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In Today’s post, let look into 10 easy tips and tricks on how to grow eggplant at home in pots. Eggplant, also known as brinjal can be easily grown in containers with a bountiful harvest and obtain the best tasting fruit following these gardening tips.

Choosing the Variety

There are many varieties of eggplant, such as Fairy Tale, White Eggplant, Indian Eggplant, Green Eggplant, Japanese, Italian, and many more. The care tips are common for all varieties. If you want the best-tasting variety, you can choose Fairy Tale or the Indian Eggplant.
Seed Sowing
Eggplants grow best in warm conditions. The right time to plant seeds is when the soil temperature is between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 Celsius). You can either sow the seeds directly into the main container or in a single container or seedling trays and then transplant. The depth of sowing should not be more than 5 to 10 mm. The seed starting mix should have at least 40 to 50% compost, like vermicompost or decomposed cow dung. They usually germinate in 1 to 2 weeks, and you can transplant these after 4 to 6 weeks.
Choosing the Container
You can easily grow eggplants in 12 to 15 inches containers, both in diameter and height. Good quality plastic pots, cement pots, or even clay pots can be used. Fabric grow bags are also beneficial, especially if you grow them on your terrace, as they follow the principles of air pruning, which is beneficial to the root system. Make sure there are a lot of drainage holes at the bottom of these pots. Another tip: choose a black-colored container if possible, as black bodies are good absorbers of heat and they do well in warm temperatures. If you are growing in the ground, plant in raised beds for best results.
Potting Soil Mix
A well-draining soil is very important for proper root growth. A stronger root system will produce stronger and healthier shoots and yield a better harvest in the end. A simple potting mix formula should include 40% garden soil, 40% coco-peat or peat moss, and 20% compost, like decomposed cow dung or vermicompost. Optionally, you can add other stuff like perlite or neem cake powder. Additionally, to make the root system stronger and induce lots of flowering and fruiting, add one handful of steamed bone meal powder or organic rock phosphate powder for vegan gardeners. Eggplants need a slightly acidic soil of around 6 to 6.5 pH.
Support / Staking
Once the plants begin to start growing, it is a good time to install stakes or supports to keep the plants from falling over as they load up with fruits. For staking, you can use simple sticks or dedicated trellis, similar to those used for tomato plants. You can also tie strings to support the main stem using clips.
Sunlight
Eggplants need full direct sunlight of at least 6 hours for best results. Keep them in a spot where pollinator insects like butterflies and honeybees visit frequently. Otherwise, they will fail to produce fruit and result in flower drop-off. Avoid spraying chemical pesticides that can drive away or kill beneficial insects.
Watering
Give eggplants a steady supply of moisture, but do not let the soil get soggy. Improper watering can result in fruit drop-off, low-quality or small-sized fruits, or bad-tasting bitter fruits. Daily watering is the general rule, and you should not worry about over-watering if the soil is well-draining and you have adequate drainage holes. Water deeply and thoroughly so that the entire root system is drenched, and consider mulching to prevent water evaporation and control weed growth.
Fertilizers
For a lot of flowering and healthy fruiting, feed eggplants with all nutrients and trace elements like iron, manganese, and magnesium. During transplant, add a phosphorus source like bone meal powder or organic rock phosphate. A handful of compost like decomposed cow dung or vermicompost once every 15 days is the minimum requirement, and you can double this frequency during the flowering stage. Adding a source of calcium like gypsum, lime, or finely powdered eggshells is also beneficial.
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Pest Control
Eggplants are occasionally affected by pests like flea beetles, powdery mildew, mealybugs, aphids, and whiteflies. Prevention is best achieved by spraying neem oil once every 15 days. If already infested, spray weekly until all pests are eradicated. Make sure to do a patch test on a leaf before spraying the entire plant.
Pruning or Trimming
Pinching the tops encourages more branching, making the plant bushier and producing a better yield. Regularly trim or prune unhealthy or dry branches to encourage good air circulation and prevent fungal disease.
Harvesting Eggplants
For bigger-sized fruits, restrict the number of fruits per container to 6 to 8. Harvest the fruit when it is young for the best taste, which also encourages new fruit formation. Eggplants fully mature at around 100 days, but it’s best to harvest at around 80 days or less. The skin of the fruit should look glossy and unwrinkled and have a uniform colour.
Please watch a detailed video on growing eggplant in containers below:
Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API