How tall do eggplants grow? Answering this question is necessary to help you know how many spaces and plants you will use for eggplant crops if you want to grow them in your garden.
Besides, learning more about proper care allows you to improve and boost their quality. Let’s continue reading this article to understand eggplants for a fruitful crop next time.
What Are Eggplants?
Eggplants are one of the nightshade family’s vegetables, like zucchini, okra, or tomato plants. They can grow well in hot summer climates and various colors, sizes, and shapes.
They have small globes with a diameter of 2 inches and more elongated tubular varieties at least 5 inches long.
Eggplants contain fiber, potassium, minerals, and vitamins and are a great source of antioxidants with low calories. Also, they include anthocyanins, an antioxidant for cellular damage prevention.
How Tall Do Eggplants Grow?
Eggplant may reach from 2 to 4 feet in height. Yet, several compact varieties only get 16 inches, whereas some taller eggplant varieties may develop to 4 feet.
Remember that the size of these eggplants depends on the types you will use to grow in your garden.
How Big Do Eggplants Get?
Aside from the eggplant plant height of about 2-3 feet, they are usually about 2 feet wide. Their fruits range from about 4-8 inches long.
Yet, several compact varieties, including Burpee Patio Baby, may produce 2-3 inches long fruits. But elongated types, including Burpee Green Knight, have fruits up to 10 inches long.
Eggplants will continue their growth, but picking them while their fruits are still shiny is best. If their fruits are brown or dull, it is overripe.
If so, give them the right compost or consider making food for your chickens.
Where Do Eggplants Grow?
Eggplants often grow in places with full sunlight and favorable climate conditions. In hot areas where temperatures exceed 100°F, use shade covers to protect your plants.
Besides, eggplant flowers may drop when the temperature is under 50°F, so avoid growing them in cool places.
In addition, these plants prefer areas with warm, well-drained, light, and humus-rich soils. Also, they may thrive best in places with soft sandy soils in early Spring.
Locations with poor soil drainage and high rainfall in raised beds are also their favorite spots.
How Long Do Eggplants Grow?
Despite depending on different varieties, most often grow and bear their fruits within 50 – 80 days after flowering.
As a vegetable with seeds, eggplant usually takes 100 – 140 days to grow and mature from its seed.
How Can You Plant Eggplants?
To grow your eggplants successfully, follow the simple steps:
- Prepare seeds and start sowing them about ¼ inch deep in peat or shallow pots indoors.
- Put seedlings in 24-to-30-inch holes spaced three feet apart since the threat of the last frost in Spring has been over, and the temperature in day time ranges from 70° to 75 °F.
- If the soil temperature is not warm enough, warm the soil with a black plastic mulching cover before transplanting.
- Place stakes of 24 inches in height 1-2 inches from each eggplant immediately after growing in pots or on the ground.
Also, give your plant support with cages suitable for eggplant plant size, and avoid touching the roots or the soil later.
- Water them after planting and add a mulching layer to control weeds and maintain moisture.
- Consider protecting eggplant seedlings and keeping them warm with row covers if you live in a cold climate. Open the row cover ends on warm days to allow bees to pollinate the eggplant blossoms.
How To Take Care Of Eggplant?
Below are the useful tips that help you know how to care for your eggplants properly for the best quality and yield.
First, you should grow your eggplants in places with full sunlight daily.
Besides, consider choosing and using fertile and well-draining soil rich in organic matter, including chopped leaves and the proper compost.
In addition, watering is necessary to allow your eggplants to survive in drought periods and retain moisture.
Regarding temperature, you need to grow your plants in Spring when the soil temperature may reach 70°F. Your plants will feel most comfortable when temperatures range from 70°- 85°F.
Plus, follow the label instructions to use the right fertilizer amount and type for your eggplants. Give your plants the potting soil with the proper fertilizer every 4 weeks.
An excess of nitrogen may result in fewer blossoms and thicker bushes. Thus, you should avoid overfertilizing to help your eggplants thrive best.
FAQs
When Can You Plant Eggplants?
Begin sowing indoors in peat and shallow pots about 6 – 8 weeks before the last frost of Spring. Seeds will germinate rapidly at the right temperatures of 70°- 85°F.
Alternatively, you can purchase six-to-eight-week-old nursery plants before growing. But again, wait until the danger of the last frost is over.
Purchase specimens when you choose to grow transplants. Don’t buy spindle-shaped, young, or tall plants that have already flowered.
Doing so will increase the flowering and fruiting yield when planting your eggplants.
How Should You Store Eggplants?
It is best to store your eggplants in moist conditions above 50°F for up to two weeks. Also, you can keep them in the refrigerator for a few days.
This is a great method to help you store your eggplants better.
Don’t cut or pre-wash so as not to damage the skin that may get quickly perished if they have been exposed.
Besides, utilize a marinade with vinegar, salt, or lemon juice to avoid discoloration of eggplants after slicing for grilling or cooking.
Conclusion
So, how tall do eggplants grow? Normally, the eggplants may grow about two to three feet in height. Besides, they can reach two feet wide, with the fruits ranging from 4 – 8 inches long.
To harvest the eggplants with the best yield, plant them in Spring with the warm weather and in places with favorable temperatures, soil, and light conditions.
Also, consider caring for them properly with sufficient watering and fertilizing. Thank you for your reading.
