How to grow eggplant
Solanum melongena · Solanaceae · Vegetable
When to plant eggplants: the short answer
Start seeds indoors about 9 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 3 weeks after it. Wait until the soil is at least 70°F; eggplants sprout fastest near 85°F.
Zone 5: plant out May 14 – May 31. Zone 7: plant out Apr 19 – May 6. Zone 9: plant out Mar 6 – Mar 23. See every zone.
Eggplant is a warm-season vegetable in the Solanaceae family, usually started indoors and set out as transplants. It wants full sun (six or more hours of direct light) and steady, even moisture. From sowing to first pick is about 65–85 days. It is killed by frost, so nothing goes outside until the danger has passed and the soil has warmed.
Grower’s note: The most heat-demanding common vegetable - do not rush it into cold soil. Flea beetles hammer young plants; a row cover until flowering pays off.
Sowing
Sow about 0.25″ deep, into soil between 70–95°F — germination is quickest near 85°F. Germination takes a week or two (7–14 days). For an early crop, start seed indoors about 9 weeks before your last spring frost and grow it under bright light.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 20″ along the row with roughly 30″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 1 per square foot. Allow at least 18″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 14″ deep.
Fitting it to your season
Eggplant needs roughly 65–85 frost-free days to crop. Where the season is shorter than that, start it indoors and choose the earliest-maturing varieties, or grow it in a container you can move under cover on cold nights. In long, hot-summer regions it can often be planted twice — once in spring and again in mid-to-late summer for a fall harvest.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long eggplants take to grow
From seed to first harvest takes roughly 21-24 weeks: about 12 weeks as a seedling indoors, then 65-85 days in the garden.
When to plant eggplant
When to plant eggplants by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 29 – Jun 15 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | May 24 – Jun 10 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 31 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 29 – May 16 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Apr 19 – May 6 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Apr 3 – Apr 20 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Mar 6 – Mar 23 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Feb 13 – Mar 2 |
Or browse eggplant planting dates for every state as static pages.
Companions
Bush Bean, Bell Pepper, Spinach, Okra
Dill
Common problems
Pests: flea beetle, Colorado potato beetle, aphids, spider mite.
Diseases & disorders: verticillium wilt, phomopsis blight, bacterial wilt.
Same family (Solanaceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant eggplants?
Start seeds indoors about 9 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 3 weeks after it. Wait until the soil is at least 70°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long do eggplants take to grow?
About 65-85 days from transplanting to the first harvest, or roughly 21-24 weeks from sowing the seed indoors. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days.
How much sun do eggplants need?
They need at least six to eight hours of direct sun a day.
What soil pH do eggplants need?
A soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5. It tolerates fairly acidic soil better than most vegetables. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant eggplants?
Space plants about 20 inches apart in rows 30 inches apart, or 1 per square foot in a square-foot bed. Sow seeds about ¼ inch deep.
Can I grow eggplants in a container?
Yes. Use a container at least 14 inches deep with drainage holes and a good potting mix, and water more often than you would in the ground.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.