You sure can! It’s called overwintering. And, if your climate is warm enough (or you can keep the plant warm enough) you can keep your same eggplant plant alive for years to come. You can do this with a variety of other plants too, such as peppers (hot or sweet), tomatoes, & okra!
Will eggplants come back every year?
Eggplants are perennial plants which means that they regrow every year. Eggplants never stop growing all year. Many perennials are accustomed to winter weather and become dormant during colder months. However as eggplants are tropical plants, although they slow down their growth, they continue to grow all year long.
How cold is too cold for eggplants?
Eggplant is generally more sensitive to cooler temperatures than its cousins, tomatoes and peppers. Flowers consistently set fruit down to 60 F nighttime temperatures. Eggplants begin to get chilling injury at temperatures below 50 F.
Can eggplant survive 40 degrees?
Eggplant temperature requirements are high. They need temperatures from 20°C to 30°C (70°F – 85°F) and plenty of sunlight in order to thrive. Frost or temperature above 35°C (95°F) may cause a delay in flowering and serious damage to tissues and flowers.
How many years do eggplants live?
How long do eggplant plants live? Eggplant plants can live up to three years in very warm climates, like zones 10-12. But in most regions they’re grown as annuals, and only live for one season.
How do eggplants grow in cold climates?
To grow eggplant in your area, start by growing cultivars that tolerate cool temperatures, such as ‘Orient Express’ or ‘Elondo’. Then raise the bed’s soil temperature by setting the plants in black plastic mulch. Protect the plants from cold by covering them with a floating row fabric.
Do eggplants grow back after winter?
You sure can!
It’s called overwintering. And, if your climate is warm enough (or you can keep the plant warm enough) you can keep your same eggplant plant alive for years to come.
Should I prune my eggplant?
ANSWER: Eggplants, like fellow nightshade family member tomatoes benefit from staking and pruning. In fact, eggplant actually produces more fruit when pruned. Pruning eggplant can also improve the fruit quality of the plant, and decrease the plant’s susceptibility to disease.
Can you grow eggplants indoors?
Growing eggplants inside is a bit tricky because it is difficult to provide enough heat and candle hours of light. The obvious solution is to build a grow system that not only enhances heat but includes grow lights. It still might not result in fruit, but you will have an elegant eggplant as a houseplant.
Are eggplants Hardy?
Eggplant is hardy in zones 4-10. They’re sensitive to cold, so they must be transplanted outdoors after the final spring frost. Start plants indoors 6-8 weeks before the final frost. Leave 18-24” between plants when transplanting.
What climate do eggplants grow best in?
Eggplant prefers warm soil — at least 70°. This shouldn’t be a problem in the South, but in the North, you may need to employ this trick to raise the soil temperature: A few weeks ahead of planting time, cover the area with black plastic and let it capture solar energy to heat up the soil.
How cold can tomatoes tolerate?
Tomato plants can tolerate temperatures above freezing (over 32 degrees Fahrenheit) and survive. A temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below will result in a frost or freeze that will kill unprotected tomato plants.
When should I harvest my eggplant?
Harvesting eggplants should occur when the inner flesh is cream colored, fruits are firm and before seeds are visible. Learning when to harvest eggplants may require cutting into the fruit to check the color of the flesh and the size of the seeds.
How cold can zucchini plants tolerate?
Zucchini is a warm-season crop that cannot tolerate frost or freezing temperatures, so its best to plant your zucchini in the early summer, when temperatures are at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit or more.
How do I get my eggplant to produce more fruit?
If you have poor fruit set, hand-pollinate the flowers to help increase production. Use an electric toothbrush to vibrate to flower stems (not the flowers themselves) for a few seconds each to help the pollen move within the flowers. 9. The more frequently the fruits are harvested, the greater the fruit set.
Where does eggplant grow best?
Because eggplant really needs warm soil to grow well, gardeners in cool climates often do best growing the plants in large, dark-colored containers. On a sunny day, soil temperatures inside black pots may be 10 degrees or more higher than in-ground soil temperatures.
Why do eggplant leaves turn yellow?
Yellowing of leaves is often caused by care problems like irregular watering or a lack of nitrogen in the soil. Plants that aren’t getting enough water may initially wilt during midday, yellowing as the water stress increases.
Can eggplant be planted with tomatoes?
Nightshades: Other members of the nightshade family, like tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes, make good companions for eggplants because they share similar growing requirements.
Can okra survive 40 degrees?
Okra is subject to chilling injury, that is, injury to the young seedlings when temperatures fall below 40 degrees, so they need late planting or protection after planting. The okra plants prefer night temperatures above 60 degrees and day temperatures above 85 degrees.
Is eggplant a fall vegetable?
Eggplant comes into season towards the end of summer, but bright shiny heavy-feeling specimens stay in season well into fall. Fennel has a natural season is from fall through early spring. Like most cool weather crops, the plant bolts and turns bitter in warmer weather.
Is eggplant a summer or winter vegetable?
Common warm-season vegetables: beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, zucchini and summer squash, pumpkin and winter squash, sweet potato, tomato, watermelon. For a more extensive list see Seasonal Classification of Vegetables.