Growing Eggplant, also Aubergine

Solanum sp. : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Feb	Mar	May
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

04 Nov 11, Mohan (Australia - temperate climate): Hi Pru, Epsom salts is MgSO4(Magnisium sulphate). Mg is an important constituent in Chlorophyll, the green substance in leaves that is required for photosynthesis i.e. making food for the plant. One gram epsom salt in a litre of water sprayed early in the morning helps some plants to set fruit. Potash is K2SO4 and generally helps plant for flowering..
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16 Sep 11, John (Australia - temperate climate): Planted seedlings last year Oct-Nov, grew slowly, flowered but no fruit. Any ideas??
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09 Oct 11, Pru (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Hi John, sprinkle Epsom salts in a line 10cms long about 5 cms out from the trunk, the potassium will help flowers set fruit. Worked brilliantly for me last year.
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18 Nov 11, John (Australia - temperate climate): Epsom salts is magnesium sulphate. Did you actually use this or potash (potassium sulphate)?
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06 Oct 11, (Australia - temperate climate): Sounds like you don't have enough bees to fertilise the fruit?
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08 Oct 11, Tracey (Australia - arid climate): The problem isn't likely to be lack of pollinators as eggplants self-fertile and predominantly wind pollinated (although some cross pollination between plants can occur via insects, too). Did flowers form and then drop? Temps that are too low can affect fruit set, as can temps that are too high (as with tomatoes and capsicums). The optimal temperature window is likely to vary a little depending on the variety.
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11 Aug 11, ray (Australia - tropical climate): can egg plant be frozen and used later
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05 Jul 11, John Bee (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Hi John, Eggplant can be grown for several seasons at least, provided that they are kept healthy, properly fertilized and rejuvenated at the end of each season ready for the next one. After a major cropping they can be cut back (pruned) fairly heavily with sharp clean secateurs. You should cut off and remove all the old leaves as that helps stop future leaf diseases problems. Then give the plants a good fertilizing with a complete mixture, preferably organic, lightly dig in the fertiliser and give them a good watering. Be sure to cut off any diseased or dead or dying branches and get rid or them (don’t leave them lying around). Please remember that eggplants are frost sensitive, especially young tender growth so make sure they are protected from frosts or leave the pruning till after the last frost. Hope this helps. John Bee Master Gardener
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03 Jul 11, John (Australia - temperate climate): As this seasons eggplant has concluded can I prune and expect another crop this coming summer?
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25 Jun 11, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): hi ,I have got the long skinny egg plant variety. was wondering as it is now july in sa could I cut them back and get another season out of them
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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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Growing Eggplant, also Aubergine

Solanum sp. : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Your comments and tips

Gardenate

Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

Growing Eggplant, also Aubergine

Solanum sp. : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Your comments and tips

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