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

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20 Feb 19, Lachie (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, if I plant eggplant seed now will it fruit in time before winter?have I missed my window?
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22 Feb 19, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
Egg plant like warm weather -so judge that in your area - probably too late by this guide.
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26 Jan 19, Christine Cain (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hello, my egg plant plants are very healthy, lots of flowers, however the flowers die before the fruit develops. What causes that to happen? Thanks for your advice.
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28 Jan 19, peter cranston (Australia - temperate climate)
lack of pollination. Egg plants self, but at some times (weather ?) need some help. Take an cotton bud, gather pollen (yellow) and apply to stigma (single central erect part). Watch any utube on search 'pollinate egg plants'.
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13 Jan 19, Sue (Australia - temperate climate)
They’re smaller than a ladybird. Blackish. They put tiny holes in leaves. Sometimes there’s almost no leaf left and the plant can die.
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13 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Mine looked like a half sized bee.
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31 Dec 18, Sue (Australia - temperate climate)
Any ideas how to get rid of a little insect on eggplants leaves. We think it’s hibiscus beetle. Sue
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05 Jan 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Are they eating the leaves? If a grub find a spray from a nursery or look up internet for an organic spray. I had a weird little grub eat my egg plant leaves- I used a spray from the Men's Shed - don't know it name - used for cucumber fly.
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11 Jan 19, Sue brumby (Australia - temperate climate)
Theyre beetle like insects and make tiny holes in the leaf. Sometimes there’s almost no leaf left. The plant looks very sick and can die
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21 Jan 19, Sharen (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Sue, I’ve had a similar problem. Have you tried soapy water? 1 tblsp dish washing liquid to 5 litres water or look up a recipe for chilli and garlic spray. I also noticed leaf hoppers around at the same time. I use the same spray. Good luck.
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Showing 111 - 120 of 358 comments
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I know it's over a year later, but I've been looking for info for overwintering a huge eggplant plant, and saw your question here. Summer '22 I picked up three 5" Japanese eggplant plants from local Tractor supply store, on sale in 3 or 4" pots, for $4 each. I grew them in central MA, each in a 12 or 14" pot all summer. Got some good yield, and they grew to about 18" high, but I decided to bring them inside for the winter to see if I could get more fruit from them. I put them on a south facing bay window, air temp was never much above 68*, I watered, fertilized once (maybe 2x) from October-May, and hand pollinated flowers with a paint brush. Got about 10 fruits, which I thought was pretty good! Nice and tender and sweet. In late May/early June they went outside, (after hardened off properly) planted 1 into 2' tall raised wooden garden box (with tomatoes, potatoes, basil, borage), 1 into a large deep pot, and one in a conditioned straw bale. The pot one failed, the box and straw bale one thrived and are now 3' tall and maybe 2-3' wide. Tons of flowers, fruit, I couldn't keep up. I'm trying to figure out if I can bring one of them inside again (transplant into v. large pot) and get one more summer out of it! So you can probably grow Ichyban Japanese in your zone, just protect from cooler temps, and bring inside if your season isn't long enough.

- TMR

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