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

(Best months for growing Eggplant in New Zealand - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 24°C and 32°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 60 - 75 cm 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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20 Nov 17, Michael (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I have the opposite - all the lower leaves are turning yellow! But at least I have a couple of dark fruit growing fast.
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23 Oct 17, Robyn Boswell (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Several years ago i bought a patio miniature eggplant which produced really well. I haven't been able to find one since. Can you tell if i can buy the seeds or plant anywhere please? I am in northland
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25 Oct 17, Lorraine (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I purchased Egg Plants from Mitre 10 Whangarei 2 years ago give them a call they will back order if they don't have them in stock
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18 Apr 17, Nigel (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Is it possible to grow eggplant from cuttings?
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19 Apr 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes it is. Take short tip cuttings in late Spring and into the Summer. If the leaves are large, reduce them with a pair of scissors. Put your cutting/s into a jar of water in a warm spot (not hot) and they will grow roots. Treat them as ordinary seedlings after planting out.
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28 Apr 17, Chris (New Zealand - temperate climate)
A speedier way to propagate is to use an aquarium air pump to add extra oxygen to the water you have your cuttings in
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25 Feb 17, Van (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi, for the first time I sowed eggplant saplings this Jan and now am getting the vege. Am so happy abt it. The tip I can suggest is water every day, put them in a good compost and in well sun positioned. If possible try feed them with vege protein liquid, I did just for once. Happy growing- all the best
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03 Feb 17, Judy Stephens (New Zealand - temperate climate)
My husband has a number of plants grown from seed planted in a sloping area shadowed by mature natives but gets around 4-5 hrs shady sun. No flowers yet but around 40cm high and been in the ground a at least 6 weeks...any hope?
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05 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Lack of sunlight and maybe competition for water may be the problem. The other thing is that egg plants are often later to fruit than their cousins - tomatoes and capsicum. Trust this helps.
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06 Feb 11, John Fawkner (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Eggplant in a tunnel house set fruit but keep dropping them. suggestions?
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Showing 21 - 30 of 33 comments
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I know it's over a year later, but I've been looking for info for overwintering a huge eggplant plant, and saw your question here. Summer '22 I picked up three 5" Japanese eggplant plants from local Tractor supply store, on sale in 3 or 4" pots, for $4 each. I grew them in central MA, each in a 12 or 14" pot all summer. Got some good yield, and they grew to about 18" high, but I decided to bring them inside for the winter to see if I could get more fruit from them. I put them on a south facing bay window, air temp was never much above 68*, I watered, fertilized once (maybe 2x) from October-May, and hand pollinated flowers with a paint brush. Got about 10 fruits, which I thought was pretty good! Nice and tender and sweet. In late May/early June they went outside, (after hardened off properly) planted 1 into 2' tall raised wooden garden box (with tomatoes, potatoes, basil, borage), 1 into a large deep pot, and one in a conditioned straw bale. The pot one failed, the box and straw bale one thrived and are now 3' tall and maybe 2-3' wide. Tons of flowers, fruit, I couldn't keep up. I'm trying to figure out if I can bring one of them inside again (transplant into v. large pot) and get one more summer out of it! So you can probably grow Ichyban Japanese in your zone, just protect from cooler temps, and bring inside if your season isn't long enough.

- TMR

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