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 T          
      P P              

(Best months for growing Eggplant in Australia - tropical 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 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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14 Mar 10, Glynis (Australia - temperate climate)
I am having the same bug problem as Diana, 7 Apr 09. What can I do about it. The plants are fruiting well, but by the time they are grapefruit size they are going brown/yellow and full of grubs.
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02 Mar 10, Pru (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
To stop flowers falling off plants put a 10 cm straight line of Epsom salts about an inch away from the main stem. Works a treat. I now have 9 fruit on one plant.
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26 Feb 10, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Aurelio, If it's green caterpillars then try using Dipel, which is a bacteria product that only affects caterpillars. Best not to use sprays/powders as they don't affect caterpillars, but they will hurt beneficial insects. Some wasps will attack caterpillars, so make sure you have flowers around to attract the wasps, and don't use pesticides as they harm the good bugs that help keep things in balance.
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17 Feb 10, AURELIO (Australia - temperate climate)
HELLO 1ST TIME GROWER PLANTED EVERYTHING IN NOVEMBER MOST THINGS HAVE GROWN BUT CANT SEEM TO STOP THEM LITTLE GREEN WORM LOOKIN THINGS THEY SEEM EAT ALL MY LEAVES AND LEAVE HOLES IN THE LEAVES IVE TRIED SPRAYS POWDERS ANY HELP PLZ P/S IM PROUD OF ME EGG PLANT ITS ONLY GOT 1 AT MOMENT BUT ITS GROWIN GREAT
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15 Feb 10, 2 green thumbs (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Dear Roz, I have just had an explosion of Corriander from seed in seedling trays. I was given fresh seeds off a friends plant, which I dried in a paper bag til brown, then planted them in a seedling tray filled with seed raising mix. Maybe try that.
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08 Dec 09, Roz (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I've tried growing corriander from seed without success during November straight into the garden bed. Do they need any special requirements to get seeds sprouting other than watering to start with? Is November not a good time I've given them a partial shady position to guard against the scorching summer sun and have been pretty consistent with watering. I felt I prepared the soil well by mixing cow manure compost existing soil coconut fibre for moisture retention blood & bone and some lime left it for a week or so then planted seeds. My eggplant seeds did not come up either so I have put in seedlings from Bunnings. What am I doing wrong?
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15 Mar 11, Wendy (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Roz, I too couldn't get coriander to grow when planted in summer but when I planted in autumn over the winter I got so many I didn't know what to do with it. So I now plant only over the cooler/winter months as I suspect they just detest heat.
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10 Oct 09, newtovegegardening (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I've just planted eggplant seedlings, yes - they have a tent to protect from the frost. But a couple of them have been eaten down to the stems. Is there a natural pesticide that I could use to save the rest?
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06 Oct 09, monkey (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
dear vegewitch - eggplants don't fruit until October/November in sub-tropical climates such as Brisbane - it is too cold. If the flowers still drop in November try putting some dolomite on the soil and watering in - the Ph may be wrong in your soil.
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20 Sep 09, Joan Maguire (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
one fruit going well but the balance of flowers have died - plse advise
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Showing 231 - 240 of 269 comments
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I've got three Asian eggplants growing, all from the same source, one in the ground and the other two in a raised garden bed. They all get equal treatment re fertiliser and watering but the two in the raised bed produce smaller fruit that is a very pale purple and tougher while the other has long much bigger deep purple fruit that's perfect. What could the likely cause be? pH or something else?

- Phil Morton

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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