edenhana

Eggplant

A warm-season relative of tomato, capsicum and potato in the nightshade family, sharing many of the same pests and diseases, so avoid planting where any of those grew last season. Needs sustained warmth to crop well, which makes it a reliable outdoor plant mainly in the northern and central parts of the country; in cooler regions it does best against a warm wall or under cover. Fruit is ready when the skin is glossy rather than dull, picking too late lets the flesh turn seedy and bitter.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
50cm
Harvest
Ready in 100-120 days
Difficulty
intermediate
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury
Expected yield
4-8 fruit per plant over the season
Cost to grow
~$12 NZD
Grocery value
~$45 NZD
Companion plants
Beans, Marigold, Thyme
Plants to avoid nearby
Potatoes, Fennel
Common diseases
Verticillium wilt, Blossom end rot
Common pests
Aphids, Whitefly, Spider mites

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: September-November. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: October-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: November.

Growing stages

  1. Sowing & transplantingSow indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost; transplant once frost risk has passed

    • Needs warm soil to germinate and grow away strongly, so start indoors or under cover in cooler regions
    • Don't transplant outdoors until frost risk has fully passed, as eggplant is frost-tender
    • Choose the warmest, most sheltered full-sun spot available

  2. Establishment

    • Harden off seedlings gradually before planting into their final position
    • Watch for aphids and whitefly colonising soft new growth
    • Avoid planting where tomatoes, potatoes or capsicum grew last season to reduce shared disease risk

  3. Flowering & fruiting

    • Stake or cage plants once fruit starts to weigh down the branches
    • Spider mites can build up in hot, dry conditions; check the undersides of leaves
    • Blossom end rot can appear on fruit during dry spells, keep watering consistent

  4. Harvest100-120 days from transplanting

    • Pick fruit while the skin is glossy; dull, matte skin means it's over-ripe and turning seedy and bitter
    • Cut fruit from the plant with secateurs rather than pulling, the stems are woody and tough
    • Regular picking encourages more fruit to set through the season

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