How to Grow Eggplant
Gardeners in warm regions rejoice! Although fussy to grow in cooler areas, eggplant thrives in warm weather. Learn how to grow eggplant, and add this beautiful fruit (yes, eggplant is a fruit) to your garden and table.
8 Tips for How to Grow Eggplant
1. Choose the best location for growing eggplant
Eggplant prefers a sunny location with well-draining soil rich in organic matter.
It’s important to rotate where you plant eggplant and other nightshade family members (such as potatoes and tomatoes) to help prevent and avoid soilborne pests and diseases.
If pests or diseases have been an issue, try growing eggplant in containers instead. Eggplants do well when grown in large containers. Choose a container with at least 5 gallons of soil (19 liters) and at least 10 inches (25 cm) deep.
Find more vegetables that grow well in containers in this guide.
2. Choose an eggplant type suited to your needs
Eggplant varieties differ in size, shape, color, and maturation time.
Globe eggplants (try Black Beauty) are traditional large purple or white oval fruits. They produce best in warmer climates.
Small fruited eggplants (such as Frog Egg & Jewel Amethyst) are more compact and are perfect for small spaces or containers.
Japanese eggplants (try Long Purple) have long slender fruits that mature quickly, which is a good choice for cooler areas.
3. Start eggplant indoors or purchase transplants
Eggplant does best when planted outdoors from transplants rather than seeds. Purchase transplants or start seeds for eggplant indoors 6 – 8 weeks before the last spring frost or your planting date. Seeds sprout in 7 -14 days. Eggplant seeds last up to 4 years. Eggplant seeds are available on Seedsnow.com.
Because eggplant is sensitive to transplant shock, start seeds in larger 4-inch containers (I like this type from Amazon) and harden off plants before planting them in the garden.
4. How to grow eggplant? Plant eggplant at the correct time
Eggplant prefers warm weather, so don’t plant it before temperatures have warmed in the spring. Transplant eggplant seedlings into the garden when the soil is at least 70℉/21°C (the best way to check your soil temperature is with a soil thermometer), with daytime temperatures at or above 70℉/21°C and nighttime temperatures above 50℉/10°C.
In the low desert of Arizona:
- Start seeds indoors: January – February and May – July
- Plant transplants outside: March – April and July 15 – September
Space plants 18-24 inches (45-61 cm) apart. If using square-foot gardening, allow 2-4 square feet for each plant, depending on the variety.
Perpetual Vegetable, Fruit & Herb Calendar shows you when to plant vegetables in the low desert of Arizona and whether to plant seeds or transplants. See it in my shop.
5. Care for the plants throughout the season
- Give eggplant a steady moisture supply, but do not let the soil get soggy. The fruit will be small and bitter if the eggplant isn’t watered enough.
- Eggplant also needs food to produce well. Feed the plant occasionally with fish emulsion or compost tea.
- Eggplant is self-fertile but benefits from pollination from bees.
- Remove yellow or withered leaves and stake or trellis plants as needed.
- Read the complete guide to pruning peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants after winter here.
6. How to grow eggplant? Be on the lookout for pests
Growing eggplants can be a rewarding experience, but like any plant, they can be susceptible to pests and diseases. Here are some common issues you might encounter and organic, minimally-invasive methods for treatment:
- Aphids and Whiteflies: These tiny insects suck sap from the plant, causing leaves to wilt or yellow. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which are natural predators.
- Flea Beetles: These small beetles chew small holes in the leaves. Using row covers early in the season can help protect young plants and diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled around the base of the plants to deter these pests.
- Striped Cucumber Beetle: These beetles can defoliate plants quickly. Handpicking is an effective method. Be vigilant and look for all stages of the pest.
- Hornworms: These large caterpillars can do significant damage to foliage and fruit. Handpicking and dropping them in soapy water is one of the most effective control methods. (My chickens love them!)
- Verticillium Wilt: This soil-borne fungus causes wilting and yellowing of leaves. To manage it, ensure good drainage, rotate crops, and remove and destroy affected plants.
- Blossom-End Rot: This disorder is caused by calcium deficiency and irregular watering, resulting in dark, sunken spots on the blossom end of the fruit. Water regularly and test your soil to see if calcium levels are low.
Remember, the best pest and disease prevention is a healthy plant. Regular watering, mulching, and feeding with compost or an organic fertilizer will go a long way in preventing these problems.
7. Harvest eggplant at the right time
Small fruits have the best taste, and frequent harvesting encourages more production. Eggplant stems are brittle. To harvest, clip fruit with some stem attached. Here’s how to tell the best time to harvest eggplant:
| Not Ready to Harvest | Ready to Harvest | Overripe |
| No thumb imprint visible when pressed | Thumb imprint disappears | Thumb imprint remains |
| Bright, shiny skin; firm and heavy for size | Dull skin | |
| Can be harvested when at least half the size of mature fruit | Soft, wrinkled, brown spots | |
| Tender; best taste; small seeds | Large seeds; bitter; tough skin |
8. Don’t let eggplant harvests go to waste
It’s best to use eggplant within a day or two of harvest. Eggplant can be kept for a few days in a paper bag in a cool place. When storing eggplant, remove any bruised or damaged parts as these will spoil quickly. Eggplants should be firm and not overly ripe when you are ready to cook them – an over-ripe eggplant will turn mushy quickly once cooked.
If you need to store eggplant for longer periods of time, then it can be blanched and frozen. To prepare eggplant for freezing, cut into 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) slices or cubes and blanch in boiling water for about 3 minutes. Cool the eggplant quickly under cold water, drain off excess moisture, and pack into freezer bags. Label with the date of blanching before freezing and use within a few months of preparing.
To use your frozen eggplant, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and use it as you would fresh eggplant. Frozen eggplant keeps its flavor very well, so it can be used in a variety of recipes without losing any of its sweetness or texture.
Naturally low in calories but high in fiber, eggplant can be grilled, fried, breaded, roasted, stewed, or sauteed. Eggplant is also an excellent meat substitute and an essential element in Italian cooking. There are several dishes where eggplant is the star – think eggplant parmesan or baba ghanoush. Try adding this versatile fruit to favorite recipes or adding it to omelets or as a pizza topping.
Hello. Can I feed them with used coffee grinds in substitute of compost tea/fish emulsion?
Thank you in advance!
Sure, coffee grounds are a great thing to add to the garden as well as mix in with your compost.
Do eggplant require summer shade in low desert?
They do best with some afternoon shade in the summer. They will often slow down a bit during the extreme heat and then pick back up as temperatures dip a bit in the fall.
So, do you think my Japanese Eggplant plants will survive the Phoenix summer? Or, should I pull them and replant in a year or two? Sounds like I should switch out anyway to avoid pests..
Japanese eggplants typically do well over the summer if they have some shade. If they aren’t having problems I would leave them in place.
my flowers are falling off without producing fruit
It may be getting to hot for them. Once temps begin to cool in late fall production may pick up again.
My egg plant are beautiful and healthy. They are growing in an old fashion porcelain bath tub in miracle grow potting soil. I water every other evening. Right before I was going to harvest 2 of them they split and got mushy. Why?
Splitting is most likely a water issue. Too much or too little. Check soil moisture before watering.
I planted eggplant seeds about a week or so ago. Today is 8/9. Have babies sprouting up. Keeping them well watered and monsoons helping a bit. Also have shade. Should I not have planted seeds in August? Have your great calendar.
I think they will be fine. I’m discovering with eggplants that they do fine just about any time you plant them.
@Angela Judd, I have 3 beautiful plants from my summer garden. As a first time grower, I was going to pull them out for my fall vegetables. Do I need to? Will they survive Phx winter? They still have blooms (8/31/22). Thank you!
Don’t pull them out! Eggplant grows nearly year-round here, cover it if we get a frost event. You’ll have excellent harvests this fall.
Thank you so much for your reply below! I won’t pull them out! But can they be moved or transplanted? If not, I’ll leave them be!
I would leave them alone – they’ll do better if you don’t move them.
I planted a starter back in August, and the plant is nice and big and has tons of flowers, but no eggplant yet. Is that normal?
Yes, no fruit during the heat is common, but you should begin seeing fruit soon.
My eggplant was growing great through the summer and all of a sudden started wilting and yellowing. I water on a drip line regularly. Dug up the roots a bit and they look nice and white. Don’t know what happened.
Could be overwatering. Extra humidity means plants need less water. Could also just be shedding some of it’s summer leaves. Keep an eye on the moisture level and don’t over water. Hopefully you’ll see new growth and the plant recover soon. If not, it’s a good time to plant a new transplant in a different area of your garden.
Both of my eggplant plants did amazing this year. I just harvested about 2 dozen. Will it continue to produce? Im wondering when I can cut it back so I can have access to plant my cold weather crops. Is it okay to cut back now?
Yes, now is a good time to cut it back. Eggplants often produce for many years.