Eggplants—also known as aubergine or brinjal—are warm-weather vegetables that are harvested in mid- to late summer. Eggplant tastes best when harvested young. See more about growing and harvesting these lovely deep purple vegetables—one of our favorites on the grill!
About Eggplants
Eggplant (Solanum melongena) grows wild in its homeland of South Asia as a perennial plant, though these warm-season vegetables are treated by most gardeners as annuals. Given their tropical and subtropical heritage, eggplants do require relatively high temperatures, similar to tomatoes and peppers (which, like eggplants, are in the Nightshade family). They grow fastest when temperatures are between 70 and 85°F (21 and 30°C)—and very slowly during cooler weather.
Like tomatoes and peppers, eggplants develop and hang from the branches of a plant that grows several feet in height.
Because they need warm soil, eggplants are usually purchased as 6- to 8-week-old transplants (or, started indoors about two months in advance) to get a head start. Raised beds enriched with composted manure are an ideal growing place for eggplants because the soil warms more quickly. Eggplants are also great for containers and make lovely ornamental borders. In fact, there are quite a few ornamental eggplant varieties available today, whose inedible fruit have attractive variegated patterns.
Though eggplants are usually a beautiful dark purple color, their color can vary, and so can the size and shape—from small- to large-fruited.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
Feedback on Recipes
Where are the recipes you promised. What did deception. Did not want but you offered instead. This is my first and my last time I will visit this site.
Recipes
Eggplant recipes are listed just below the “Wit & Wisdom” section, above. We also have a separate collection of eggplant recipes here!
Life of an eggplant
I can't find information on how long an eggplant can grow? I know that once cooler weather comes, I take my peppers into the greenhouse and they do well over the winter. I want to know if I can do the same with Eggplants. My peppers are now 1m trees and are 3 years old. Each year they yield bigger peppers of Bell and other chili varieties. I know they need temps at least to 21C and my greenhouse is warm in the winter because I live in the Adriatic Sea so our winters are not that cold and we get a lot of sunshine.
Eggplant Perennials
Eggplants, like tomatoes and peppers, are actually tropical perennials plants in the wild. Gardeners in temperate areas tend to grow them as annuals, since they do not tolerate cold temperatures. However, if you’ve got a warm greenhouse where they can spend the winter, you can certainly treat your eggplants much like you would your peppers! I would only recommend disposing of the plant if it looks diseased or heavily impacted by pests.
eggplant
My wife is a Filipina and I plant the long slender eggplant and the way she prepares it is beyond description. Traditionally I have problems finding the plants to set out and to find the seeds to get started early is always a challenge. This year I didn't cage them which was a mistake as the story goes, they will fall over. But they produce beautifully. They are one of my garden staples and thank you for the story with the good tips.
I need help controlling an insect on my eggplant
The bug in the size of a flea. It is black and can fly. They have peppered my eggplant leaves with holes. What are they and how can I control them?
Flea Beetles
Those are the calling cards of flea beetles! They are a common eggplant pest, but luckily, they aren’t too much of an issue on adult plants. See our pest page for more info on them: Flea Beetles
Falling all the flowers of eggplant and no fruits till now....
Hi
I bought little fingers verity from winco and transplanted in my veggie bed and it gets sun morning to till 11am and from 3pm to till sun set. It has so many blooms but not a single egg plant I got. We have bees to pollinate. I am from Portland OR. Plz help what can I do to get egg plants
the books on planting
the books on planting vegetables are very interesting.
Millionaire Eggplant
Hello, I am growing a "Millionaire Eggplant" and a "Black Beauty", but it seems the Millionaire is growing faster than the Black Beauty. They are approx. 2' apart and are in the same raised bed as Zuchinni & Purple Bell Pepper. Is it usual for the Black Beauty to grow slower than any other Eggplant?
Eggplant
Yes, that’s perfectly normal! Different types of eggplant have different “days to maturity,” which is essentially how long it takes them to produce fruit. According to Burpee, ‘Millionaire’ takes approximately 55 days, while ‘Black Beauty’ takes 75 days.
white egg plant
i have been given a white eggplant fruit.i have planted the seeds n it grew well.i have given friends n family for eating but now am told its the easter egg type n not edable.i was told that it tastes bitter.it was from mauritius.im a farmer.must i change the variety.thanks
growing vegetables
i like your guideline and technical knowledge
egg plant farmer in THARAKA NITHI COUNTY, KENYA
Eggplant is doing very well in my place but it is being affected by the Bacteria wilt mostly the Black beaty variety.How can solve this,thanks alot for the training
Bacterial Wilt on eggplants
The fungi are soilborn. Unfortunately, Bacterial Wilt is very difficult to control. They infect through the roots. When possible, avoid land with a history of Bacterial Wilt. Commercial eggplant varieties with intermediate resistance to wilt are available. Resistant rootstocks are also available.
The best bet is to ensure good drainage. Plant on raised beds for better drainage away from roots. This will help alleviate disease pressure. Use mulching and furrow irrigation to reduce splashing and excess leaf wetness.
Use field sanitation techniques such as weed control and removal of debris from previous crops to help reduce disease severity. Rotate to non-host crops in order to lower the population of bacteria in the soil. Thoroughly disinfect equipment before moving from infested to clean fields.
Appreciation
Thank you for your well researched findings of vegetable production has motivated me to conduct much more research on water conservation especially for Uganda which still rely on rain fed Agriculture. Thank you.
thanks
The old farmers almanac has been the best resources ever THANK YOU!
help
what color should eggplants be when harvested?
how long does egg plants take to be harvested?
Eggplants
Both depend on the variety you are growing. Generally, eggplants should be a dark purple color (as pictured on this page) when they’re ready to be harvested. They typically take between 2 and 3 months to produce fruit.
growing
how does eggplant perform in Nakuru lanet?
Eggplant
We don’t have expertise growing crops in Kenya but we would think eggplant (known as biringanya or brinjal) would grow quite well in your climate. Here’s a reference page from Kenya: https://farmerstrend.co.ke/plant-biringanya-eggplants/
a 2nd harvest
I have 2 plants and enjoyed many eggplants from both. The plant itself is still alive and has many flowers but no fruit is coming. Are they done for the season?
Eggplant Production
Eggplants are a warm-weather plant, so once temperatures drop below 60°F, they slow or stop production of new fruit. They are actually a perennial, but most people treat them as annuals because they are not frost tolerant. Only in the warmest regions of California and Florida can plants keep up production in the cooler months, so unless that’s where you are growing yours, they are likely done for the season.
Please i want to reference
Please i want to reference/cite this article. How can i do that
Eggplant Not Flowering
I have 2 large Asian eggplants(Solanum ferox or terong asam in Indonesian) in my office that stand about 2 feet tall and are over a year old. They seem healthy enough, with nice large leaves, but I have yet to get a flower or fruit from them. I live in a cold climate in Alberta, Canada so have to have them indoors. The pot size is about a gallon and a half. Would I need a bigger pot? I have re potted them once already. Should I pinch off the tips of young plant stems to get fruit?
growing eggplant indoors
Eggplants like warmth and light. When growing indoors, make sure that they get about 12 to 14 hours of light. Temperatures ideally should be 75 to 85F during the day, and not below 65F at night. A 5-gallon pot is better for the plant–each needs at least about a square foot of growing space in the container for the roots. When flowers do form, you’ll need to shake the plant daily to help the pollen fall from anther to pistil in each flower. You can try pinching the tips of the plant to encourage bushiness; more branches on the plant means more potential for flowers. However, if you are planning to repot, perhaps wait to pinch until later, after the plant has re-established itself.
Sowing egg plant seeds in October
I live in Zone 9b and was wondering if I can sow some eggplant seeds now. My idea being they will grow and establish themselves until Spring next year and be ready to flower and fruit quickly next year.
planting eggplant
In Zone 9, the climate is mild so you do have a long planting season, but the best range for eggplants is February through July.
What varmit might be munching my eggplant and cucs??
I noticed the cuc first so I covered it with a milk crate w which worked out perfectly. But then I noticed tonight many leaves off of my eggplant are missing so I covered over I covered over the Cucumber but now I don't know what to do about the eggplant which is in a separate pot all by itself can someone please help?
varmints or conditions?
If the leaves are falling off of a plant (almost any plant) then it is dying. At least, it is not thriving. It is not getting something: proper soil, including pH and drainage quality? water? sunlight? and heat (not the same as sunlight)? See above for guidance on these points.
You ask in the headline if something is eating your plants…it doesn’t sound like it. Pests seldom go for leaves; like us, they want the good stuff—the produce.
Pages