Growing Eggplant, also Aubergine

Solanum sp. : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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

(Best months for growing Eggplant in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings

September: Bring on in pots - need a long growing season

  • 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 75°F and 90°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 24 - 30 inches 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

09 Mar 23, Thumbellina (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I’ve found “tea” made from banana skins really does help them to flower and set fruit! So easy. I just water them with it a few days in a row, and hey presto. It worked for me. Google it and give it a go!
13 Sep 18, Mike (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Google about flowers dropping off egg plants.
03 Feb 18, Daisy (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi Diana, I have never grown eggplant but perhaps the plant that you have is a male one? I don't really know whether this is even possible. Also, it could be that you need to pollinate the flowers by hand? I hope this helps! xx D
05 Feb 18, Kristin (USA - Zone 11a climate)
Why someone would suggest maybe yours is a male plant and saying "hope this helps" is hilarious. Eggplants do not need separate male and female plants. A quick google search can tell you that. Several reasons your flowers are dropping - lack of pollination or the plant is under stress being - 1) too cold or hot 2)lack of water or nutrients. Try hand pollinating your flowers and lookup the temperature your variety of eggplant will set fruit. I looked up the temperature for Tutukaka coast and the temperature seems too cold for eggplant. I could be wrong. But you will need find out what variety you have first.
20 Jan 18, Alison (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I have eggplants in a tunnel house. The plants look amazing and are flowering like crazy and look to be pollinating but then drop off before fruit develops. They are getting plenty of water and tomatoes in the same greenhouse are fruiting happily. What am I dong wrong?
15 Jan 18, Phil Morton (Australia - temperate climate)
I've got three Asian eggplants growing, all from the same source, one in the ground and the other two in a raised garden bed. They all get equal treatment re fertiliser and watering but the two in the raised bed produce smaller fruit that is a very pale purple and tougher while the other has long much bigger deep purple fruit that's perfect. What could the likely cause be? pH or something else?
17 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The soil could be the difference. The raised bed would dry out quicker than the garden bed probably. Do they get the same amount of sunlight?
25 Jan 18, Phil Morton (Australia - temperate climate)
Not a lot of difference.... the one in the ground is closer to a west wall so get's about an hour less afternoon sunlight in a day. They both have good layers of mulch to help keep in the moisture. The 42' days recently and the few arriving from tomorrow have/will be doing damage to them both no doubt!
14 Jan 18, Paula Mouat (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I am growing eggplant for the first time in a glasshouse. My plant is growing very well with lots of fruit. The fruit are large and pale. How long should I wait before harvesting?
02 Jan 18, (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Hi, is it worth trying to grow aubergines in Dunedin?
Showing 131 - 140 of 351 comments

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