Aubergine 'Slim Jim' Seeds

'Slim Jim' is a compact aubergine that crops in clusters of long, slender purple fruits, which makes it one of the easiest aubergines to fit into a greenhouse border or a large patio pot. The plants carry purple-tinged foliage and stay around 70cm tall. Solanum melongena 'Slim Jim' is an Italian variety, best picked young at about 10cm, when the glossy violet fruits are firm and tender. Grill, roast or pickle them.

Sowing and growing

• Sow indoors February to April, 5mm deep, in a heated propagator at 21 to 25°C
• Germination: 10 to 30 days; aubergines are slow and need steady warmth
• Pot on and grow under glass, or move to a sunny, sheltered patio in June
• Pinch out the growing tip at about 15cm to encourage branching
• Position: full sun and shelter; a greenhouse gives the most reliable crop in the UK
• Height: about 70cm, with a spread of 45cm
• Harvest: July to October, picking fruits at around 10cm long to keep more coming
• Tender annual: frost will kill it

What you receive: a packet of about 30 seeds from Piccolo Seeds, with growing instructions on the back.

Browse our full range of vegetable, herb and flower seeds, and give early sowings a head start with propagators and growing equipment. Genovese basil seeds make a classic companion in the greenhouse and the kitchen.