Eggplant planting guide
When to start eggplant seeds
Start eggplant about eight weeks before a locally suitable outdoor planting date. The calendar result is incomplete until nighttime lows stay above 50°F and the soil and forecast are genuinely warm.
Indoor lead time
About 8 weeks
Count backward from the date you expect to transplant.
Nighttime condition
Above 50°F
Wait until nighttime lows stay above this threshold.
Growing preference
Warm weather
Eggplant will not thrive through a cool season.
At transplanting
Install support
Set the cage or stake before roots spread.
Seed-starting calculator
Find when to start seeds indoors
We count backward from the outdoor planting date using university timing guidance.
Choose the outdoor date
Use warm nights as the final gate
The reviewed source says to transplant only after nighttime low temperatures are above 50°F. A last-frost estimate can help with planning, but it does not prove that nights or soil have warmed enough.
Count backward
Give seedlings about eight weeks
The crop-specific eggplant guide says about eight weeks, so this page overrides the general indoor-seed table's nine-week row. The calculator does not average the two values.
Prepare the planting site before moving seedlings
Harden gradually
Indoor-grown plants need a gradual introduction to direct sun, wind and outdoor temperature changes before transplanting.
Warm the soil carefully
The source says black plastic mulch can help warm the soil, but it should not be applied before the soil has begun warming in spring.
Support at planting
Install a cage or support when the plant goes into the garden so later work does not disturb an established root system.
Do not plant from the date alone
Cold nights can stop eggplant growth even after the average last frost. Check the current forecast, measured garden conditions and the seed packet before transplanting.