PlantSowGrow
How to grow Aubergine (Black Beauty)
Solanum melongena
Glossy, dark-purple fruits on handsome plants. Needs warmth — best in a greenhouse or a hot, sheltered patio.
At a glance: Sow late January to mid February, harvest from early August.
When to sow, plant and harvest
Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.
Growing Aubergine (Black Beauty): what it needs
- Light
- Full sun · 6+ hours a day
- Watering
- Water regularly in dry weather
- Soil
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Spacing
- 50 cm
- In pots
- Grows well in containers
- Feeding
- A general feed before sowing or planting
- Harvest
- About 140 days from sowing
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 9–11
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Step by step
- Late January – mid February · 12 weeks before the last spring frost
Sow Seeds Indoors
Sow in modules or small pots of seed compost under cover. Needs 21–25°C to germinate.
- 10–21 days after “Sow Seeds Indoors” · Late January – mid February
Check Germination
Seedlings should appear in 10–21 days. If sown outdoors, thin to 50 cm apart when big enough to handle.
- 14–21 days after “Check Germination” · Mid February – late February
Pot On Seedlings
Move seedlings into 9 cm pots (or keep in modules) when they have their first true leaves.
- Late April · 11 days after the last spring frost
Harden Off
Stand plants outside by day for 7–10 days before planting out.
- Early May – early June · 3 weeks after the last spring frost
Plant Out
Plant out 50 cm apart and water in well.
- 7–21 days after “Plant Out” · Mid May – late May
Add Support
Tie the main stem to a cane; pinch out the tip at 30 cm for bushier plants.
- 30–45 days after “Add Support” · Mid June – late June
Start Feeding
Feed every 7–10 days with a high-potash (tomato) feed once the first flowers appear.
- 90–111 days after “Plant Out” · Early August – late August
Start Harvesting
Cut fruits when glossy and firm; dull skin means over-ripe.
- 60–90 days after “Start Harvesting” · Early October – early November
Finish and Clear
Clear plants after the first frost.
