Side-dress with fertiliser half way in the season and again when you harvest the first fruits from the plant to ensure steady growth.
Needs a long season, so start under cover and plant out when frosts have finished, or grow in a heated greenhouse (reduce artificial heat in summer) 4. Mulch well and keep well watered 4. May need staking 4.
More most varieties, remove flower buds and leave only 3-4 to set fruit. Ensure regular watering at this stage.
Eggplant is best started from transplants, but can be also be started from seed.
If using seed, start early in the season using a little warmth and protection if your growing season is short
By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Eggplant about 42 days before your last frost date .
Transplant out only when all danger of frost has passed, as they are very cold sensitive and will stunt or die if exposed to the elements too early.
Alternatively, grow on under glass or a cloche, potting up into good compost as the roots become visible at the bottom of the pot
Eggplants should be harvested when 15 cm (6 inches) long and when the skin is still glossy. Harvesting fruits too late will result in bitter tasting eggplants, so keep a close eye as they develop.
How do I know the eggplant fruit is ready for harvest?
A good test to see if the eggplant is ready is to hold the fruit in your palm and gently press the fruit with your thumb – if the flesh presses in then bounces back, then it should be ready to harvest. Hard flesh indicates that the eggplant is not yet ripe and needs to be left on the plant a while longer.
Eggplants bruise easily so harvest gently, using garden shears or scissors to avoid twisting the fruit from the plant. Always cut the eggplant with the cap and some of the stem attached.
Wear gloves to harvest fruit as some varieties have sharp spikes on the calyx, sharp enough to break one’s skin 4.
Eggplants do not store well. Harvest and use them immediately for best flavor. If you must store them, wrap them in plastic or use plastics and store for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. Be careful as it will soon develop soft brown spots and become bitter. Use them while the stem and cap are still greenish and rather fresh-looking." 5
Seed viability is four years.
These estimates for how long Eggplant takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 11 days | Min 1 days | Max 28 days (521)
Average 46 days | Min 6 days | Max 102 days (243)
Average 99 days | Min 16 days | Max 202 days (372)
Our when to plant Eggplant estimates are relative to your last frost date.
The term eggplant originated as a description of white coloured eggplants because they look like eggs.3
Developed in Spain in 16th century.
During the Renaissance it was refereed to as the “Mad apple” or the “love apple”, the later it shared with the tomato.3
Aubergine
Misspellings: Solanum melongana, Solanum melongea, Solanum melongeana