinated, aubergine seeds can tolerate somewhat lower temperatures. After germination, place on a sunny windowsill, or as we recommend, under LED lights to grow on and develop in 8cm thin-wall pots before planting out in late spring, pot and all.

What to feed your Aubergine Clara plants

White aubergine plants are heavy feeders, enjoying free draining moist soil, loaded with plenty of organic matter. Add a few handfuls of fish, blood and bone meal with some volcanic rock dust and kelp powder to give them a rich, balanced and diverse diet, for strong organic growth and cropping over the season. This diet will also help the plants to form strong well-developed immunity.

By preparing the planting hole/soil with the above organics before planting, and applying a side dressing of phosphorus-rich bone meal or wood ash just prior to fruiting, you are feeding the whole soil ecosystem, which in turn feeds your aubergine plants a much broader diet. Chemical fertilisers bought off the shelf, are limited in their scope and kill life in the soil web, burdening the gardener with the task (and money) of repeatedly fertilising.

Keeping pests away

Clara aubergines are very pest and disease resistant; however, they should still be rotated every couple of years and given plenty of space as they don’t like humidity. It’s for this reason we plant them with the tomatoes near the open greenhouse door leaving the moisture-loving cues to thrive in the humid back corners.

When ordering Clara Aubergine Seeds from Grow Sow Greener, you will receive free nasturtium seeds. A beautiful plant that add interest and beauty in its own right and is a great companion for aubergines.  Growing nasturtiums a distance away from your veg will help lure aphids away, whilst giving you delicious red flowers and peppery young leaves for adding to salads.