Growing Eggplant, also Aubergine

Solanum sp. : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
              S S S S S
T T             T T T T
                P P P P

(Best months for growing Eggplant in Australia - sub-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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31 Dec 19, Carmel (Australia - temperate climate)
I think the best answer is it’s not too late if you’re thinking of growing them until April and then overwintering them for fruit for next year. You might even get lucky with fruit this year - but they are very slow growing and being planted quite late
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30 Dec 19, Nat (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Eggplants aren't a climber but need to stake and support. You can find seedlings in Bunnings. Probably too late to grow from seed.
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30 Dec 19, anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Go to Bunnings or a nursery and buy some seedlings if they have them. Good idea to put a stake (1.4-5m out of the ground) in to support them. If can't get seedlings try some seeds.
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30 Dec 19, Greg (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I bought my egglant seedling from Bunnings and it's going well. Two months old and over 1 high (climbing up stake) and fruiting. Give it a whirl...only a few $ for the seedling.
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08 Aug 19, Kwaku (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi When is the best time to sow eggplant and chilli seeds in Sydney? Cheers Kwaku
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08 Aug 19, Liz (Australia - temperate climate)
Use the Vegetables and Herbs tab - top of the page - click on chosen vegetable, then check that the right zone is selected - top of the page - for most of Sydney it is Sub-tropical.
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08 Aug 19, Colin Scott (Australia - temperate climate)
I have two egg plants that have given fruit and still have few flowers. What should I do for the next harvest? Pull them out and start again? Cut it back? Just leave it? Many thanks.
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10 Aug 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
From the notes here about egg plant.
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10 Aug 19, Phil M (Australia - temperate climate)
You should be able to get a good second season crop from eggplant. Best to cut it back and pull off any flowers although a little late in the season. I've got two I cut right back at the start of winter and they are still growing well, as the temperature gets up they will take off. I've also got another going into a third season that looks healthy after a fantastic second season crop but this will be new territory so don't know what to expect third time around.
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06 Aug 19, Jeanette (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi have a few egg plants growing but they are still green.What do i do to get them purple.Thanks.
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Showing 51 - 60 of 274 comments
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I’ve grown several eggplants for the past three years with great fruiting results. Of course as soon as one plant started to look “oldish” I’d cut that one right back (quite heavily) give it a decent fertilizing (liquid if in a pot or granular if in the ground) and it would recover just great. I also gave it a really good soaking watering immediately after or with the fertilizing. I’d do that about every 6 months for each plant (but not at the same time so as to ensure a continual fruit supply). However just recently those plants have had it… Just plain worn out… I suspect a very heavy build up of root knot nematodes and the start of root and stem collapse. I reckon if you can get 2-3 years from an eggplant then that’s more than enough and then call it quits. From my observations you can get up to 3 years happily from a plant growing in the soil and about 2-2.5 years from one growing in a large container. The pruning back also helps a lot in controlling a pest problem like spider mites. I live in a lovely sub-tropical climate on the Gold Coast so the plants continually grow and fruit. The variety I like is the dwarf Lebanese type. I am about to publish an e-book on growing herbs and veggies in small spaces but more about that later Cheers John

- John Bee

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