It is a world class experience to see your eggplant grow and start producing its first star shaped flower.
But, how long does it take for eggplant to grow after pollinating its flower?
It completely depends on the variety of cultivar you’re growing in your garden. However, usually it takes 50 to 80 days to bear fruit after transplanting.
You’re advised to start germinating eggplant seeds indoors 10 weeks before last frost.
In other words, eggplant takes 100 to 120 days to grow from seed to mature plant.
- To grow after flowering, eggplant takes 3 weeks.
- How long does it take eggplant to grow from seeds: 100 days
Eggplants are easy to grow and love warmer climates. With its dramatic foliage and colorful fruits, this plant is a must in your veggie garden.
It is a self-pollinator, means its flowers are complete with male and female structures. Natural pollinators like bees, help in pollination. Else, you must hand pollinate the female flower to bear fruit.
When male pollen comes in contact with the female ovary naturally or by hand pollination, the fruit starts to grow. It can take 100 to 140 days to harvest the fruit starting from sowing the seed.
Eggplant Flowers
After seedlings grow to mature state, purple colored flowering starts to bloom. These flowers contain both male and female structures. After pollination, the swollen part of the flower will turn into fruit.
Normally, pollination among eggplants is done through wind. However, weather conditions don’t support, you must hand pollinate. Else, the blossoms will drop and your dream of having delicious home grown brinjal can’t be fulfilled.
Also Read: Eggplant Leaves Turning Yellow & Curling
How Long Does it Take for Eggplant to Grow after Flowering?
It depends on the variety of eggplant you’ve chosen. However, an average eggplant will take 3 weeks to grow into a fruit after flowering.
For early yield, you should start germinating seeds indoors prior to the last frost. Seeds gets required warmth indoors and they can easily germinate.
After transplanting it takes around 80 days for this vegetable plant to produce eggplants.
Having said that you must ensure that you’ll provide essential needs of this lovely vegetable plant.
As mentioned, eggplants are warm loving plants and it needs at-least 6 hours of direct sunlight to thrive.
Below listed are essential elements that this plant needs to grow:
- Eggplant does well in well-drained sandy loam soil. Growing soil should contain organic fertilizer to boost the growth of eggplant seedling.
- Water generously so that top 6 inches of the soil is moist.
- Avoid overwatering and underwatering your plant.
- Sunlight: 6 hours full sun
- Fertilizer: Add balanced organic fertilizers after every 2 weeks.
- Mulching helps the plant to lock moisture for longer time.
Why Eggplant flowers Drying Out and Falling?
It’s a great feeling to watch blooming purple flowers of eggplants, but when they dry and fall. It is one of the worse and heart breaking phase.
- As mentioned above, eggplants are self-pollinating plants. But, when pollination doesn’t occur, the flowers dry and drop off.
- Underwatering and overwatering also causes in dropping of flowers.
- Eggplants needs right amount of natural fertilizers to bloom flowers and to bear fruits. Not fertilizing will results in zero fruits.
- High temperatures and too colder climates will damage plant growth.
Protect your plant from hot waves using a shade cloth and cover the base of the plant with mulch.
Mulching will help to keep the soil moist and also protect from hotter climates.
You must start growing eggplants after last frost. Or you can also start sowing seeds indoors and transplant the seedlings to backyard garden after the last frost.
This way you’ll have plenty of time to grow successful eggplants.
Also Read: Will Eggplant Survive the Winter?
How to Grow Eggplants? (Faster Growth)
If you want to reduce the time taken to bear fruit after flowering, then you must opt for the perfect eggplant cultivar that grows faster.
Apart from choosing the best cultivar, you must provide preferred environment and climatic condition for faster growth.
When to Plant?
If you’re growing eggplants through seeds, then start sowing seeds in coco peat tray indoors before 7 to 8 weeks of last frost.
Once the seedlings appear after 10 days, transfer them to backyard fertile soil.
Where to Plant?
Choose the location with full sun exposure and well drained soil. A container filled with perfect potting soil can be excellent to grow eggplants.
As it belongs to nightshade family, make sure no other plants related to nightshade family is grown in that location in recent times. This is to stop the spread of diseases.
Soil
As mentioned above, eggplants thrive in well drained water.
If you’re growing eggplant in a pot, then mix equal amount of garden soil, peat moss and dry manure to the container.
Light
This plant does well when exposed to full sun. Choose the location where the plant gets 6 hours of direct sunlight.
Water
Lack of watering results in drooping of leaves and flowers starts to fall.
Likewise, excess water can lead to root rot and diseases.
Water generously; use dry straw as mulch to protect the plant from hot summer.
Temperature
Temperature ranging from 70-90 F is preferred to grow eggplants. But, anything higher or lower will badly affect pollination and the flowers drop-off without forming fruits.
Fertilizing
While transplanting seedlings to backyard, expert recommends adding 5-10-10 liquid fertilizer to the soil.
Use natural fertilizer after few weeks to boost plant growth.
Pruning
Removing suckers will help to improve eggplant growth.
Pruning isn’t necessary for eggplants where grown as annual plant. But, in areas where the plant is grown perennial, pruning will boost eggplant production.
Pests and Diseases
Use natural pesticides to get rid of pests and diseases. Garlic mixed water and neem oil can effectively remove pests.
Check this out: How much water does pepper plants need?
How to increase eggplant yield?
There is no magical step that can force your eggplant to increase yield.
Starting from seeds, you must pay utmost attention for quality yield.
- Choose quality eggplant seeds and germinate them 10 weeks before transplanting them to container.
- After the last frost ends, you can transplant the eggplant seedlings outside.
- This is warm loving plant.
- Choose the location that gets enough sunlight.
- Also, soil should be well-drained and fertile enough to supply essential nutrients to your plant.
- Feeding your eggplant with magnesium and Epsom salt will increase its yield.
You have to hand pollinate, if bees are missing in your vegetable garden.
Pruning your eggplant will increase its growth and yield. Trim suckers regularly to be gifted by bountiful harvest.
Stake your eggplants, this will support your plant from wind and avoid blossom end rot.
Conclusion
Depending on the cultivar, it takes 50-80 days to grow eggplant after flowering from the time of transplantation. Providing essential nutrients and necessary care will boost the plant growth and improve the yield.