How to grow Eggplant in Australia
Eggplant, or aubergine, is a heat-loving relative of the tomato that crops through summer and into autumn. It needs truly warm soil to germinate and grow, so in cool areas it is started early indoors and planted out late. Pick the fruit while it is firm and glossy, and the plant keeps setting more.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Eggplant in Australia
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | August to February | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | September to February | Same as capsicum. Wait out the last frost risk inland before spring sowing. |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | July to November | Sow indoors Jul to Aug; transplant late Oct to Nov once soil passes 20°C (24°C ideal). September transplants stall in cold soil. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | October to December | Start seed indoors Aug to Sep with bottom warmth; transplant from early November (Cup Day) once soil passes 18°C. June to July sowing needs a heated glasshouse. |
| Adelaide & SA | August to October | Sow Aug to Sep indoors with warmth, Oct as seedlings. Transplant Oct to Nov after frost. Loves the hot summer with steady water. |
| Perth & WA | July to September | Mediterranean: sow Jul to Sept indoors; transplant Sept to Oct. Cannot sow Dec to Feb (extreme heat). |
| Tasmania | September and October | Marginal. Sow indoors with heat Sep to Oct and plant out after the last frost in early October. Needs a greenhouse or very hot sheltered corner to fruit in cool Tasmanian summers. |
| Canberra & ACT | October and November | Start seed indoors with warmth in October, then plant out after the last frost in early November. Needs a longer season than tomato, so choose early varieties. |
| North Queensland | April to September | Dry season main window Apr to Sep. Heat tolerant and nearly year-round in FNQ, but wet season pest and disease pressure is severe. |
| Darwin & Top End | April to August | Dry season Apr to Aug. NT Government Darwin calendar grows eggplant through the dry. Wet season humidity brings fungal collapse. |
Where to plant
Grow eggplant in the warmest, sunniest spot you have, in rich, well-drained soil dug through with compost. Gardening Australia notes eggplants do well in the humid parts of the country but tend to be sluggish in cooler areas, where a sheltered bed against a north-facing wall helps. Plants stall and drop flowers in cold weather, so wait for warm nights before planting out.
Eggplant belongs to the same family as tomatoes, capsicums, chillies and potatoes. Do not plant it where any of these grew in the last few years, as they share soil-borne wilt diseases.
- South East Queensland: sow from August to February. In the Northern Rivers, sow from September to February and wait out the last frost risk inland.
- Sydney: sow indoors in July and August, then transplant from late October to November once the soil passes about 20°C. September transplants stall in cold soil.
- Melbourne: start seed indoors with bottom heat in August or September and plant out from early November.
- Adelaide: sow indoors with warmth in August and September and plant out in October or November after frost. It loves the hot summer with steady water.
- Perth: sow indoors from July to September and transplant in September and October. Avoid sowing from December to February.
- Canberra and Hobart: marginal. Start seed indoors with heat and plant out after the last frost (early November in Canberra, October in Hobart). Choose early, small-fruited varieties; in Hobart a greenhouse or very warm corner is needed.
- North Queensland and Darwin: grow through the dry season, sowing from April to September (April to August around Darwin). Wet season humidity brings severe pest and disease pressure.
Choosing a variety
Eggplants come in long, round, oval and finger shapes, in purple, black, white, green and striped skins. For cool areas, Gardening Australia suggests reliable croppers such as Listada de Gandia, a striped heirloom that can give up to 3 kg of fruit a plant, and Fairytale, with slender, striped fruit up to 10 cm long. Small and finger-shaped types crop earlier than large ones.
How to plant
- Sow seed in punnets of seed raising mix about 0.5 cm deep, kept warm. Seed needs a soil temperature of about 24 to 25°C to germinate, so use a heat mat, a warm spot indoors or a greenhouse in cool areas.
- Pot seedlings on as they grow and keep them warm.
- Before planting out, enrich the bed with compost and a little pelletised chicken manure.
- Plant out once nights are reliably warm, spacing plants about 50 to 60 cm apart.
- Put in a stake at planting time. Plants laden with fruit bend and snap.
- Water in well and mulch.
Watering and feeding
Water deeply and regularly, keeping the soil moist but not soggy, and let the top of the soil dry a little between waterings. Eggplants that dry out give small, bitter fruit and drop flowers. Mulch well to keep the root zone cool and moist through summer.
Feed with a balanced fertiliser or compost and pelletised manure at planting. Once flowering and fruiting starts, switch to a fertiliser higher in potassium, such as a tomato food, every few weeks. Too much nitrogen gives a big, leafy plant with few fruit.
Pruning and care through the year
- Tie the main stem to its stake as it grows.
- Flowers are pollinated by bees, which shake the pollen loose. Blue-banded bees are especially good at it, so avoid sprays that harm bees.
- In hot, dry inland summers, light shade in the afternoon can stop flowers dropping.
- Check the undersides of leaves often for 28-spotted ladybirds and mites, which build up quickly in summer.
Harvesting
Pick when the fruit is full sized for its variety, firm and glossy. Press gently with a thumb: the flesh should spring back. Once the skin dulls the fruit is over-mature, with brown, bitter seeds and spongy flesh, and purple types start to turn yellow. Cut the tough, prickly stalk with secateurs, leaving a short stalk on the fruit.
Regular picking keeps the plant setting new fruit. Eggplants keep best on the bench at room temperature for a few days; the fridge shortens their life.
Growing in pots
Eggplants grow well in a pot at least 40 cm wide and deep, which also lets you put them in the warmest spot. Compact and small-fruited varieties suit pots best. Use a quality potting mix, add a stake, water often in summer and feed every couple of weeks with a liquid fertiliser for fruiting plants.
Companion planting
Eggplant shares a bed happily with other warm-season crops. Keep it away from its own family in the rotation.
Good companions
- Beans A summer legume that grows in the same warm season and adds nitrogen to the soil for later crops.
- Marigold A summer flower that brings in bees and beneficial insects.
- Thyme A low herb for the edge of the bed whose flowers bring in bees.
- Capsicum Wants the same heat, soil and water, so the two are easy to grow side by side. Rotate both away from tomato family beds.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to eggplant.
- Fennel Fennel is traditionally kept apart from most vegetables. The evidence is thin, but giving it its own spot costs nothing.
Pests and diseases
Leaf-eating beetles and sap suckers are the main summer pests, and fruit fly in warm areas.
Pests to watch for
- 28-spotted ladybird Orange beetles with many black spots, and spiky yellow larvae, scraping the leaves into lacy skeletons. Squash adults, larvae and the yellow egg clusters under the leaves.
- Spider mite Fine pale speckling on the leaves, which turn bronze or yellow, and fine webbing underneath, in hot, dry weather.
- Fruit fly Small puncture marks in the fruit, which then rots inside. Use traps or fruit fly netting in fruit fly areas.
Diseases to watch for
- Verticillium wilt Lower leaves yellow and wilt, often on one side of the plant first, and the plant slowly declines. Soil-borne, so rotate away from the tomato family.
- Phomopsis blight Sunken spots on the fruit that enlarge and turn soft, and grey or brown spots on the leaves and stems, in warm, wet weather. Remove affected fruit and do not save seed from it.
Common questions
Why are the flowers falling off my eggplant?
Usually cold nights, extreme heat or dry soil. Eggplants need warm, steady conditions, so plant them out only once nights are warm, keep the soil evenly moist, and give light afternoon shade in very hot inland summers.
When should I pick eggplant?
When the fruit is full sized, firm and glossy, and the flesh springs back when pressed. A dull skin means it is over-mature, with bitter seeds and spongy flesh.
Why is my eggplant turning yellow?
Purple eggplants left on the plant too long turn yellow as they over-mature and lose flavour. Pick them earlier, while still glossy. Some varieties are naturally yellow or white when ripe.
How do I germinate eggplant seeds?
Eggplant needs warm soil, about 24 to 25°C, to germinate. Sow in punnets on a heat mat or in a warm spot indoors in late winter, and plant the seedlings out once nights are warm.
Do eggplants need staking?
Yes. A plant carrying several fruit easily bends or snaps, so put in a stake at planting time and tie the stem as it grows.
Can I grow eggplant in Melbourne?
Yes, with a head start. Sow indoors with bottom heat in August or September, plant out from early November, choose an early or small-fruited variety and give it the warmest, most sheltered spot.
What is eating holes in my eggplant leaves?
Lacy, skeletonised leaves are usually the work of 28-spotted ladybirds and their spiky yellow larvae. Check under the leaves and squash adults, larvae and egg clusters.
Sources we checked: Gardening Australia: Tasty Solanaceae; Gardening Australia: Eggplant (plant finder); Gardening Australia: FAQs, yellow eggplant; Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds (Lucid): Eggplant 28-spot ladybird beetle; University of Arkansas Extension: Home gardening series, eggplant (FSA6010).