Growing Eggplant, also Aubergine

Solanum sp. : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S S                  
      T T              
      P P              

(Best months for growing Eggplant in USA - Zone 7a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 75°F and 90°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 24 - 30 inches apart
  • Harvest in 12-15 weeks. Cut fruit with scissors or sharp knife.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Beans, capsicum, lettuce, amaranth, thyme
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

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14 Nov 22, Corena Hur (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Thank you, Bobbi, this information is a great encouragement for leaving my eggplant over winter in Austin area.
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23 Jun 22, Nat (Australia - tropical climate)
An eggplant has self seeded in sunny spot, next to my olive tree in Brisbane.. It's now 22/6/2022 so am wondering if I could successfully dig it up and put it elsewhere in the garden. Really healthy stocks (3 of them each about 10ml + wide). Hmmm. Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you
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23 Jun 22, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Dig out with a shovel or spade and keep as much soil as possible around the roots. Put into a new hole, pack the soil around it and water well. Plant them about 700mm a part.
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07 May 22, Mary (Australia - temperate climate)
First time I’ve planted Egg Plant. (Wicking bed) Enjoying the few fruits now. Do I pull the plant up or is it perennial? I’m guessing the cold winter will knock it. I would like to use the spot for winter veg unless it will grow through till next season.
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09 May 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It will produce again next year - maybe not so good as this year. Or plant some new ones next spring and put in some veggies for winter.
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21 Apr 22, Anonymous (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Look in the egg plant section for the planting guide. Just good rich soil. A general all round fertiliser.
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02 Apr 22, marco (Australia - tropical climate)
hi i am from the gold coast queensland . i have my seedlings in the ground 3 inch tall now all grown from seed .i have a older plant that has taken off it has flowers and eggplants are growing so it might be a good time to grow if u live in this area ....
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28 Mar 22, Peter Ramgolam (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Much needed ideas thank you
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18 Jan 22, (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
actually in southern ecuador in the sierras. subtropical humid and rainy now until march then flowing into very dry season. Difference from your other sites in southern hemisphere is the winds. My location is about 5000ft above sea level. the real temps (not with humidity) hover about 27c to 30C and it can drop to 10C overnight in the dry season and everything turns brown, in the rainy season it may cool down if there is cloud cover for two days (we are in the Sierras). . I notice that eggplant can become a perennial but how long might it last in a container. this seems a better option. climate control is easier and digging a pit thru rocky soil to use compost is laborious. I hire people to do that for large bushes and fruit trees and even the roses - which seem to thrive here in this climate pose a learning curve LOL
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04 Jan 22, Mark J Grzywa (USA - Zone 5a climate)
What varieties grow best in N. Illinois, if any? Thanks
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Showing 31 - 40 of 350 comments
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YES! I lived in zone 9 in Florida. You can most definitely grow them. Start your seeds indoors in early January and put them out in mid February. They will be producing by April and over it by mid June when your temps start in the 90s. I then always planted okra in June where the eggplants were. They were a nice succession planting in zone 9.

- Elisabeth

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