Vegetable / Warm season
Eggplant
Also called aubergine
A heat seeker that hates cold nights and flea beetles
Plant out byMay 25zone 6
- Family
- Nightshade (Solanaceae)
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ h)
- Difficulty
- Some care
- Days to harvest
- 65-80 days
- Spacing
- 24 in apart, rows 36 in
- Pot size
- 5 gal pot (great in pots)
- Frost
- Tender
- Start
- Start indoors
- Water
When to plant
Showing .
Averages for a typical garden in the region. Your local frost dates may differ by 2-3 weeks, check a local source.Too late this year (try fall)
In zone 6, start seeds indoors Feb 23 to Mar 9; plant out May 4 to May 25. Average last frost Apr 20, first fall frost Oct 20.
Units
Flea beetles find eggplant seedlings within days. They are tiny black jumpers that chew pinholes until the leaves look like lace, and a young transplant can stall or die. Row cover right after planting, tucked in at the edges, is the simplest fix. They are busiest on warm, sunny days. Take it off once the plant is sturdy and blooming so bees can get in.
Eggplant also hates cold. Set it out after your last frost, once days run 70 to 75 degrees F and nights stay near 60. Go too early and the plant just sits there sulking for weeks. Seeds need six to eight weeks indoors with warmth under the tray, which is why many people buy starts. Black plastic laid over the bed for a week before planting warms cold soil faster.
In a pot it does well, maybe better than in a cool bed, because a dark container on a sunny balcony warms up fast. One plant per 5-gallon pot is the usual rule, and dwarf types fit in 2 gallons. Pick young, while the skin is glossy and a thumbnail leaves a small dent. Dull skin and brown seeds mean you waited too long. Use pruners, since the stems are tough and often a bit prickly. Slender Japanese types give smaller fruit, but they start sooner. The purple flowers and fuzzy leaves are pretty, so a pot by the door earns its place.
Things to consider
- It shares pests and diseases with tomato, pepper and potato. Rotate it to a spot those crops did not use last year, and keep it apart from potatoes, which bring Colorado potato beetles. A pot with fresh mix each year sidesteps the rotation question.
- Blooms can drop during heat waves or a chilly spell. Steady water and mulch help, and fruit usually sets again once the weather settles. Hot, dry wind is hard on blooms, so a sheltered corner of a balcony can help.
- Tall varieties lean once fruit hangs. A short stake or tomato cage put in at planting saves snapped branches later. Some growers also pinch the first flower on a small transplant so it builds more leaf first.
Good neighbours
Keep apart
Pests to watch for
Flea beetlesColorado potato beetlesSpider mitesHornworms
Questions about growing eggplant
Why does my eggplant taste bitter?
Overripe fruit is the usual cause, so pick while the skin still shines. Heat stress and dry soil can add bitterness too. Smaller, younger fruit tends to be milder. Salting slices before cooking is a kitchen trick, but it will not rescue fruit that is past its prime.
How long from planting until I can pick eggplant?
Most varieties give first fruit 65 to 80 days after transplanting. From seed the full run is closer to 100 to 120 days, which is why indoor starts matter in short seasons. Once picking starts, keep cutting ripe fruit and the plant tends to set more.
Should I grow Italian or Japanese eggplant?
Italian types make big, round-bottomed fruit for slicing. Japanese and other slender types are picked at finger or hot dog size. For a pot or a cool summer, the slender kinds are the easier bet. Both need the same warmth, sun and flea beetle defense.
Save this crop
Pin it to a garden board so it is there when planting time comes round.
Similar crops
Sources
General guidance for home gardens. Frost dates are averages for a zone or region; check a local source (in the US your county extension office) for local timing.