Aubergine - Dourga White

Solanum melongena 

History:  We first came into contact with the Dourga white Aubergine from the wonderful seed company Real Seeds who tell us it is an old French variety that can grow high up in the Pyrenees mountains. It produces beautiful, white fruits around 15-20cm long early in the season. They did really well in our greenhouse and would do equally well on a sunny windowsill. We have not yet tried them outside in the UK but they could do well in the south on a sunny year. Let us know how they grow for you. 

When to sow: Indoors from late February indoors to March 

Requirements: Nutrient-rich soil, regular watering, warmth and lots of sun.

Harvesting: For eating, pick fruits as they ripen from late July onwards.

Seed contributors: Omved Gardens

Saving Seed From Aubergines: Aubergines can cross with other aubergines so it is best to just grow one type if you plan to save seeds. Allow the fruits to fully ripen on the plant. In purple aubergines the colour will change slightly,turning duller or yellowish when they are ready. In white aubergines the colour change is more subtle so just leave them on the plant for as long as possible - picking before the first frosts or if the plant becomes diseased at all. Once the fruits are fully mature, bring them inside and store in a cool, dry place for another week or so. Then cut the fruits in half, scoop out the seeds (the seeds should be a light brown colour, if they are white then they are probably not mature). Wash the seeds under a running tap in a sieve to get rid of any pulp and plant material and then lay them out on a non stick surface (a plate will do the trick). Let the seeds fully dry for a week in an airy, dry place. Then package them up and send them back to the SSN. 

How to send seed back: Please label all seed with variety, type, date and your contact, if you didn't get a chance to fill out our online data collection form, you can also send us a few lines about how it grew for you/flavour etc. Please aim to send back 1 tablespoon of dried seed or more so that we can continue to share with network members. Send to: Omved Gardens, 1 Townsend Yard, N6 5JF.

Please remember, if you’re an individual grower you can order up to 3 packets of seeds. If you order more than this, you will receive just three packs to begin with. This is to ensure we get plenty of data in return and to keep our stocks sustainable for years to come.* 

*Community groups and Experienced Growers can order larger quantities, please email us if this is the case.

If an item is out of stock we will send a close alternative.