- Hardiness
- Grown as a yearly crop in every zone
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Average, about an inch a week
- Size
- 2 to 3 ft
- Days to harvest
- 65 to 80
- Start indoors
- 8 weeks before planting out
Growing tip. Needs real heat. Cover young plants with row cover to keep flea beetles off until they flower.
When to plant eggplant by zone
| Zone | Median last / first frost | When to plant |
|---|---|---|
| 3b | May 16 / Sep 25 | Plant outside: May 30 to Jul 11 Start seeds indoors: around Apr 4 |
| 4a | May 12 / Sep 28 | Plant outside: May 26 to Jul 7 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 31 |
| 4b | May 8 / Oct 1 | Plant outside: May 22 to Jul 3 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 27 |
| 5a | May 3 / Oct 5 | Plant outside: May 17 to Jun 28 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 22 |
| 5b | May 1 / Oct 10 | Plant outside: May 15 to Jun 26 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 20 |
| 6a | Apr 29 / Oct 16 | Plant outside: May 13 to Jun 24 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 18 |
| 6b | Apr 22 / Oct 22 | Plant outside: May 6 to Jun 17 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 11 |
| 7a | Apr 16 / Oct 25 | Plant outside: Apr 30 to Jun 11 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 5 |
| 7b | Apr 5 / Nov 1 | Plant outside: Apr 19 to May 31 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 22 |
| 8a | Mar 29 / Nov 7 | Plant outside: Apr 12 to May 24 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 15 |
| 8b | Mar 16 / Nov 14 | Plant outside: Mar 30 to May 11 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 2 |
| 9a | Mar 2 / Nov 26 | Plant outside: Mar 16 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 19 |
| 9b | Feb 1 / Dec 9 | Plant outside: Feb 15 to Mar 29 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 1 |
Zones 10 and warmer have little or no frost. There, plant cool-season plants in fall and warm-season plants from late winter.
Similar vegetables
WatermelonFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneOkraFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneSweet potatoFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneGreen beansFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneSweet cornFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneBroccoliFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zone
Frequently asked questions
What zone does eggplant grow in?
Eggplant is grown fresh each year, so it fits every zone. What changes is when you plant. Find your zone by ZIP code.
How much sun does eggplant need?
Full sun. Full sun means at least six hours of direct sun a day; part shade means about three to six.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.