How to grow eggplant
The most heat-hungry nightshade. A row cover early on keeps flea beetles off young leaves.
Your eggplant dates
Companions
Keep apart from
Rotation and family
Eggplant belongs to the nightshades (Solanaceae). Heavy feeders that share early blight, late blight and soil-borne wilts.
In a four-bed crop rotation it goes in the fruiting-crop bed. Avoid growing it where any nightshades grew in the last three years.
When to plant eggplant by zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow / plant out |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Jun 10 – Jul 1 |
| 4 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Jun 2 – Jun 23 |
| 5 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 21 – Jun 11 |
| 6 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | May 11 – Jun 1 |
| 7 | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 29 – May 20 |
| 8 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 16 – May 7 |
| 9 | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 |
| 10 | Nov 30 – Dec 14 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 |
Based on typical frost dates for each zone; b half-zones run about a week earlier in spring. Zones 11–13 are frost-free in most years.
Eggplant questions
When should I plant eggplant?
Plant eggplant outdoors 3 weeks after your last spring frost. Start seeds indoors about 9 weeks before your last frost.
How far apart should I plant eggplant?
About 24 inches apart, or 1 per square foot in a square foot garden.
What grows well with eggplant?
Traditional companions include basil, bush bean, marigold, okra. Keep it away from fennel.
How long does eggplant take to grow?
Typically 65–85 days from transplanting to first harvest, depending on variety and weather.