I’ve never heard of anyone growing aubergines outside in Ireland as like a long hot growing season. They also need a warm place to germinate so I like to start them on a window sill in the house or in a propagagator. The seedlings will be killed by frost and will not thrive when nights are cold. So unless you have a heated greenhouse or conservatory, restrain yourself from sowing them till February. Prick out the seedlings into 10cm pots when they have a couple of real leaves and keep them cosy until they are planted out in their final positions in April or May. Here, we dig a trench in the polytunnel in spring and fill it up with well-rotted FYM. The trench is covered up with soil again and then with ground cover. The ground cover has holes 60cm apart and the plants are planted through these holes. Pinch out the tip of the plant when it is about 30cm high to stop them getting too tall and fallig over. Cut the fruit when they are well formed and before they have lost their shine.