Repotting guide

When & how to repot 'Fairy Tale' Aubergine (Solanum melongena 'Fairy Tale')

Also called Fairy Tale eggplant, Mini aubergine.

More about 'fairy tale' aubergine

About 'Fairy Tale' Aubergine

Solanum melongena 'Fairy Tale' · also called Fairy Tale eggplant, Mini aubergine · edible

'Fairy Tale' is an award-winning mini aubergine bearing clusters of small, slender purple-and-white streaked fruits with sweet, tender, nearly seedless flesh and no bitterness. Compact and early-maturing at about 50-65 days, it crops well in containers and short seasons, making it one of the easiest aubergines for patios and cooler-climate gardeners.

Mature size: 60-75cm (24-30in) tall, 45-60cm (18-24in) wide; fruits 5-10cm (2-4in)

Watch for — Flower drop in cold: Chilly nights or drought abort flowers; keep plants warm, sheltered and evenly watered, especially in pots that swing between wet and dry.

How to tell 'fairy tale' aubergine needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For 'fairy tale' aubergine, watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot 'fairy tale' aubergine on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot 'fairy tale' aubergine

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. 'Fairy Tale' Aubergineis grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Compact, bushy tender perennial grown as an annual, branching low with fruits borne in clusters of 4-6. Its dwarf stature often needs no staking, though a single cane steadies heavily laden plants; little pinching required..

What size pot to step 'fairy tale' aubergine up to

Pot 'fairy tale' aubergine on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot 'fairy tale' aubergine

Pot 'fairy tale' aubergine on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting 'fairy tale' aubergine

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check 'fairy tale' aubergine regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh rich, well-drained, fertile loam or quality potting mix, ph 5.5-6.8 at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water 'fairy tale' aubergine in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for 'fairy tale' aubergine

'Fairy Tale' Aubergine wants rich, well-drained, fertile loam or quality potting mix, ph 5.5-6.8. Thrives in warm, compost-rich soil. In containers use a fertile peat-free mix with added slow-release feed. Good drainage is essential to avoid root rot in cool, wet spells. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting 'fairy tale' aubergine — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot 'fairy tale' aubergine?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for 'fairy tale' aubergine. 'Fairy Tale' Aubergine is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into rich, well-drained, fertile loam or quality potting mix, ph 5.5-6.8 so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does 'fairy tale' aubergine need?

When is the best time of year to repot 'fairy tale' aubergine?

Can you put 'fairy tale' aubergine straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing 'fairy tale' aubergine should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise 'fairy tale' aubergine after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting 'fairy tale' aubergine. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.