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When to plant eggplant

Eggplant timing, counted from your average last spring frost and first fall frost. The most heat-loving of the tomato family.

Seasonwarm-season, tender to frost
Start indoors10 weeks before to 8 weeks before the last frost
Transplant2 weeks after to 4 weeks after the last frost
Fall transplant16 weeks before to 13 weeks before the first fall frost
Soil temperature to germinate60°F or warmer
Days to maturity70–85 days from transplant
Spacing18–24 in apart, rows 30–36 in apart
Seed depth0.25 in
Slender purple eggplant fruits hanging from the plant
Photo: Mark from san diego, usa, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Example dates

PlaceDates
Austin, TX (78701)Start seeds indoors: Dec 30–Jan 13; Transplant: Mar 24–Apr 7; Fall transplant: Jul 28–Aug 18
Atlanta, GA (30303)Start seeds indoors: Jan 13–27; Transplant: Apr 7–21; Fall transplant: Jul 19–Aug 9
St. Louis, MO (63101)Start seeds indoors: Jan 21–Feb 4; Transplant: Apr 15–29; Fall transplant: Jul 15–Aug 5
Chicago, IL (60614)Start seeds indoors: Jan 30–Feb 13; Transplant: Apr 24–May 8
Denver, CO (80202)Start seeds indoors: Feb 19–Mar 5; Transplant: May 14–28
Seattle, WA (98101)Start seeds indoors: Jan 2–16; Transplant: Mar 27–Apr 10; Fall transplant: Jul 28–Aug 18

Every ZIP page has its own dates. Find your ZIP.

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Sources

Summarized in our own words from public extension publications.

All vegetables · Your ZIP's planting calendar