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              
        P              

(Best months for growing Eggplant in USA - Zone 5a 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

07 Oct 14, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
I am trying to find out where I might be able to find some Thai Pea Eggplants in Australia/Victoria do you have any suggestions
16 Oct 14, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
Thankyou for your suggestion about the Thai Pea Eggplants at Bunning's, I will have to check it out this week end
10 Oct 14, Arani (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I have seen these in Bunning's seedlings section. Its in the heirloom variety section.
05 Oct 14, Kirsten Camilleri (Australia - tropical climate)
My eggplant is healthy and has doubled in size since planting. I have had many flowers develop however they fall off, stem and all, and I haven't produced any fruit as a result of it. How can I can the problem? Ta
03 Jan 15, Roy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hello Jan and Kirsten, Same problem, healthy plants which have grown well, I should have said "I had the same problem" until having taken one of the flowers off and rubbing that one into the stamens of other flowers and voila, fruit. in fact too many.
06 Dec 14, Jan (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Kirsten, did you get any answers to this question, I have the same problem. I purchased a grafted eggplant from Bunnings. same as I did last year but I had an abundance of eggplant last year. This year the flowers form then shrink and fall off. no eggplant behind them. Has anyone got any clues to this problem?
25 Mar 14, Donald Chandraratna (Australia - arid climate)
Can I prune the old plants and wait for the next summer
15 Mar 14, Phil (Australia - temperate climate)
Have picked 2 eggplants from my bushes once they turned purple but the remainder of the fruit have turned yellow and seem to be softening. Is this normal?
22 Apr 14, Alpeshkumar Patel (Australia - temperate climate)
Turning yellow means they are now ripe. You can get seeds for next year from them.
13 Mar 14, Shannon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My eggplants have a whitish coating over all the stems, that can be scraped off with a fingernail. The top leaves are curling and dying. Does anyone know what this could be? There are no insects on the plants. Thank you!
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