Eggplant

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Silky, glossy fruit—deep purple as midnight velvet—hangs in graceful arcs from sturdy plants, offering a tender bite and a refined, mildly sweet flavor.

At maturity, the skins shine with a smooth, satiny finish while the flesh stays creamy and pleasantly firm, ideal for roasting and grilling, plus hearty sauces and savory braises. Grow Eggplant for a season of showy color and dependable, market-class performance in the home garden.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 80 DaysHabit: Upright

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Mar 7th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Jun 20th
Harvest Begins	Sep 8th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	80
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	Stake
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	80
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Look for eggplant’s creamy, pleasantly firm bite: cook it hard enough to collapse the flesh and brown the sugars, but don’t overcook until it turns hollow. Its mild sweetness plus a little inherent bitterness loves fat and acid—so roast or char for body, then finish with lemon or tomato/anchovy brightness.

Best Uses

high-heat roasting until the flesh collapses and the edges go mahogany
grilling or charring for a smoky, meaty mouthfeel that holds up in sandwiches
slow-simmered sauces and savory braises where it melts into the pot
pan-frying with a thin crust, then finishing with salt and acid to tame bitterness

Flavor Profile

tender, mildly sweet interior creamy flesh with a lightly bitter eggplant edge silky, almost custardy texture when cooked skin that turns silky-roasted or nicely chewy-grilled

Kitchen Pairings

garlic tomato lemon olive oil parmesan anchovy

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest is most likely to hit Solanum melongena (eggplant), and how do I control it?

Watch for Colorado potato beetles and flea beetles on eggplant leaves, which can chew small holes early in the season. Hand-pick beetles when you see them and remove egg masses, then spray with a spinosad or insecticidal soap labeled for edible nightshades, reapplying according to label after 5–7 days if needed. Use row cover over transplants for the first few weeks to prevent new infestations.

How often should I water eggplant during its main growing phase (roughly after flowering starts)?

During fruiting, keep soil evenly moist by watering deeply about 2–3 times per week, aiming for roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) per week total depending on heat. Let the top 1 inch of soil dry slightly between waterings, but don’t allow the root zone to go bone-dry—dry spells can cause flower drop and bitter, underdeveloped fruit. Mulch around the plants to stabilize moisture and reduce the frequency of watering.

How can I tell when eggplants are ready to harvest (Solanum melongena)?

Harvest when fruits are glossy and firm, with mature size for your variety but before seeds toughen—typically about 70–90 days from transplanting and within a few weeks of flowering. A simple test is that the skin should dent lightly with a fingernail but not feel leathery, and the calyx stays green and snug. Cut fruit with pruners, leaving a short stem, and pick every 2–3 days once production ramps up.