Fruiting vegetables · warm season
Eggplant
Solanum melongena
A true heat crop. Asian and smaller Italian types finish more reliably than giant globe types in Ohio.
- When to plant in Ohio
- Start indoors early March; transplant late May to early June
- Harvest window
- Late July through September
- Days to maturity
- 65–80 from transplant
- Spacing
- 18–24 in.
- Light
- Full sun, heat
How to grow it
Use a heat mat for germination (80°F). Transplant under row cover for two weeks if June is cool. Stake plants; harvest when skin is glossy. Fleas beetles chew holes in May—row cover until bloom, then remove for pollinators.
Related fruiting vegetables
Bell pepper 65–85 green; 80–100 colored
Jalapeño 70–80
Banana pepper 65–75
Tomatillo 70–80