Harvest guide

Eggplant harvest guide: when to pick and how much to expect

Eggplants (aubergines) love heat and crop from late summer. Glossy skin is the sign to pick, and regular picking keeps more fruit coming.

Days to harvest: 60–80 days from transplanting(Montana State University Extension)
Harvest months: August–October(RHS)
Typical yield: 3.2 kg per 3 m row (7 lb per 10 ft)(Montana State University Extension)
Per plant: about 0.49 kg (1.1 lb) per plant(Montana State University Extension)
Spacing: 60 cm (24 in) apart(RHS)
Family: Solanaceae (nightshade family)
Botanical name: Solanum melongena

Eggplant planting and harvest calendar

Sow January–March. Plant out May–June. Harvest August–October.(RHS)

Eggplant season timeline

Sow
Plant out
Harvest

Months are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate, based on RHS (UK) guidance. Shift them earlier or later to match your own frost dates, or by about six months in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sow
Plant out
Harvest

When to harvest eggplants

Pick when the fruit is full-sized and well coloured, with a glossy skin.(RHS)
Dull skin means the fruit is overripe and may be bitter.(RHS)

How often to pick

Pick regularly from August onwards to encourage more fruit. Cut through the stalk a few centimetres above the fruit, and watch out for small spines.(RHS)

How many eggplants to expect

A 3 m (10 ft) row typically gives about 3.2 kg (7 lb).(Montana State University Extension)

That works out to about 0.49 kg (1.1 lb) per plant. Row yield divided by the 6.5 plants per 10 ft row that the same table assumes (65 plants per 100 ft).(Montana State University Extension)

Yields vary with variety, weather, soil and care. Treat these as ballpark figures, not targets.

Plan for your family

For 4 people eating eggplants fresh, plan on about 8–12 plants(University of Missouri Extension). That should give roughly 4–6 kg (9–13 lb) over the season(Montana State University Extension).

To preserve or store some as well, allow 2–3 plants per person.(University of Missouri Extension)

See the full planting-per-person guide →

Storing your eggplants

Store eggplant somewhere cool, around 13 °C (55 °F), in a perforated bag, or for a few days in the fridge. Expect about a week.(University of Minnesota Extension)
Long storage below 10 °C (50 °F) causes pitting and browning.(University of Minnesota Extension)

Track it

Log every eggplant harvest

Harvest Journal is a private garden journal for your phone. Tap to log each picking of eggplants by weight or count, and see your season add up, with no account needed.