When to Plant Eggplant
Eggplant stalls in cool weather. Give seedlings a long start indoors and transplant only when nights are reliably warm.
- Start indoors: 8–10 weeks before the last frost.
- Transplant outside: 2–4 weeks after the last frost.
Eggplant planting dates in major cities
| City | Start indoors | Transplant outside |
|---|---|---|
| Mesa, AZ | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 |
| Phoenix, AZ | Oct 30 – Nov 13 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 |
| Tucson, AZ | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 |
| Anaheim, CA | Oct 27 – Nov 10 | Jan 19 – Feb 2 |
| Bakersfield, CA | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 |
| Fresno, CA | Nov 5 – Nov 19 | Jan 28 – Feb 11 |
| Irvine, CA | Oct 27 – Nov 10 | Jan 19 – Feb 2 |
| Long Beach, CA | Oct 31 – Nov 14 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Oct 24 – Nov 7 | Jan 16 – Jan 30 |
| Oakland, CA | Oct 29 – Nov 12 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 |
| Riverside, CA | Oct 31 – Nov 14 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 |
| Sacramento, CA | Nov 3 – Nov 17 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 |
| San Diego, CA | Oct 28 – Nov 11 | Jan 20 – Feb 3 |
| San Francisco, CA | Oct 21 – Nov 4 | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| San Jose, CA | Oct 24 – Nov 7 | Jan 16 – Jan 30 |
| Stockton, CA | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 |
| Aurora, CO | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 21 – Jun 4 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | May 17 – May 31 |
| Denver, CO | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 18 – Jun 1 |
| Washington, DC | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 |
| Jacksonville, FL | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 |
| Orlando, FL | Nov 16 – Nov 30 | Feb 8 – Feb 22 |
| Tampa, FL | Nov 11 – Nov 25 | Feb 3 – Feb 17 |
| Atlanta, GA | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 |
| Chicago, IL | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 |
| Indianapolis city, IN | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 18 |
| Wichita, KS | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 25 – May 9 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County metro government, KY | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 |
| New Orleans, LA | Nov 13 – Nov 27 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 |
| Boston, MA | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Baltimore, MD | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 |
| Detroit, MI | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | May 11 – May 25 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | May 7 – May 21 |
| Kansas City, MO | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Charlotte, NC | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 |
| Raleigh, NC | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 |
| Omaha, NE | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 |
| Albuquerque, NM | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | May 7 – May 21 |
| Henderson, NV | Nov 11 – Nov 25 | Feb 3 – Feb 17 |
| Las Vegas, NV | Nov 15 – Nov 29 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 |
| New York, NY | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 |
| Cleveland, OH | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 |
| Columbus, OH | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 18 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Tulsa, OK | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 |
| Portland, OR | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 |
| Memphis, TN | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 |
| Arlington, TX | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 |
| Austin, TX | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 |
| Dallas, TX | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 |
| El Paso, TX | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 |
| Houston, TX | Nov 24 – Dec 8 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 |
| San Antonio, TX | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 |
| Seattle, WA | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 |
| Milwaukee, WI | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | May 10 – May 24 |
Calculated from each city's average (50%) frost dates. In a cold spring, lean toward the later end of each window.