Eggplant (Solanum melongena): warm sowing, planting and harvest

The eggplant (Solanum melongena) is the most warmth-hungry Solanaceae after the chili: perennial in the tropics, it is grown as an annual in our climates, and sowing happens very early, in the warm. Here is the complete sheet, from seed to harvest.

Sowing: very early and warm

• When to sow: in a tray from January-February (outside southern regions), for a July-to-October harvest.
• Germination temperature: 21 °C minimum, ideally 24-30 °C — eggplant refuses to sprout below that.
• Depth: only 2 to 6 mm of compost.
• Emergence: about ten days in good conditions, up to 2-3 weeks around 20 °C.
• Pricking out: into pots as soon as the plant carries two true leaves.

Germination demands bottom heat — exactly the job of the heating mat, and the complete greenhouse + LED + mat kit covers warmth and light at once. Heating the trays from below visibly moves seedlings along.

Planting: full sun, rich soil

• Soil: light, rich, slightly acidic (pH 6.0-6.8, tolerates 5.5) — a magnesium feed during the crop favours fruit set.
• Exposure: only a sheltered spot in full sun will do.
• Planting out: after mid-May, at 45-70 cm each way.
• Watering: regular and generous, especially at flowering, at the foot without wetting the foliage; mulch early to hold moisture.
• Staking: roots are fragile — set the stake at planting, then tie in as the plant grows.
• Pinching: pinching the stem tip gives a bushier habit and more fruit; keep only 2-3 branches in the north, 4-5 in the south.

Cycle and hardiness

Perennial in the tropics, eggplant is very sensitive to cold: in our climates it is grown as an annual, and harvest comes about 5 months after sowing.

Harvest: August to October

• Pick as needed by cutting the spiny stalk, when fruits are well coloured, glossy and give under finger pressure without being soft.
• Picking young stimulates production; if the skin turns dull or the seeds brown, the fruit is past its best.
• Yield: 5 to 10 fruits per plant (1.5-3.5 kg), up to thirty in the south.

Companions, diseases and pests

• Reputed companions: dwarf beans, carrot, radish, lettuce; basil traditionally pairs very well with it.
• Pests: whitefly, aphids and red spider mite under cover; blossom end rot comes from irregular watering.
• Disease: Verticillium wilt affects pepper, tomato and eggplant — never replant eggplant or potato in the same spot two years running.

To go further: start your eggplants warm from January-February with a Germie germination kit.

Growing calendar

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Sowing
Planting
Harvest