📌 In this diary:
Starting Eggplant Seeds in Zone 4: When is Too Early?
⏱️ Starting Eggplants vs. Tomatoes: Which Needs More Time?
Sveta, I’m going to sow eggplants this year for the very first time. Never grown them before. From what I’ve been reading, it seems like everyone is already starting their seeds. But I’m having doubts; eggplants are massive plants. If I start now, how on earth am I going to transplant those giant “palm trees” in May? What do you think, how much earlier than tomatoes should I be starting eggplants? A month?
Nata N. said on Feb 16, 2021:
What do you think, how much earlier than tomatoes should I be starting eggplants? A month?
Natasha, I actually stopped growing eggplants last year. But back when I did grow them, I used to start them about 2 weeks earlier than my tomatoes. And honestly, that was mostly just because they always had much slower, spottier germination for me. I usually started them right around this time (mid-February).
🔥 Germination Hack: Washing Coated Seeds & Ideal Temps
Natasha, hi! I don’t start my eggplants until mid-March at the earliest. Under grow lights, they shoot up incredibly fast. This year, I’m planning to sow them around March 17-18th. Last year I started them on March 14th, and by the time they moved out to their final spot in the garden on May 11th (under low hoops and row covers), they were already huge, leafy monsters. We usually plant them out around mid-May, but spring 2020 was unusually warm, and the seedlings were getting too big, so we planted them out earlier than normal.
Keep in mind, eggplants are heat-lovers, much more so than tomatoes, both as seedlings and as mature plants. Not by a huge margin, maybe 3-4 degrees, but they are needier. Their absolute comfort zone is 64–75°F (18–24°C). They will tolerate night temperatures dropping down to 60°F (16°C), but they definitely won’t be happy about it.
🚫 Transplant Shock: Why You Should Never “Prick Out” Eggplant Seedlings
Before planting, if your seeds are pelleted/treated (from commercial seed packs), I highly recommend soaking them and washing that colored coating off—it really delays germination. After washing, you can soak them in humic acid or just plain water for about 24 hours. If using plain water, it helps to soak them in a rooting stimulant like Epin for about 3 hours right before sowing. They usually sprout fine, taking 4 to 7 days. You’ll see the first ones pop up around day 4, and by day 5 you’ll have mass germination.
Sow them directly into individual cups (cups with removable bottoms are the best). Eggplants have very fragile root systems. They are not like tomatoes – you should never “prick them out” from a communal tray. It’s much better to just pot them up (up-pot) into larger containers without disturbing the root ball.
After sowing, put them somewhere really warm to speed up germination, and once they pop, put them under the grow lights just like tomatoes. I actually toss my seedling trays right on top of the kitchen cabinets. First off, they aren’t in the way (otherwise the “little elephants” in the house might knock them over). Secondly, our kitchen is usually around 79–80°F (26–27°C), and up near the ceiling it probably hits 82–86°F (28–30°C), which is the perfect cozy temp for eggplant germination. You might have good humidity, but I always cover my seed trays with plastic cling wrap until they sprout. Honestly, I don’t even take the wrap off right away; I just cut little slits over the seedlings once the cotyledons appear. The plastic locks in the moisture so I don’t have to constantly water them, especially since the grow lights dry the soil out fast. I only fully remove the plastic when I do my first up-potting.
Generally, commercial seed packets recommend transplanting eggplant seedlings when they are 60-70 days old. But in my experience, a 55-day-old seedling suffers way less transplant shock. Though, to be fair, since I use grow lights, my 55-day-old plants probably have the size and specs of a 60-day-old plant. The lights really speed things up.
Oksana Yevgenyevna said on Feb 18, 2021:
Sow them directly into individual cups… Eggplants have very fragile root systems. They are not like tomatoes – you should never “prick them out” from a communal tray.
Oksana, thank you so much for the advice! This is super valuable to me since it’s my very first attempt. I hadn’t even thought about the pricking out issue; I’m so glad you warned me. And without your tip on the timing, I would have made a huge mistake… I was literally planning to sow them on March 2nd!
