NightshadesSolanaceae

Eggplant.

Warm seasonHot season
At a glance

The spec sheet.

Indoor start
Mar 15
Direct sow / out
May 25 – Jun 5
Germ
10–14 days
Days to harvest
60–80 from transplant
Spacing
30" apart, rows 30"
Depth
¼"
Square-foot
1 per square
Qty target
4–6 plants for regular grilling + freezer.

Plant

Loves heat — wait for 65°F+ nights. Row cover early can help.

Care

Stake for support. Pick regularly to keep production going. Row cover early for flea beetles.

Harvest

Skin should be glossy; matte skin means overripe (seedy and bitter). Cut, don't pull.

Preserve

Grilled and frozen, eggplant parm frozen, baba ganoush frozen. Doesn't can well.

Companion planting

What eggplant likes, and doesn’t.

Good neighbors

Avoid nearby

  • Fennel
  • Brassicas
  • Potatoes (shared disease)

Eggplant is a documented trap crop for Colorado potato beetles — plant strategically near potatoes.

More in this family

Also in the Nightshades.