Warm-Season Vegetable

When to Plant Eggplant

Beautiful purple fruits that love heat even more than tomatoes. Start early indoors for best results.

Sun

Full sun (6-8 hours)

Water

1-2 inches per week

Days to Harvest

65-80

Difficulty

intermediate

Spacing

24"

Frost Tolerance

none

The Short Answer

Eggplant are frost-sensitive and need warm soil and air temperatures to thrive. Start seeds indoors 8 weeks before your last frost date, then transplant outside 3 weeks after your last frost when soil temperatures reach at least 70°F. Enter your zip code on our homepage tool for exact dates.

How to Grow Eggplant

Eggplant is the diva of the vegetable garden — it demands more heat than tomatoes or peppers and sulks visibly when conditions aren't perfect. Container growing often outperforms in-ground in northern climates because containers warm faster. Harvest when skin is glossy and springs back slightly when pressed; dull skin means overripe and seedy. Japanese varieties (long and slender) are more forgiving than Italian globe types in cooler climates because they mature faster. Flea beetles are the signature eggplant pest — floating row cover until flowering handles them.

Starting Seeds Indoors

Begin eggplant seeds indoors 8 weeks before your average last frost date. Seeds need soil temperatures of at least 70°F to germinate, which typically takes 7-14 days. Provide 14 hours of light per day using a south-facing window or grow lights.

Transplanting

Move seedlings outside 3 weeks after your last frost date, once soil temperatures reach 70°F. Harden off seedlings for 10 days before transplanting by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions.

Growing Tips

Harvest when skin is glossy and firm. Dull skin means overripe and seedy. Use row covers if nights are cool.

Companion Planting

Good companions:

Peppers Beans Marigolds

Keep away from:

Fennel

Eggplant Planting Dates by State

Click your state for eggplant planting dates specific to your location:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Note: Planting dates are based on average frost dates from NOAA Climate Normals (30-year averages). Actual conditions vary year to year. Always check your local forecast before planting frost-sensitive crops.

Last reviewed: March 29, 2026