How to grow aubergines

Aubergines are becoming increasingly popular and easier to grow, with newer smaller-fruited cultivars available that crop more readily. Aubergines are tender plants that need lots of warmth and sun to crop successfully in the UK. They can be grown from seed indoors or bought as young plants and produce attractive purple, mauve, pink, red or white fruits that can be egg-shaped, round, or long and thin. Varieties with smaller fruits are often more successful in the UK. In good growing conditions, plants can produce up to eight fruits by the end of summer.

There are many varieties of aubergine to choose from, producing glossy fruits in an attractive array of colours, from dark purple, through mauves and pinks, to white or green, and various sizes and shapes. Smaller-fruited varieties are more likely to crop successfully in the UK climate.

For the best chance of a good harvest, look for varieties with an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which shows they performed well in trials. See our list of AGM fruit and veg for recommended varieties of aubergine and many other crops.

It’s also well worth visiting the veg plots at all the RHS gardens, where you can see many crops, including aubergines, being grown. It’s a great way to compare different varieties and growing methods, and pick up useful tips and inspiration. 

Aubergine seeds must be sown indoors, in late winter or early spring, as they need warmth and a long growing season.

Move young aubergine plants into slightly larger pots regularly once their roots appear from the drainage holes.

Then transfer indoor-raised plants or bought plants into their final growing position at the following times: 

• in April if growing in a heated greenhouse 

• in early May if growing in an unheated greenhouse 

• in late May/early June if they will be growing outdoors, after hardening them off carefully 

To transplant them into a large container or growing bag, in a greenhouse or outdoors:

• Choose a pot at least 30cm (1ft) in diameter and fill with multi-purpose compost, then plant one young aubergine in the centre.

• Alternatively, plant two into a standard growing bag.

• Water thoroughly and insert a bamboo cane for support.

• For outdoor growing, place the container or growing bag in a really warm, sunny spot, such as on a south-facing patio or beside a sunny wall, and cover with fleece for a couple of weeks to help the plants settle in.

To transplant into the ground: 

• Choose your warmest, sunniest, most sheltered spot, with fertile, free-draining soil 

• Start warming the soil with polythene or cloches two weeks before transplanting, once there is no danger of frost 

• Enrich the soil with plenty of organic matter, such as garden compost

• Space plants 60cm (2ft) apart, firm in and water well 

• Insert a cane for support and spread mulch over the soil surface 

• Cover the plants with cloches or fleece for a further two weeks until acclimatised 

Aubergines transplanted outside supported by canes

Aubergine plants benefit from regular attention, including watering, misting and feeding, to produce a successful crop. Some plants develop small spines on the stems, so take care when tending them.

Aubergines are tender plants that need lots of sun and heat to crop well. Lack of fruit may be due to poor summer weather or a location that is too cold, especially when grown outdoors. They need the hottest, sunniest position and a long growing season – at least five months from sowing to harvesting. Aubergines also need regular watering and feeding throughout the summer to fruit successfully – see Ongoing care, above.

Keep watch for greenhouse pests such as red spider mites, whitefly and aphids and take action straight away, before they multiply. Biological controls are available to keep them in check.