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

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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?
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22 Apr 14, Alpeshkumar Patel (Australia - temperate climate)
Turning yellow means they are now ripe. You can get seeds for next year from them.
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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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26 Nov 14, Greg (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Whitish coating may simply be scale. Lime Sulfur (liquid) will do the job.
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04 Mar 14, Parm (Australia - temperate climate)
I plant eggplant late December. My eggplant got flower but not fruit. I see some bees and butterfly in my garden but still I try to do hand pollination. Mostly I use to water every day or other. I live in albany wa
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22 Jan 14, Kezia (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted an eggplant last year 2013 July. It has produced quite a lot of fruits since November, but what will happen to the plant from February onwards? The chart on this website about eggplant showing blank (no S or T sign) from February to July?
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21 Dec 13, Renate (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My eggplants are brownish colour not dark like the usual colour what is missing?
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12 Aug 13, bob westport (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
how long a life has an egg plant got or is it just an annual plant
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01 Sep 13, indy (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Eggplant is a semi-tropical perennial that's best treated as an annual in temperate or cooler clmates . Unless you've been able to source reliable heritage varieties the best fruit is most likely going to only be had during the first season
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13 Apr 13, Esantoso (Australia - tropical climate)
I think it is either they are too old, egg plant is better when they are young. Or fungi disease which cause the fruit to go rotten. Both cases fruit is no longer edible.
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Showing 141 - 150 of 266 comments
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Why someone would suggest maybe yours is a male plant and saying "hope this helps" is hilarious. Eggplants do not need separate male and female plants. A quick google search can tell you that. Several reasons your flowers are dropping - lack of pollination or the plant is under stress being - 1) too cold or hot 2)lack of water or nutrients. Try hand pollinating your flowers and lookup the temperature your variety of eggplant will set fruit. I looked up the temperature for Tutukaka coast and the temperature seems too cold for eggplant. I could be wrong. But you will need find out what variety you have first.

- Kristin

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